Residents in Raleigh 'doughnut' fighting annexation

Raleigh, N.C. — Homeowners in a Wake County neighborhood are upset that Raleigh wants to annex them, saying that they cannot afford the fees for municipal water and sewer service.

The Winter Park community includes 66 homes on James Road and Woodlawn Drive, off New Hope Road east of Louisburg Road. It's one of four areas that Raleigh officials hope to annex by summer.

Raleigh Planning Director Mitchell Silver said it's only logical for the city to annex Winter Park, which he called a "doughnut hole" because it is an unincorporated area surrounded by the city.

"When they move into a location and they're within the city's jurisdiction, there should be some expectation that eventually they will come into the city of Raleigh," Silver said. "You're sending a sheriff out through miles of city of Raleigh just to have a little portion of Wake County."

Because a city sewer line already runs through the neighborhood, each homeowner would be assessed as much as $5,850. Anyone who wants to dump their septic tank and tap into the sewer line would have to pay another $3,715.

A water line doesn't serve the area, so Winter Park residents could forgo joining the municipal water system. But if one homeowner asks for city water, every resident would have to pay $4,200 to lay a line to the neighborhood. Anyone who wants to tap on would have to pay another $3,973.

"My first reaction was to start crying," resident Jamie Miller said, recalling when the city notice arrived in the mail. "There's absolutely no way that we could afford that payment."

"The price tag is unreasonable," resident Rick Boggs said, noting that he and his neighbors already get "good water" from a well.

"It would be devastating for some members of this neighborhood," he said.

Silver said the city offers payment plans for anyone looking to receive water and sewer service.

The other areas targeted for annexation are Sumerset Acres, off Trawick Road; Verona Place and Broad Street, off Ray Road; and a right-of-way near the intersection of Wade Avenue and Interstate 40.

The City Council is expected to vote on the annexations on April 6. If approved, the moves would take effect at the end of June.

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The planning director said "it's only logical for the city to annex Winter Park, which he called a "doughnut hole" because it is an unincorporated area surrounded by the city".

If thats the case then why does the city not annex teh other doughnut holes. IT IS REVENUE DRIVEN. They look at the places that they think will produce revenue. He also stated "When they move into a location and they're within the city's jurisdiction, there should be some expectation that eventually they will come into the city of Raleigh," Silver said. "You're sending a sheriff out through miles of city of Raleigh just to have a little portion of Wake County" Most all of the residents and the homes were there long before the city annexed around the area.

Don't be fooled, it all has to do with the money. That is why a vaccant lot can sit, in the county for years, but you let a developer thnk about putting houses on it....in the city it goes.

leeprice
March 22, 2010 6:50 p.m.

For those concerned about NC's annexations laws, here's a useful resource:

www.stopncannexation.com

lovelarvae
March 22, 2010 6:43 p.m.

www.stopncannexation.com

lovelarvae
March 22, 2010 6:41 p.m.

NCcarguy, you might want to wake up. You may want to educate yourself on the poisons that burning leaves DOES produce. But yes, it is very toxic to burn leaves.

You might want to check out this link: http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/burnleaves.html

Beth

All child molesters should die
March 22, 2010 8:32 a.m.

"What kind of person would think "I am surrounded by Raleigh yet I will never be considered a resident of Raleigh" when the move into this area."

many of the affected people lived here for decades before this was ever an issue. they were quite far from the raleigh city limits for a long time. sure, some folks moved here recently enough that they should have known this was coming, but from what i understand, they are not the people fighting against it. it's the people that bought homes in rural wake country 40-50 years ago that are fighting this, and they deserve to be heard.