Committee advances Tucci annexation bill to allow Mulberry to add about 45 parcels

The House Intergovernmental Coordination Committee voted to advance House Bill 647 after Representative Donna Tucci presented the measure and lawmakers raised no substantive questions.

Tucci said she filed the annexation at the request of constituents concerned about rapid growth and high-density development in Gwinnett County. She said HB 647 would allow the city of Mulberry to expand into part of her legislative district and add roughly 45 parcels composed of a mix of residential dwellings, commercial properties and undeveloped land concentrated along one road at the north end of her district. Tucci said the change would shift decisions about future land use for those parcels from county commissioners to a five-member Mulberry city council.

Tucci identified herself to the committee as having a background in land use and said she served as a Gwinnett County planning commissioner while running for office. Representative Martinez indicated he would move that the bill "do pass"; the transcript does not record who seconded the motion. The chair then called the question and conducted a voice vote. The chair announced that one committee member opposed the measure; the transcript does not name the member or provide a roll-call tally. The chair announced the measure passed.

The transcript does not include the bill text, parcel addresses, any fiscal analysis, or next steps such as required local approvals by the Mulberry city council. Representative Tucci said council members from Mulberry were present to testify but the recorded remarks focused on Tucci's presentation. Further proceedings or implementation steps were not recorded in the provided excerpt.