'Buckhead City Now!' Demand Emailed From Community Group

ATLANTA — The Buckhead Exploratory Committee released a memo this morning launching a campaign to separate the Buckhead neighborhood from Atlanta.

Citing concerns about an increase in taxes and violent crime, and offering a blistering assessment of the city’s infrastructure and schools, the non-profit study group voiced its demands in a three-page digital mailer headed with three bold, capitalized words: “BUCKHEAD CITY NOW!”

“The case for action is clear as our beloved community is headed in the wrong direction on multiple fronts,” the memo, which was sent via email Tuesday morning, said. The message
went to the people who registered to participate in the non-profit’s online town hall meeting on Jan. 21. There were 182 people logged on, but it is unclear how many more Buckhead business owners, residents, stakeholders or interested parties also received the message.

Real estate broker and Buckhead Exploratory Committee CEO was not immediately available Monday morning to respond to questions from Patch.

Jim Durrett, chair of the Buckhead Community Improvement District and president of the Buckhead Coalition is against the cityhood idea and believes the BEC’s doesn’t help situations.

“I think it’s an exercise that leads to division,” he said. “I think nothing is going to come of it other than people getting upset.”

Primary among the list of complaints was a crime rate in 2020 that the committee said didn’t comport with the level of tax dollars that Buckhead contributes to Atlanta.

“The bottom line, our community is unsafe, and the situation is only worsening,” the memo said. “The city expects more donations to fix the problem. We should not be forced to hire a privatized police group when we pay such high taxes. This is not a sustainable solution. We need our own police department!”

In response to concerns about safety, a coalition of business and community leaders in Buckhead are working with Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottom’s office on a solution. The $1.9 million Buckhead Security Plan proposes, among other things, a synchronized and monitored camera network, more police patrols, deeper investment in private security and even a pilot to use drones around Lenox Square Mall.

Michael Moore, president of the Buckhead Business Association, pointed to that effort Tuesday when asked about the BEC announcement.

“There’s already quite a bit going on,” Moore said. “The position of what we’re trying to accomplish … we’re part of the City.”

The BEC said in January that it was raising funds — upwards of $15,000 — to conduct a community-wide survey of how those with Buckhead interests viewed the state of things in the community.

In addition to taxes and safety issues, the memo also takes umbrage with what it characterizes as faltering area-wide infrastructure and questions Atlanta Public School leadership around the handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Buckhead roads have never looked worse with potholes and broken sidewalks everywhere,” it states, and blames APS school lockdowns for “a massive exodus of children to other school systems.”

Officials from the Mayor’s Office did not have a response to a Patch request for comment at the time of publishing.

Noting that Atlanta would still prosper in the long run without Buckhead’s tax revenue, the memo reached its conclusion: “We all believe Buckhead should be its own city.” The statement was followed by a call to unite behind the cause and to support the need to “hire the best experts, attorneys, lobbyists, city planners and consultants.”

Durrett said Buckhead should unite around the cause of improving the community in concert with the city.

“The best way going forward is to do it cooperatively,” he said.