City Council: Westside Annexation Moves Forward

After receiving a tongue-lashing from westside residents, City Council voted on Tuesday to move forward with the annexation of more than 800 properties in the area. The proposed annexation is expected to bring approximately 1,600 new residents into the city, and increase tax revenues by an estimated $500,000 per year.

There was a full house in attendance for the meeting, which had been moved to county council chambers in anticipation of a large crowd.

Scott Talley, an attorney representing some of the residents opposed to annexation, said that the petition to annex some of the properties was flawed based on the language and specifics of the sewer agreements the city has in place with property owners in the area. If that is true, Talley contends, then the city does not have agreements with enough property owners in the area to meet the legal requirement for annexation.

Under South Carolina law, a municipality is allowed to annex areas if 75% of the property owners representing at least 75% of the assessed value of an area have agreements with the municipality. The other 25% in the area can be brought in without such agreements.

During the public hearing on the motion, a succession of soon-to-be annexed residents roundly condemned the move with one speaker going so far as to compare the city’s move to annex new property with “Somali pirates”. The same speaker went on to threaten to campaign against any council member who voted in favor of annexation saying, “we already have the structure of committees to campaign in your districts if you vote in favor of this”. Others voiced concerns over the increase in property taxes and the possible effect on property sales.

Commenting after the closing of the public hearing, Councilwoman Linda Dogan responded to some of the comments from the speakers against the motion saying, “I take great offense at anybody saying that they’re going to campaign against me or anybody else on this council. If you don’t like what we’re doing, that’s fine and well, but I take it very personally, that comment, and it’s very offensive.”

Councilman Junie White then made a motion to move forward with the annexation, and council voted in favor of the motion 6-1 with Councilman Joe Spigner casting the dissenting vote.

According to City Planning Director Stephanie Monroe, the newly annexed residents can expect to receive city trash and recycling service as well as fire and police protection by December 1st.

A lawsuit is expected to be filed on behalf of some of the residents in an attempt to stop the city’s actions.

Also passed at Tuesday’s meeting was an ordinance against panhandling. Public Safety Director Tony Fisher said that the law was needed because of the “aggressive nature” and “frequency” of panhandling particularly in the downtown area. Under the new ordinance panhandling would be banned near the entrances of buildings or near ATM’s. The law also prohibits panhandling at night and any “aggressive” panhandling.

Fisher said that there would be an educational period of 30 days when officers would inform anyone panhandling of the new law, followed by another 30 days of written warnings. After that time, arrests would be made. Anyone convicted of panhandling under the new law could face a $500 fine or up to 30 days in jail.