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One hurdle

is down, but several more await residents in South Fulton County who

want to be annexed by Coweta County.

Last week,

the Fulton County Grand Jury approved allowing the residents in a small

pocket of the county to be annexed.

But before

it's a done deal, the matter must pass the Fulton County Commission,

the Coweta County Grand Jury and the Coweta County Commission.

Residents

had gotten the backing of the grand juries in Coweta and Fulton County

earlier this year, but the map submitted for annexation showed some

parcels that would not be part of the annexation.

Four fed-up

South Fulton residents started the ball rolling earlier this year by

asking Coweta County to annex them.

The South

Fulton folks had tried the annexation route in 1993, but were rebuffed

when Fulton County asked for several million dollars from Coweta County

for the water lines and structures Coweta would be receiving.

Currently,

the residents, living near Rico in South Fulton, are disgusted with

the level of service they're receiving from Fulton County, said resident

Dave McMurrain at a Coweta County Commission meeting earlier this year.

The residents

currently do most of their shopping in Coweta and are eager to send

their property tax money to Newnan, McMurrain added.

Late in the

spring, the Coweta County Grand Jury in Newnan approved the South Fulton

residents' request for annexation into the county.

Across the

street at the county building, the Coweta commissioners discussed the

possibility of an annexation.

"Nobody's

looked at the mechanics of this. I want questions answered about schools,

fire protection and taxes," said Chairman Vernon "Mutt"

Hunter.

Hunter also

added that he wanted a document from the possible new residents stating

that they didn't expect Coweta County to run water lines to them.

The area

proposed for annexation is 1,700 acres near the community of Goodes.

The land is rolling hills and meadows and the commissioners want to

see it kept that way if it joins Coweta County.

The commissioners

suggested that a 10-year moratorium be placed on any development in

the area and asked County Attorney Mitch Powell to look into the feasibility

of imposing a moratorium.

"I want

it to stay rural," said Commissioner Jim McGuffey.

The Coweta

County Commission will consider the annexation if it passes the Coweta

Grand Jury and receives the blessing of the Fulton County Commission.