Gwinnett delegation splits as House approves annexation expanding Mulberry by roughly 45 parcels

The Georgia House on a close vote approved legislation to annex roughly 45 parcels into the city of Mulberry, a newly formed municipality in Gwinnett County, after a lengthy floor debate about local control and procedure.

Representative Deborah Donatucci, whose district contains the affected properties, introduced House Bill 6 47, saying the annexation “simply allows the city of Mulberry to expand into my district adding roughly 45 parcels to the city limits.” Donatucci told colleagues the parcels include “a mix of residential dwellings, commercial properties, and undeveloped land primarily located along one road on the north end of my district,” and said moving the parcels into the city would give residents “a greater local voice over how this land is developed.”

The bill’s sponsor framed the change as a response to constituent concerns about high-density growth and local infrastructure, and described the measure as giving citizens more direct control through a locally elected council…