Superior Court

Judge Paschal A. English has ruled in favor of the City of Fayetteville

in an annexation dispute with the Fayette County Commission, which alleged

the city improperly annexed 57 acres in two separate tracts at the Fayette

Pavilion last year.

English ruled

in the city's favor after a brief trial Tuesday morning. In suing the

city, county officials claimed Fayetteville violated the state's annexcation

laws by leaving a 10-foot strip of land in each parcel to keep it from

being an unincorporated island.

The Georgia

Attorney General's office agreed with the county after it reviewed information

on the annexation.

County Commission

Chairman Greg Dunn wanted Fayetteville to de-annex the property before

the suit was filed by the county. County officials maintained the annexations

create confusion over which government agency should provide service to

the area.

City officials

countered that the 10-foot strip connects unincorporated property so the

properties would not create "islands." The properties need sewer

service to be used, which is unavailable in the county, city officials

contended.

One of the

tracts is 55 acres bordering Ga. Highway 314 while the other is a five-acre

site south of the Fayette Pavilion on Ga. Highway 85.