LAWRENCEVILLE, GA — Thousands of residents living just outside Lawrenceville city limits will soon decide whether to become part of the city.

Those living in several neighborhoods in unincorporated Gwinnett County will vote in May on a proposed annexation that could add about 19,000 residents.

Lawrenceville City Manager Chuck Warbington says questions from the public have focused largely on taxes and code enforcement.

“Number one was is this going to increase my tax rate? And in this case the millage rate that is currently paid at the county will be transferred over to the city; so there is no tax millage increase,” Warbington said.

Warbington says the city would add services if the annexation is approved, including additional police officers.

“Police protection, we will add additional officers to match what our current ratio is,” Warbington said.

He says residents would keep their current addresses since they already have a Lawrenceville ZIP code.

City leaders say the annexation would also help clean up the city’s borders along major roads.

“These boundaries are going to stop at major highways, and major roads instead of having jagged areas where Gwinnett County will drive by two neighborhoods and police one neighborhood and we police the other,” Warbington said.

Warbington says there would be no millage rate increase for the new residents, and the added tax base would help cover the cost of additional services.

“And then we will spend an additional $10 million hiring sanitation, street police, code enforcement officers, and also internal folks as well,” Warbington said.

Residents are expected to vote on the annexation during the May primary.

WSB Radio’s Jennifer Perry contributed to this story.