Two requests for de-annexation from the City of Kennesaw were denied by City Council Monday.

Applicant Judi Burrell requested her property at 4058 Ayers Dr. be de-annexed from the city. Applicants David and Monika Chow also requested the de-annexation of three contiguous parcels totaling more than three acres at 2880 Ellis Rd., fronting Elmhurst Boulevard and Ellis Road.

Council member David Blinkhorn made the motions to deny both requests. The motion to deny the request for Ayers Drive passed 4-1 with Pat Ferris as lone nay vote. The motion to deny de-annexation of the Ellis Road property passed 5-0.

Several concerns were raised about the Ellis Road property at last week’s work session and the Feb. 3 planning commission meeting. Neighbors said they were concerned about the property leaving the jurisdiction of the city to join unincorporated Cobb County due to noise complaints related to a helicopter on the property, water runoff causing flooding issues on neighboring properties, drones being flown, and parking during church services held on the property. The Chows were recently cited by code enforcement for the helicopter.

“We do have the obligation as a city council to protect the assets of the city,” Blinkhorn said.

Michael Esposito is a neighbor to the Ellis Road property and told the council he was grateful for the city’s promise to deal with the flooding issues he’s been dealing with since 1990. He said he’s spent $25,000 trying to rectify the problem and has encountered difficulty related to jurisdiction issues when asking for assistance, due to his proximity to the city/county line.

Other business:

*Linda Davis, director of Kennesaw 911, is retiring March 1 after five years with the city. Prior to that she spent 28 years in Cobb County. Council approved Ryan Solis as the new director, who has been a supervisor with Kennesaw 911 for nearly a year and half.

*Council adopted the 2021 official zoning map that includes all existing zoning of parcels included in the city limits.

Rebecca Gaunt earned a degree in journalism from the University of Georgia and a master’s degree in education from Oglethorpe University. After teaching elementary school for several years, she returned to writing. She lives in Marietta with her husband, son, two cats, and a dog. In her spare time, she loves to read, binge Netflix and travel.