South Fulton is a city in Fulton County, Georgia, United States. It includes all of the land that had remained unincorporated in southwest Fulton County with the exception of the Fulton Industrial Boulevard corridor. The communities of Red Oak, Cooks Crossing, Stonewall Tell, Fife, Campbellton, Ben Hill, Sandtown, Cliftondale, and Peters Woods are located in South Fulton. It has a population of 99,155 and an area of. The first mayor of South Fulton is Bill Edwards, who previously served on the Fulton County Board of Commissioners from 2000 to 2014. His term expires on December 31, 2021.
History
In 2007, the region voted in a referendum 85% against forming a municipality. In the Georgia State Senate, Kasim Reed sponsored the legislation authorizing the referendum. The 2016 Georgia General Assembly passed bill HB514 to incorporate South Fulton, which received the signature of GovernorNathan Deal on April 29, 2016. On November 8, 59% of the citizens of South Fulton voted to become a chartered city. In early 2017, South Fulton held elections on March 21, followed by runoff elections before incorporation took effect on May 1. This referendum, like the one before it, was part of a "cityhood movement" in the Atlanta metropolitan area that began with the incorporation of Sandy Springs in 2005, on the opposite side of Atlanta, with several other communities in Fulton voting to incorporate in 2007. With the passage of the South Fulton referendum in 2016, Fulton County became the first county in Georgia with no unincorporated residential areas. As a result, in 2017 Fulton County also became the first county in Georgia to cease providing municipal services such as fire, police, zoning, and code enforcement. Many former Fulton County personnel and facilities were transferred to the City of South Fulton. In November 2017, after a one-year waiting period mandated by state law, the city council selected Renaissance as the new name for the city, also having considered Campbellton, Atlanta Heights, Wolf Creek and retaining South Fulton among a total of 20 names out of 250 suggested by the public. Following a three-week public notice period and two regular public meetings, which are required to amend the city charter, the city council approved the name change in December 2017. However, Mayor Edwards vetoed the name change on December 18, citing several reasons including contracts and some public opposition. Popular opinion has since shifted to two proposed names; Campbellton, which is the commonly accepted name for the area, and King City, in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Demographics
South Fulton's population as of 2019 is estimated to be 99,155. In 2010, prior to incorporation, the United States Census Bureau estimates that the area now within South Fulton's boundaries was home to 85,769 people. More than 90% of South Fulton residents are African Americans.
