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Berkeley Lake, Georgia

Berkeley Lake is a city in Gwinnett County, Georgia, United States. From its 1956 origins as a summer retreat, Berkeley Lake has grown into a thriving community centered on its 77 acre namesake lake. According to the 2000 census, Berkeley Lake is the most affluent community in metro Atlanta and all of Georgia; its 1,695 residents have the highest median household income at $109,401, the highest median number of rooms per house at 8-1/2, and the highest median monthly house payment at $2,152. The city is also known for being an environmentally progressive city, a bird and wildlife sanctuary, and has been named a "Tree City USA" for the past eight years.

Background

Berkeley Lake is located off of Peachtree Industrial Boulevard between Norcross and Duluth. The community consists of several subdivisions around a 77 acre private lake.

Berkeley Lake residents are mostly a mix of entrepreneurs, corporate executives, and other professionals. There is also a large number of artists and writers.

Berkeley Lake topped the category of highest median household in the 1990 census, making it the most affluent community in Atlanta area for the second decade in a row.

Geography

Berkeley Lake is located at (33.985333, -84.183382).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.1 square miles (3.0 km²), of which, 1.0 square miles (2.6 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.4 km²) of it (12.28%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 1,695 people, 601 households, and 504 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,682.8 people per square mile (648.0/km²). There were 610 housing units at an average density of 605.6/sq mi (233.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 80.94% White, 4.07% African American, 0.18% Native American, 11.80% Asian, 1.65% from other races, and 1.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.65% of the population.

There were 601 households out of which 43.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 77.2% were married couples living together, 5.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.1% were non-families. 12.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.11.

In the city the population was spread out with 27.7% under the age of 18, 3.5% from 18 to 24, 32.7% from 25 to 44, 28.8% from 45 to 64, and 7.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 93.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $109,401, and the median income for a family was $115,548. Males had a median income of $84,708 versus $51,750 for females. The per capita income for the city was $43,439. About 2.7% of families and 2.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.8% of those under age 18 and 4.9% of those age 65 or over.

History

The majority of lands in the city limits (the Berkeley Lake Properties) was developed by Frank Coggins in the late 1940s. The dam, constructed in 1948, is one of the largest earthen dams in the state. The city's namesake, Lake Berkeley (77 acres), was named after Mr. Coggins' Berkeley Blue Granite Quarries in Elberton, Ga. In 1950 the Berkeley Lake "subdivision," which included five reserved Free Pass and Repass tracts (FPR) and the residential and fishing lots around the lake, was laid out. In 1952, Calvin and Kate Parsons, along with John and Dorothy Bagwell, purchased the Berkeley Realty & Investment Company and its property.

For many years, Berkeley Lake was primarily a summer retreat, with an assortment of fishing cottages mingling with a slowly growing number of permanent homes. The health of the lake was guarded by a small, but tenacious, core of residents, each lending their expertise and time.

In 1953, some 25 property owners met and formed the Lake Berkeley Civic Association. Besides zoning and developmental control, there were important needs such as electricity, telephones, and "an all year road" around the lake. This need for benefits that an incorporated city could help secure brought about the creation of our charter, which was approved by the General Assembly of Georgia on March 6, 1956. A new municipality to be known as the City of Berkeley Lake was created in Gwinnett County, Georgia.

Over the years since the city's incorporation, a number of ordinances have been passed to protect the character and tranquility of our community. In addition, a comprehensive Master Plan for future land use and growth was developed and adopted.

Since 1994, five new subdivisions have been added to nearly complete the development of all the land within the city limits. Only two tracts of over 10 acres remain. In November 1996, residents supported a referendum for the issuance of a bond to be used to purchase one of these tracts, approximately 63 acres of undeveloped forest land. This property, which provides both buffer and greenspace, was acquired by the city in December 1996.