Letter to the Editor: Six Flags Drive Watch

By Monica DeLancy

The city of Marietta passed the redevelopment bond to revitalize the Franklin Road area. Franklin Road has 11 apartment communities. The apartment communities are zoned for Marietta City Schools, and not Cobb County. With the passing of the bond, the revitalization plan calls for older apartments to be demolished and leaving about three to four apartments on Franklin Road.
 
Currently the apartment complexes on Franklin Road rental rate were average between $500-$700 a month.The community has been plagued with crime, high transiency rates within the schools, and was a Weed and Seed community.
 
With the closing of apartments and residents competing to stay in the Marietta School system and not having to transfer to Cobb County Schools, residents will be left with few options on Franklin Road. Some issues that may arise are increase of rental rate with the remaining apartment complexes; transportation routes being reduced, fewer people meaning that the CCT 50 will not be needed. 

FAST FORWARD- Six Flags Drive, Austell
 
The Six Flags Drive community located in Austell has 14  rental communities — Riverside Townhomes, Ridgeview, Concepts 21, Westchase, Parkview Atlanta, Magnolia Crossing, Hunters Grove, Kingsley Village, Whisperwood, Lake Crossing and Walton Reserve — and three rental town home communities Between I-20 to Blair Bridge.

Also within walking distance are five other apartment complexes, Sierra Forrest, Orchard Apartments, Mableton Reserve, Highland Hills and Windwood Apartments, in addition to four mobile park communities and two apartment complexes by Clay Elementary.
 
That is a total of 21 transient communities that are zoned to attend Pebblebrook High School.
 
Currently the rental rate in the apartment communities ranges from $500-$700 a month. The CCT 30 is the second highest ridership for Cobb County. 
 
The Six Flags Drive area will most likely be the last community in Cobb County where the rent is "affordable" and have access to transportation. Cobb County as a whole is known to have great schools.
 
The Six Flags Drive area has had its share of crime, the schools have high transiency rates, and the area has a number of non-profits serving the community.
 
The time is now to strengthen partnerships with community stakeholders — non profits, community groups, elected officials, churches, businesses.
 
WE CAN'T WAIT.

Monica DeLancy
Six Flags Drive Community Affairs Liaison