"Every time we annex a piece of property into the city limits the property owner are getting a gift from the city. We make these people extremely rich overnight." Those words keep replaying over and over in my head. This is what I heard an elected official say at a council meeting regarding annexing a property into the city that currently was in the designated growth management area.
This attitude really bothers me because I don't feel as though it is understood what really happens prior to annexation. As an example Mr. and Mrs. Property Owner bought 5 acres of land close to town and built their dream home......30 years ago. Most of their life was spent enjoying their property and home. In the last ten years things changed a lot.
You can't stop your car in the road on the way back from the store to talk to a neighbor because the traffic is 500 times greater than it used to be. 30 years ago only the people that lived along the the old narrow road utilized it. Even that evening walk that all the neighbors used to enjoy is now considered "taking your life into your own hands", since the old road has no shoulders or sidewalks. The old road is now the shortcut to Walmart.
Everyday Mrs. Property Owner gets up and goes out to the road to pick up last nights fast foods wrappers and beer cans from the flower garden that fronts her home that she so proudly cared for for over 30 years. Today is different than before because two beat up cars are parked next to each other across the road in the driveway to Smith's old barn. One of the shady looking men covered in tattos yell at her to stop looking at him and she scurries back into the house. "These must be drug dealers" she thought.
So many things have changed since the city has overtaken Mr. and Mrs. Property Owner's piece of paradise they made their home 30 years ago.
I don't see annexation as a gift, I see annexation as compensation for the impacts a city makes on its rural neighbors. Am I off on this?
KC Coonc, Associate Broker
Windermere Real Estate - Bellingham
Windermere Commercial Real Estate - Bellingham
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KC, Unless higher taxes is a gift, just what are they supposedly getting? Annexation can be a "blessing" if property values are higher inside the city limits because of city services, but it isn't always the case.
In your example, I think you should hurry over there and list that property and let the old folks move to a quieter and safer place.
Bill Roberts