Week of Dec 2, 2025
The New City of Mulberry, Ga
Mulberry is Gwinnett County’s newest city government—approved by voters in 2024 and now operating with its own elected leadership and land‑use process.¹⁸⁹ For residents and anyone buying, selling, or developing property in the area the practical question is: “Is this property inside Mulberry?”⁴⁵⁶
New cities are a bit like moving into a house while you’re still labeling the breaker box—functional, but you keep a flashlight handy. This briefing sticks to what’s documented, what it could mean in day‑to‑day terms, and what’s still unsettled.
Photo Source: gwinnettcounty.com
What Has Happened
Mulberry incorporated after a 2024 referendum and began operating as a new municipality within Gwinnett County.⁸
The city uses a council‑manager form of government with five council districts; the council appoints the mayor internally.¹
Mulberry is actively building out its planning, zoning, and land‑use function, including the public pages and processes residents and applicants use to navigate rezonings and related requests.²
The city and county are navigating an ongoing service transition framework; Gwinnett County has publicly raised concerns about the state rules that govern aspects of that transition (SB 138).⁷¹⁰
What and Where
What it is: Mulberry is a local government with authority in areas that often shape development outcomes—especially planning and zoning (the rules that determine what uses are allowed on a property and what a site can be built into).¹²
Where it is: Mulberry sits in northeast Gwinnett. For due diligence, the reliable sources are (1) the county’s detailed boundary map and (2) the city’s “Am I in Mulberry?” lookup.⁵⁶
Important nuance: A USPS “city” name or ZIP code does not automatically match city limits. The city explicitly notes that mailing designations and incorporated boundaries are different systems.⁴
Why It Matters
For residents
Known: Decisions about land use inside city limits now flow through Mulberry’s own process and decision makers.¹²
What it may mean: Over time, residents could see development conversations—rezonings, conditions, enforcement—run through a new set of priorities, staff recommendations, and public meetings.²
Still unclear: How quickly the city’s land‑use approach settles into a consistent pattern, and how service‑transition friction resolves in practice.⁷¹⁰
For real estate agents
Known: “Inside Mulberry or not?” is now a baseline due‑diligence check, because it determines which meeting calendar, application process, and ordinance set governs zoning and land use.²⁵⁶
What it may mean: Agents who can confidently explain boundaries and process—without guessing—may reduce surprises during contract periods (timelines, approvals, compliance issues).⁴⁵⁶
Still unclear: What early decisions will signal about the city’s long‑term posture on density, use types, and enforcement intensity.²
For real estate investors
Known: Entitlement decisions (rezoning, variances, conditions) are now routed through a new jurisdiction for sites inside the city.¹²
What it may mean: Investors may need to re‑baseline their “process assumptions”—timelines, staff expectations, hearing dynamics—because those often change when a city is new and building its playbook.²
Still unclear: Where the city lands on the balance between flexibility and restriction in early precedent‑setting cases, and whether service‑transition disputes introduce administrative delays or uncertainty.⁷¹⁰
Timeline
Early 2024: State charter legislation advanced to incorporate Mulberry and set foundational rules for governance (including limits described in the charter document).³
May 21, 2024: Voters approved the creation of the City of Mulberry.⁸
Nov 5, 2024: Initial city council elections were held by district.⁹
Jan 2025: The city published a public tool for residents to confirm whether an address is inside city limits (“Am I in Mulberry?”).⁶
May 15, 2025: SB 138 became law; Gwinnett County publicly opposed parts of the framework as applied to Mulberry’s transition.⁷¹⁰
Nov. 20, 2025: Mulberry Council approved an IGA with Lawrenceville, created a City Marshal’s Office, authorized several operational purchases/admin actions, heard annexation concerns, and met in executive session on litigation.
What to Watch For
Precedent-setting zoning cases
Early rezonings and variances are often the cleanest signal of how a new city intends to use its authority. Watch agendas, staff materials, and outcomes—not just commentary.²Updates to land‑use documents and requirements
Pay attention to any changes in application requirements, definitions, or administrative procedures housed under the city’s zoning/land‑use materials.²Boundary certainty on specific properties
For listings and acquisitions, verify city-limits status using the official lookup and map—especially when the mailing address suggests one thing and the boundary says another.⁴⁵⁶Service‑transition clarity and public statements
The county has framed SB 138 and transition mechanics as a taxpayer and service-delivery issue. Those disputes are worth watching because they can shape how cleanly responsibilities shift from county to city.⁷¹⁰