Johns Creek Celebrates 10 Years As City

JOHNS CREEK, GA -- Dec. 1 marked an important milestone for the city of Johns Creek.

Thursday was the 10-year anniversary in which Johns Creek was incorporated, part of the growing list of communities where residents began to clamor for local control of services and their tax dollars.

As Georgia’s ninth largest city, Johns Creek provides services and resources to more than 80,000 residents, including public safety, recreation and parks, events, road improvements, code enforcement, permits, and more.

“It has been an exceptional 10 years of cityhood,” said Mayor Mike Bodker, Johns Creek’s first and only mayor. “I’m honored to have been a part of the city start-up, to serve alongside highly dedicated council members and city staff, and to watch this community continue to move in a direction our residents desire.”

In 2000, a movement began within the community to seek city hood and in July 2006 voters approved incorporation. The city officially began operations on Dec. 1, 2006, and within two years its police and fire departments followed suit in what would grow into one of the top public safety operations in the nation.

Today, Johns Creek enjoys a robust thriving quality of life with premier municipal services and abundant outdoor activities, including over 300 acres of parks and recreation with more on the way.

Voters in the city recently approved a parks bond of up to $40 million, which paves the way for the construction of five new parks and the refurbishment of its four existing parks.

Johns Creek has continued to evolve over the years with a diverse international community comprising nearly 25 percent of its population, become home to several Fortune 100 companies, and has seen the schools within the city regularly receive national recognition for academic excellence.

As Johns Creek rounds out its 10th year as an incorporated city, it does so with a number of notable accolades received throughout 2016 from various news and online consumer resource organizations including:

• #4 Best City to Live in the U.S. (24/7 Wall St)
• #1 Safest City in Georgia (ValuePenguin.com)
• #2 Safest City in Georgia (SafeWise.com)
• Best City in Georgia to Raise a Family (WalletHub)
• #3 Hardest Working City in Georgia (Zippia.com)
• #4 Best Suburb to Live in Georgia (Niche.com)
• #3 Best Dog Park in the U.S. (USA Today)
• Top high schools in the U.S. (three high schools in Johns Creek rank in top 300 nationally: Chattahoochee #9 in GA; Northview #11 in GA; Johns Creek #12 in GA); U.S. News and World Report
• Top High Schools in America (Northview #1 in GA; Chattahoochee #3 in GA); Newsweek Magazine

“As much as we have achieved working together in just 10 short years, we have so much more to do,” Bodker continued. “With the City Council’s new mission, vision, and goals in place, I am both excited and optimistic about what the next 10 years and beyond holds for Johns Creek.”

Johns Creek will cap off the year-long recognition of its 10th anniversary with its annual Founder’s Day Parade on Saturday, Dec. 3 at 10 a.m., which will run along State Bridge Road between Kimbal Bridge and West Morton roads.

The Johns Creek Chamber of Commerce is also encouraging residents to celebrate the city turning 10 by enjoying 10 percent discounts at participating local businesses on Sat. Dec. 10.

Participating businesses can be viewed here.

For more information about the city's history, view Johns Creek's timeline by clicking here. The city's mission, vision and goals can be reviewed here.

Images via city of Johns Creek