Newton County and Social Circle have always been close next-door neighbors, but now they are in each other’s front yards. That’s right, Newton County now has a little bit of a sixth city within its boundaries.

An annexation petition was approved for 301 acres of land on Stanton Road, which sits west of Hwy. 278 and Interstate 20. The petition had been advertising for the past month, according to Social Circle Mayor Hal Dally.

With the City Council’s vote Tuesday night, the previously unincorporated land — which rested in both Walton and Newton counties — is now part of the City of Social Circle. The resident who owned the land said he felt like he had more in common with the values and foundations of Social Circle and wanted to be involved in its growth, Dally said.

So the land, part of the original 3,000 acres that were split by I-20 and had 1,600 acres portioned off for Stanton Springs, retains its physical span in both counties but is officially incorporated in the City of Social Circle.

Investors who bought the property petitioned for the land to fit in Agriculture (A2) zoning, and it is required to remain so for at least one year.