South Cobb Redevelopment Authority Plans $60,000 of More Studies

The South Cobb Redevelopment Authority, which met Monday at the South Cobb Government Service Center, talked about conducting two $30,000 studies of the South Cobb area to determine the feasibility of a Tax Allocation District in the Six Flags area and in the Historic Mableton area, the Marietta Daily Journal reports.

In order to develop TADs in those areas, the Cobb Board of Commissioners and the Cobb Board of Education would both have to agree to give up their portion of tax revenue for those particular areas in hopes that the area's property value would increase and thus bring in more money once the district was lifted.

At a past meeting, Cobb Planning Manager Dana Johnson even explained that a TAD could be used for a new ride at Six Flags Over Georgia.

The SCRA has funds left over from a one-time $1 million grant the former South Cobb Development Authority was awarded by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs in 2000. SCRA has known about the funds, which were neither "discovered" nor forgotten, since its first meeting in October.

It is unclear how much money is left over from the grant, since according to the expenditure summary statement for the grant, $998,469.87 has been spent from the grant. A complete breakdown of the expenditures is attached to the article.

The SCRA also plans to acquire three low-vacancy apartment complexes on Six Flags Drive to demolish them for redevelopment.

Other future plans include:

• a $30,000 to $40,000 rebranding initiative for South Cobb
• $60,000 for a part-time administrative employee, who would be an employee of the SCRA, not the county

Some SCRA members felt the rebranding initiative may be more costly than $40,000 and others said $60,000 for a part-time employee is just too much.

Read more about the SCRA's five-year plan attached to the article here.

South Cobb Patch will continue to report on SCRA and its initiatives.

What do you think about the SCRA's tentative plans? Does South Cobb need $60,000 in more studies? What does South Cobb need most? Tell us below in the comments.