FAQs
If you are a resident of the annexation area and you previously signed the annexation application, the time to withdraw your consent has already passed. If you are a resident of the annexation area and you did not previously sign, no further action is needed; not signing the application is the same as opposing it. State law allows annexation of an entire area if at least 60% of the property owners and 60% of the voters who live in the area sign the application. See O.C.G.A. § 36-36-32. Thus, the City is required to consider the entire annexation area as a whole, as long as at least 60% of the property owners and voters who live in the area have signed. If the entire area is annexed, all properties in the area will become part of Brookhaven.
An "unincorporated island" is an area of land that is not part of a city, but completely touches one or more cities on all sides. State law prohibits any annexation or deannexation that would create any new unincorporated island(s). See O.C.G.A. § 36-36-34(a).
After City Staff and legal counsel have determined that the application complies with state law, staff analyzes the application and service delivery strategies for the annexed area. The staff report and service delivery report are forwarded to the City Council for consideration. In addition, rezoning of the property is required when property is annexed into the City. The rezoning portion of the application requires review and recommendation from the Planning Commission. The Planning Commission’s recommendation is forwarded to the Council as part of the rezoning application.
City Staff and legal counsel reviews the submitted applications for compliance with the legal requirements in three ways. First, the City consults map data to confirm that the boundaries of the annexation area comply with state law. Second, the City reviews property records to confirm that at least 60% of the property owners in the area have signed the application. Third, the City reviews voter registration records to confirm that at least 60% of the registered voters in the area have signed the application.
The city takes allegations of fraud very seriously. If you have evidence of fraud relating to this annexation application, please contact Annexation@brookhavenga.gov
The 60% method requires 60% of voters in the area to be in favor of an annexation. Because voter rolls for apartment complexes aren't always accurate, it is challenging to obtain the correct voter signatures. For example: 1 unit could have 4 different voters registered for that unit that do not reside there. For that reason, apartment complexes are sometimes left out of an annexation boundary.
No, there would be no change in schools. The City of Brookhaven and unincorporated DeKalb County are operated by the DeKalb County School District. Only the school district has the ability to modify schools.
The Brookhaven City Hall will be a gathering space for conducting the people’s business, to celebrate as a community, exchange ideas, and serve as a focal point and NorthStar for the City of Brookhaven within the Atlanta metropolitan area.
City halls, county administration buildings, etc. is a term used across the world for a building that houses the local government’s functions. City halls range from purely administrative offices (with limited public access) to all-encompassing public offices with all functions located in a single city hall building (i.e., public safety, courts, etc.), to purpose-built public gathering spaces.
The current design includes an atrium and adjacent event space that total approximately 6,000 square feet for community gathering and rental. It will be supported by a catering kitchen. The current design also includes a roof top terrace for public event use that will afford beautiful views of Brookhaven, Buckhead, and Stone Mountain.
Yes, the City will encourage the use of City Hall for community groups and events.
The Brookhaven City Hall will be located at the corner of Peachtree Road and North Druid Hills Road on the existing long-term MARTA parking lot. The City of Brookhaven acquired the lot from MARTA in 2022 for the purposes of a permanent Brookhaven City Hall. Click this link for the lease–purchase agreement with MARTA.
Peachtree Road is the city’s “Main Street” and the most recognizable thoroughfare in the entire metropolitan area. It was important to locate the Brookhaven City Hall close to mass transit and major mobility corridors to encourage access for all. Finally, the City Centre Master Plan and the 5-Year Comprehensive Plan Update calls for City Hall to be located within the City Centre.
Community engagement is a priority for the City of Brookhaven. Its first-ever Citywide Engagement Plan was approved by the City Council on Nov. 8, 2022, and guides community engagement for capital projects, planning efforts, policy development, daily operations, etc. Specific to the City Hall project, the public was engaged extensively during the City Centre Master Plan process to determine the general location of a City Hall. For the building itself, there have been design charettes with stakeholders, public meetings with initial building massing, a visual preference survey, two virtual town hall events, and presence at several City events (Paint the Park, Light Up Brookhaven, MLK Dinner, etc.) Additional opportunities include the Brookhaven Cherry Blossom Festival on March 25 & 26, email comments on the project website at CityHallProject@BrookhavenGA.gov, and attending public meetings concerning discussion and approval of the development design on March 28.
The space plan for the permanent City Hall will include legislative and administrative functions including:
- Mayor and Council offices
- City Council Chambers
- Office of the City Clerk
- Human Resources Department
- Finance Department
- City Attorney’s Office
- City Manager’s Office
- Communications Department
- Facility Services Department
- Explore Brookhaven
- Information Technology Department
- Community / Event Space
The current budget for the Brookhaven City Hall totals $78 million. Of this amount, $60 million is for construction cost and $18 million for soft costs and contingency.
The City Hall is funded with Urban Redevelopment Bonds that will be repaid from the Special Service District. The Special Service District is a property tax overlay for commercial properties approved by the City Council on June 14, 2022. Homesteaded residential property owners are not being taxed for the Brookhaven City Hall.
With a Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) project delivery vehicle, the pricing for construction is checked three different ways.
- The design firm will price the design concept, but their pricing will not be refined because finer construction questions are not addressed in design.
- The CMAR firm will develop a detailed cost estimate based on the final design and it will be reviewed by the City’s Project Management firm. This will result in a GMP (Guaranteed Maximum Price). The cost estimate will use standard industry pricing software that reflects current construction labor and material costs and will also have bids from local industry trade partners furthering enhancing the accuracy of the pricing.
- Then, the CMAR firm will develop and issue bid packages for competitive procurement (i.e., site work, demolition, concrete, steel, plumbing, electrical, landscaping, etc.) to local trade partners, who with then be evaluated, and selected to be part of the GMP (Guaranteed Maximum Price).
The Project Management firm will be heavily involved in reviewing bids received to ensure maximum competition. To the extent the bids come back below the cost estimate, the City saves against the GPM. However, if any individual bid package comes in above the GMP, the CMAR gets to use any savings from other bid packages and any costs above the GMP are a burden of the CMAR firm.
City Council selected The Sizemore Group for architecture and design of the Brookhaven City Hall.
The City Council selected Comprehensive Program Services (CPS) for project management. The project manager reports to the City Manager and will provide project updates to the Mayor and City Council as the project progresses.
The local construction price index has risen 8.3% in the past year. The Brookhaven City Hall project estimate accounts for near-term construction costs increases and includes a 10% contingency on hard costs.
Yes, value engineering will be employed throughout the entire process. The construction manager at risk (CMAR) project procurement delivery method inherently enables value engineering because the CMAR firm works directly with the design firm in the initial stages of the project to have the most efficient and cost effective final solution.
It is anticipated the annual operating cost will be less then the current leased City Hall. The current City Hall lease is a “triple net lease” with the City paying rent, property taxes and utilities on a 50-year+ inefficient building.
In the past year, the construction cost index has increased 8.3%. Costs estimates for the Brookhaven City Hall account for these near-term inflationary increases in the cost of construction and materials.
The Brookhaven City Hall will be built to U.S. Green Building Council “LEED – Gold” standards. The building will also include elements for WELL building and Earthcraft certifications.