East Point holds hearings on two proposed tax-allocation districts; vote set for Dec. 15

East Point’s City Council on Dec. 8 held public hearings on two redevelopment plans that, if later adopted, would create two tax-allocation districts (TADs) intended to fund infrastructure and spur redevelopment in distinct parts of the city.

The presentations by KP Advisory Group described TAD 3, labeled the Willingham Innovation District, as roughly 230 acres with an assessed base value the presenter cited at about $77,000,000, and TAD 4, the Sylvan Oakley district, as a larger-industrial area with an estimated base value in the low hundreds of millions. Attorney Charles Johnson told the council there would be no vote that night on adopting either plan; the council is scheduled to consider resolutions to approve, amend or reject the redevelopment plans at a separate meeting on Dec. 15. "We are talking about a vote at a separate meeting, which is scheduled for the fifteenth," Johnson said during the hearing.

Why it matters: state law requires a public hearing before a TAD’s predevelopment plan is certified, and December 31 is a practical deadline to lock in the TAD base value for the coming year. KP Advisory’s presenter said the city is on a "fast track" to certify before year-end so growth that occurs in the next tax year can be captured as increment for a TAD fund; otherwise the city would "lose a whole year of base value." The presenter reiterated that creating a TAD does not immediately change property tax bills: "You're not raising taxes. You're not messing with people's tax bills," he said.

What the plans would do: the redevelopment plans set TAD boundaries and a base assessed value; future growth in taxable value inside those boundaries would be directed to a special fund to pay infrastructure or other redevelopment costs identified in the plan. The consultant emphasized plans are illustrative — showing potential redevelopment scenarios and priority parcels — not commitments to specific projects or immediate zoning decisions.

Key constraints and options: Georgia law caps the share of a jurisdiction’s digest that may be inside TADs (presenter cited a 10% limit). The consultant said East Point’s existing TAD (Camp Creek Parkway) currently accounts for about 5.7% of the city's tax digest and that approving both proposed plans would bring the total to an estimated 9.3%, leaving limited remaining capacity. The plans assume the city will seek participation of Fulton County and the Fulton County School District — their millage participation would increase the available revenue in the TAD funds but is not required for a TAD to exist.

Process and next steps: council members asked about timing, parcel inclusion, and whether a master plan (LCI) is required before creating a TAD. The presenter said a TAD can be created before a master plan but that successful redevelopment typically needs a private-sector partner and a clear implementation strategy. He also said plan edits are possible prior to the Dec. 15 vote but urged that substantive changes to parcels or boundaries require enough lead time to update plan documents (he requested at least 24 hours to prepare amended materials). The council closed both public hearings and took no final action on adoption during the special-call meeting.

What’s next: the council will consider resolutions on Dec. 15 to adopt, amend and adopt, or reject each redevelopment plan. If the council delays adoption past Dec. 31, any growth in the 2026 digest would not be included in a TAD base for the 2026 tax year, delaying the district’s ability to collect increment and fund projects.

Sources: Presentations and Q&A with KP Advisory Group (presenter Mr. Koski) and City Attorney Charles Johnson during the Dec. 8 East Point special-call meeting; council discussion and procedural motions recorded on the meeting record.