Annexation draws fire

Annexation draws fierce opposition

Sapp’s lawyer calls project ‘a city’s dream.’

By CHUCK ADAMSON of the Tribune’s staff
Published Wednesday, January 19, 2005

The Columbia City Council listened to the first of two rounds of public testimony last night on a proposed 965-acre annexation that would be the largest in city history if successful.

Landowners Billy and Glenda Sapp are proposing adding their land along both sides of Route WW to the east side of Columbia. They want to build as many as 1,859 homes, a private golf course and commercial properties.

About 100 residents at the meeting opposed the project. About a dozen who spoke to the council said the development would be too dense for rural Harg, where homes occupy plots of 10 acres or more. The most frequently voiced complaint was that the already dangerous two-lane Route WW would be overwhelmed with traffic.

The Sapps’ attorney, Bruce Beckett, told the council that the annexation made sense because it amounted to "in-fill annexation." He said large annexations allow city planners more control and foresight.
"That is an ideal situation as a policy matter," Beckett said. "This is a city’s dream."

Neighbors countered that the project, which borders the city by just 12 to 15 feet, isn’t contiguous enough to meet the spirit of state law on annexations. "It is a perfect example of leapfrog development and urban sprawl," Harg area resident James Fairchild said.

Council members didn’t vote last night on the annexation. They could vote on both the annexation and rezoning of the property at their Feb. 7 meeting.

"I actually think council listened," Harg resident Willis Richmond said. "Whether it will change their mind, I don’t know."

City staff recommended annexing the property and rezoning it to accommodate the proposed development. The Columbia Planning and Zoning Commission recommended the rezoning earlier this month.

Council members made no comments to residents or the developers during the hearing. But at the end of the meeting, Sixth Ward Councilman Brian Ash said he wanted more information, including development maps, before making any decisions.

"I have some real concerns with WW," Ash said, adding that maybe there was some way to move the road higher on the state’s priority list for improvements.

The Harg Area for Responsible Growth neighborhood group, or HARG, has been gathering petition signatures to stop a voluntary annexation of the property. If the petition succeeds in getting 2 percent of qualified Columbia voters’ signatures, the Sapps would have to apply for involuntary annexation before proceeding with their current proposal.

Under voluntary annexation rules, property owners can get annexation with the city council’s approval. Involuntary annexation requires a vote of city residents and that 15 percent of the property’s border is contiguous with the city. The Sapps don’t have a 15 percent border.

The petition is due two weeks after the hearing.

Renee Richmond, a resident and spokeswoman for HARG, said they have more than 2,200 signatures. Richmond estimates they’ll need 1,500 valid signatures.

In other business last night, the city council approved construction at four parks, paid from city parks funds.

The park projects include fencing at the Nifong Park animal pen to keep children from petting the animals for hygiene safety reasons, $15,000; earthwork to create a radio-controlled model car track and nearby parking lot at Cosmo Park, $17,000; fencing for all or portions of the leash-free dog area at Twin Lakes Recreation Area, $8,000; and a batting cage at American Legion Park, $7,500.