Smyrna

About Smyrna

 
Smyrna is located about 10 miles northwest of Atlanta, Georgia and is considered an integral part of the Metro Atlanta area. Known as the "jonquil City", it derives this name from the thousands of jonquils that flourish in gardens and along the streets in early spring.

• Just a 15-minute drive from downtown Atlanta, yet free of the congestion
• Revitalized and active new downtown area "The Village Green" includes a new library, community center, retail development and mixed-use development, city hall and charming homes
• New homes priced from the $300´s to $1 million´s
• Charming neighborhoods with a vast array of amenities for residents and businesses
• Parks, jogging trails, pools, lighted tennis courts, public golf courses and much more
• Day camps, sports and recreational activities for children to seniors
• New Welcome Center and Museum
• Summer concerts and family events on the Village Green
• Winner of the prestigious Urban Land Institute´s Award of Excellence

The City of Smyrna has developed a reputation for smart growth and revitalization and was recently awarded the Urban Land Institute´s Award for Excellence. The City of Smyrna, for more than a decade, has been in the business of reinventing itself and setting the standard for community. As a recipient of the Government Finance Officers Association´s "Distinguished Budget Presentation Award," the City of Smyrna continues to serve its citizens well, with integrity and minded, earned progress.

Smyrna is pro-business and service-oriented ? committed to business as well and the business of community and its residents. Smyrna has long been an integral part of the growth and development of Cobb County and is recognized as one of the most desirable places to live in the entire Metropolitan Atlanta area, the place to be3;the place to call home.

In geographical terms, the City of Smyrna exhibits some excellent physical characteristics. With an average temperature of 61.4 degrees, the climate is very favorable consisting of warm summers and moderate winters. Between these seasons, the Smyrna area is decorated with thousands of jonquils blooming in the spring and a colorful change of leaves in the fall. The general terrain of the area is characteristic of the piedmont region of Georgia. One will find hills with broad ridges, sloping uplands, and relatively narrow valleys. Smyrna sits at an altitude of 1,150 feet above sea level.

With visionary leadership and strong community spirit, Smyrna has become one of the most popular places to reside in the metro-Atlanta area. Voted by Atlanta Magazine as one of the top 10 places to live in the Atlanta area, it is no wonder that more people are choosing Smyrna to raise their children. The "small town" atmosphere offered here is the type of lifestyle many seek when deciding where to raise their families.

Another important attribute of Smyrna is its location in relationship to major transportation modes. Being a citizen of Smyrna means having ready access to several different methods of conveyance. The City is strategically located near three interstate and intrastate highway systems: I-75, I-20, and I-285. Downtown Atlanta is a 15-minute drive via the interstate and Atlanta´s Hartsfield International Airport is only a 30-minute drive away. In addition, several principal arterial roadways, such as Cobb Parkway (U.S. Highway 41), Atlanta Road (State Highway 3) and South Cobb Drive (State Highway 280), pass through the municipality. Smyrna will also benefit from the route (and recently completed section) of the East-West Connector road extension through Cobb County. The Cobb Community Transit (CCT) bus system provides public transportation for our residents with links to the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) rapid-rail network. There are also two major railways that service Smyrna and four airports can be found within an 18-mile radius of the City.

What is a Jonquil?

It´s a flower. A fragrant short-tubbed, yellow flower with long narrow leaves that blooms in great quantities in Smyrna in the Spring.

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City of Smyrna - City Hall
• 2800 King Street • Smyrna, GA 30081 • 770-434-6600

Economic Profile
The City to Call Home for Family and Business 
 Annexations - Taxes Billed (1980 ? 2000) / Area of City of Smyrna / Date of Incorporation / Form of Government / Budget / Employee Salaries / Sewerage System / Employment / Largest Employer / Public Library / Fire Protection / Police Protection / Climate / Business Licenses / Median Housing / Value Tax Base / Income / Housing / Miscellaneous / Parks & Recreation / City Center / 10 year Demographics / Population / Altitude / Tax Rate / Construction (property value total) / Taxes / Cobb County / Tax Levy / Water System / Education / Airports / Transportation - Conveyance

Area of City: approximately 16 sq. mi.

Date of Incorporation: 1872

Form of Government: Mayor and Council Members representing seven wards elected by the people for four-year terms. The governing body appoints a City Administrator to serve as the City´s chief administrative officer.

Population: 44,184 (Source: Atlanta Regional Commission, December 2003 Population and Housing Report).  More demographic information is available at the U.S. Census website at http://www.census.gov/.

Altitude: 800 to 1,080 feet above sea level

Climate: Seasonal, with long, pleasant spring and fall

Income: $28,909 per capita (Calculated from Cobb County Data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis) - $56,134 per household (by National Decision Systems with assistance from Georgia Power-Economic Development Organization)

New Housing: $375,000 to $1.4 million as of 8/2004

Median Housing Value: $91,980

Unemployment: 4.6%  (Georgia Department of Labor, Revised June 2003 Labor Force Data)

Largest Employer: IBM Corporation

Business License: 1,900 issued in 2004
Review our information on starting or moving a business to the City of Smyrna

Public Library: First established city operated public library in the State of Georgia, established in 1936.
Number of Libraries: 1
Contains: over 97,000 items with over 150 CD-Rom databases available for public use.
Visit the Library link to review current information on the City of Smyrna Public Library.

Parks and Recreation: Established in 1974 and now managing a growing inventory of park and green space.
Recreation Sites: 26
Park Acreage: 237
Visit the Parks & Recreation link for an inventory of our parks and facilities as well as rental opportunities in/at our facilities.

City Center: "The Village Green" features the Library, Community Center, town fountain, City Hall, Retail district, and mixed-use development "The Market Village."

Police Protection: The City of Smyrna for some time now has had a minimum officer-to-citizen ratio of one officer for every 485 citizens.
Number of Stations: 1
Number of Police Officers: Authorized strength of 95 (includes Chief and Asst. Chief)
Visit the Police Department link for more information about our Police Department.

Fire Protection: The City of Smyrna has four fire stations and an insurance rating of Class 3, one of the lowest in Georgia.
Number of Stations: 4
Number of Fighfighters and Officers: 68
Visit the Fire Department section for more information about the City of Smyrna Fire Department and fire safety programs.

Water System: approximately 14,000 consumers ? approximately 4,712,000 gallons of daily consumption ? 240 miles of water mains.

Education: Seven elementary (7) schools, four (4) secondary schools and one (1) high school ? Cobb County School System. (link to Cobb County Schools )

Sewerage System: 130 miles of sanitary sewers and 250 miles of storm sewers.

Taxes: The Accounting Department handles business licenses and collects fees that are based on each business´ gross receipts. Taxes are levied annually on private property. Property assessments are established by the Cobb County Tax Assessors Office. Tax is computed by taking the value of the property times the 40-percent assessment and multiplying by the millage rate. The current millage rate is 9.65 percent.