Mountain Park, Fulton County, Georgia
Encyclopedia
Mountain Park is a city primarily in the western part of northern Fulton County
in the U.S. state of Georgia
, with a small portion extending less than 1000 feet (304.8 m) into southeastern Cherokee County
. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 547.
Incorporated in 1927, it is essentially an eclectic neighborhood, and is designated a wildlife refuge
. There is no zoning
for commercial or business
uses, only residential.
It is bordered on three sides by Roswell
, and on the west by an unincorporated area
of Cherokee County; although the city extends into Cherokee County, the large majority of the city is located in Fulton County.
Lake Garrett is within the city, and downstream to the northwest Lake Cherful straddles the county line. Both lakes are gradually being destroyed by silt
ation, caused by development
upstream in Roswell. The city sued
in 2005. The developers contested their liability and claim the lakes have likely out-lived their "life expectancy
", and the situation is likely caused by the natural flow of silt
and sediment
in the basin
. Due to numerous pre-trial motions, the case did not go to court until October 2010, when the jury ruled in favor of Mountain Park but only awarded $45,000 in damages.
Mountain Park Volunteer Fire and Rescue was formed in 1977 and is an all-volunteer fire and EMS department providing emergency management services to the city. It also provides Automatic Aid to Roswell and mutual aid
to the Fulton/Cherokee/Cobb County fire department
s. It is state-certified and has roughly 20 members who are state or nationally certified for emergency service
s. In mid-May 2008 a severe thunderstorm with high winds from a just-dissipated EF2 tornado
blew through, damaging many homes, some structurally. Severe flooding occurred in September, 2009 after a 13 inch per hour rain event. Flash flooding caused significant damage to several dozen houses and municipal structures. The Fire Department and Civic Building were significantly damaged and were reconstructed.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²), of which 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²), or 12.96%, is water.
, 0.40% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.40% from other races
, and 1.98% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.38% of the population.
There were 228 households out of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.9% were married couples living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.8% were non-families. 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.80.
In the city the population was spread out with 20.0% under the age of 18, 4.0% from 18 to 24, 33.0% from 25 to 44, 34.6% from 45 to 64, and 8.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 101.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $55,875, and the median income for a family was $61,875. Males had a median income of $42,500 versus $35,769 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $31,085. About 2.6% of families and 3.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.0% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.
Fulton County, Georgia
Fulton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. Its county seat is Atlanta, the state capital since 1868 and the principal county of the Atlanta metropolitan area...
in the U.S. state of Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, with a small portion extending less than 1000 feet (304.8 m) into southeastern Cherokee County
Cherokee County, Georgia
As of the census of 2000, there were 141,903 people, 49,495 households, and 39,200 families residing in the county. The population density was 335 people per square mile . There were 51,937 housing units at an average density of 123 per square mile...
. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 547.
Incorporated in 1927, it is essentially an eclectic neighborhood, and is designated a wildlife refuge
Wildlife refuge
A wildlife refuge, also called a wildlife sanctuary, may be a naturally occurring sanctuary, such as an island, that provides protection for species from hunting, predation or competition, or it may refer to a protected area, a geographic territory within which wildlife is protected...
. There is no zoning
Zoning
Zoning is a device of land use planning used by local governments in most developed countries. The word is derived from the practice of designating permitted uses of land based on mapped zones which separate one set of land uses from another...
for commercial or business
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
uses, only residential.
It is bordered on three sides by Roswell
Roswell, Georgia
Roswell is a city located in northern Fulton County; it is a suburb of northern Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The 2010 Census population was 88,346. It is the eighth largest city in Georgia...
, and on the west by an unincorporated area
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
of Cherokee County; although the city extends into Cherokee County, the large majority of the city is located in Fulton County.
Lake Garrett is within the city, and downstream to the northwest Lake Cherful straddles the county line. Both lakes are gradually being destroyed by silt
Silt
Silt is granular material of a size somewhere between sand and clay whose mineral origin is quartz and feldspar. Silt may occur as a soil or as suspended sediment in a surface water body...
ation, caused by development
Subdivision (land)
Subdivision is the act of dividing land into pieces that are easier to sell or otherwise develop, usually via a plat. The former single piece as a whole is then known in the United States as a subdivision...
upstream in Roswell. The city sued
Lawsuit
A lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...
in 2005. The developers contested their liability and claim the lakes have likely out-lived their "life expectancy
Life expectancy
Life expectancy is the expected number of years of life remaining at a given age. It is denoted by ex, which means the average number of subsequent years of life for someone now aged x, according to a particular mortality experience...
", and the situation is likely caused by the natural flow of silt
Silt
Silt is granular material of a size somewhere between sand and clay whose mineral origin is quartz and feldspar. Silt may occur as a soil or as suspended sediment in a surface water body...
and sediment
Sediment
Sediment is naturally occurring material that is broken down by processes of weathering and erosion, and is subsequently transported by the action of fluids such as wind, water, or ice, and/or by the force of gravity acting on the particle itself....
in the basin
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
. Due to numerous pre-trial motions, the case did not go to court until October 2010, when the jury ruled in favor of Mountain Park but only awarded $45,000 in damages.
Mountain Park Volunteer Fire and Rescue was formed in 1977 and is an all-volunteer fire and EMS department providing emergency management services to the city. It also provides Automatic Aid to Roswell and mutual aid
Mutual aid (emergency services)
In emergency services, mutual aid is an agreement among emergency responders to lend assistance across jurisdictional boundaries. This may occur due to an emergency response that exceeds local resources, such as a disaster or a multiple-alarm fire. Mutual aid may be ad hoc, requested only when...
to the Fulton/Cherokee/Cobb County fire department
Fire department
A fire department or fire brigade is a public or private organization that provides fire protection for a certain jurisdiction, which typically is a municipality, county, or fire protection district...
s. It is state-certified and has roughly 20 members who are state or nationally certified for emergency service
Emergency service
Emergency services are organizations which ensure public safety and health by addressing different emergencies. Some agencies exist solely for addressing certain types of emergencies whilst others deal with ad hoc emergencies as part of their normal responsibilities...
s. In mid-May 2008 a severe thunderstorm with high winds from a just-dissipated EF2 tornado
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
blew through, damaging many homes, some structurally. Severe flooding occurred in September, 2009 after a 13 inch per hour rain event. Flash flooding caused significant damage to several dozen houses and municipal structures. The Fire Department and Civic Building were significantly damaged and were reconstructed.
Geography
Mountain Park is located at 34°4′58"N 84°24′49"W (34.082672, -84.413641).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²), of which 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²), or 12.96%, is water.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 506 people, 228 households, and 134 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,082.2 people per square mile (415.7/km²). There were 248 housing units at an average density of 530.4 per square mile (203.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.26% White, 1.58% Black or African AmericanRace (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.40% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.40% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.98% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.38% of the population.
There were 228 households out of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.9% were married couples living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.8% were non-families. 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.80.
In the city the population was spread out with 20.0% under the age of 18, 4.0% from 18 to 24, 33.0% from 25 to 44, 34.6% from 45 to 64, and 8.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 101.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $55,875, and the median income for a family was $61,875. Males had a median income of $42,500 versus $35,769 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $31,085. About 2.6% of families and 3.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.0% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.