DeKalb County has been ordered to pay the city of Brookhaven $30,000 to settle a civil action lawsuit involving the 2020 annexation of land at Briarcliff Road and North Druid Hills Road.

Brookhaven annexed 28 acres of land including Chick-fil-A (2340 North Druid Hills Road), QuikTrip (2375 North Druid Hills Road), and the Target shopping center (2400 North Druid Hills Road). The two parties entered arbitration due to DeKalb County’s objections to the annexation.

Arbitrators awarded 87.5% of the cost of the arbitration to Brookhaven. The present dispute, filed in DeKalb County Superior Court, sought to have the city’s expert witness fees included in the costs awarded to the city. 

After a bench trial earlier this year, 4th District Superior Court Judge Nora Polk issued an order agreeing with Brookhaven’s position that the statutory award of arbitration costs includes the expert witness fees, and granted judgment in the city’s favor.