Politics & Government

City Gives I-85 Annexation Back to County

I-85 corridor along Indian Trail Road has reverted back to being unincorporated Norcross.

After recently annexing the I-85 corridor along Indian Trail Road and Jimmy Carter Boulevard, the city of Norcross has agreed with the Georgia legislature to give the area back to the county.

β€œThe city is presently revising the boundaries along I-85," City of Norcross councilman Ross Kaul said in an email. "Our boundary line will stop on the North/Northwest side of the interstate with a small exception of the billboard lots at Goshen Springs Road, which has been in place for years."

Both reasons for the initial annexation and reverting it back has to do with police jurisdiction.

Find out what's happening in Norcrosswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Kaul said the annexation was originally set because of connectivity with Beaver Ruin, Jimmy Carter and Indian Trail. If I-85 were annexed, Norcross Police cars would be able to take the easy route of the two roads and stay within the incorporated area. With it being considered the city, liability would be less of an issue, said Kaul.

The legislature brought up the point, though, that the state highway patrol will have a precinct in the Suwanee area in 2014. Thirty additional officers would be patrolling the highway, and there may be an issue with jurisdiction if Norcross were to annex I-85.

Find out what's happening in Norcrosswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The city has no problem with it, Kaul said, because it's for the greater good.

"The I-85 corridor is one of the heaviest drug-traffic areas anywhere," said Kaul. "It's all in our best interest to shut that down."

The legislation did approve the recent annexation of the Beaver Ruin peninsula, said Kaul, and the city is currently in pause mode until it has Gov. Nathan Deal’s signature.


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