UPDATE: COBI Says Study Finds Briarcliff 'Most Financially Feasible Cityhood Plan for Central DeKalb'

Updated, 9:15 a.m. Monday: The City of Briarcliff Initiative announced Monday morning that a feasibility study, conducted by the Carl Vinson Institute of Government at the University of Georgia, "confirmed that Briarcliff is the most financially feasible cityhood plan currently proposed for Central DeKalb County."

A press conference is scheduled for 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Toco Hills Shopping Center near 2105 Lavista Road, the COBI announcement said. A follow-up public meeting to review the results of the CVI study will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, at Briarcliff United Methodist Church, 4105 Briarcliff Rd. NE, Atlanta.

“An independent study has confirmed what so many in central DeKalb already knew that Briarcliff is positioned to be the most sensible city for central DeKalb,” Allen Venet, COBI president, said in a news release. “Our proposed city has a strong blend of residential, commercial and industrial areas. Our map is smart and does not abandon neighborhoods. We believe the members of this community deserve the chance to publicly vote on Briarcliff cityhood.”

Keith Hanks, member of the executive board, commented, “The Briarcliff cityhood plan is funded by local citizens. Over 99% of funds donated have come from local residents within the proposed city limits, making this a successful grassroots effort. Our next step includes refining cityhood plans, translating into necessary legal language and presenting as a proof of concept to the Georgia House of Representatives in the next session.”

Further details on the study findings were not immediately available.


ORIGINAL STORY

The City of Briarcliff Initiative plans to announce the results of a feasibility study of its cityhood plan in a 2 p.m. Tuesday press conference at a location in Toco Hill.

The COBI board is examining the study and looking over the numbers. COBI President Allen Venet told a gathering last Monday night that the study, conducted by the University of Georgia's Carl Vinson Institute of Government, would find the plan economically viable.

Venet, at that time, could not give the audience details, including how much of a surplus CVI would project for the Briarcliff plan.

Patch will update this story as details become available.