A major commercial player in DeKalb County says he does not want his business to become part of a city – either new or existing.Broadcast Version
Robert Blazer keeps a low personal profile despite the high profile of his business. Your DeKalb Farmers Market, on East Ponce de Leon Avenue, paid nearly $300,000 in property taxes alone this year, and a major expansion project is underway.
The City of Avondale Estates wants to annex the market into its borders. However, in a conversation this week, Blazer told Decaturish.com editor Dan Whisenhunt he would like his property to stay unincorporated.
“He’s become a successful business under the auspices of county government,” said Whisenhunt,” and I think, based on listening to him, sentimental attachment to all that.”
Whisenhunt says Blazer told him he has talked about annexation with Decatur and Avondale Estates. City of Briarcliff Initiative leader Allen Venet says he has also talked to Blazer.
Venet says Blazer recognizes there may be no choice about the market becoming incorporated. If that is the case, Blazer apparently has a preference as to which city. “He has told us that he would like the tax dollars from his business to support the largest possible area,” says Venet. “So if cityhood is coming, he would like to part of a larger city rather than one of the smaller existing cities.”
Neither Blazer not city officials from Avondale Estates returned our calls for comment. Annexation is a touchy subject there right now. A city commission meeting last week found Avondale Estates Mayor Ed Rieker apologizing to residents who were surprised by some of the city’s annexation plans and promising an open work session on the issue next week.
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