This developed from attempts to incorporate all of Fulton County into cities following the 2005 incorporation of Sandy Springs in the north part of the county, as well as local efforts to take control of zoning and land subdivision in the multi-county Chattahoochee Hill Country area.

On June 19, 2007, residents voted by an 83% to 17% margin in a local referendum to incorporate the 33,000-acre (130 km2) portion within Fulton as the city of "Chattahoochee Hill Country".

Chattahoochee Hill Country became a city on December 1, 2007, with the first elected officials taking office a few days later.

[5] Subsequent zoning updates have maintained the vision of preservation, but have decoupled the development from specific landowner sites.

The end result foreseen by the zoning will permanently protect 70% of the city's land as forest and farm, while consolidating the development on the balance of the city's territory in a variety of hamlet, village and town typologies scattered throughout the preserved land, developed on a 'first come/first served' basis.