Blue Ridge council hears opposition to annexation, but can’t answer concerns
What are the costs? Was there proper due diligence? Can grants be obtained? Can the existing infrastructure accommodate annexation?
These are some questions asked by concerned city and county residents during a Monday, June 1 City of Blue Ridge town hall meeting over the proposed annexation of highways 5 and 515.
Many of these questions were left unanswered.
Councilman Nathan Fitts admitted that he is also waiting on the answers to many of the questions asked.
Near the conclusion of the gathering, Councilwoman Rhonda Haight said that she “agrees” with the questions presented, promised to not vote to increase tax, and said the city “cannot handle what it’s got” now as far as infrastructure.
Councilman Mike Panter argued throughout that growth is necessary, but said the money is not there at this time.
Panter enlightened the audience on his experience with grants and encouraged the audience to research how the funding works.
“It’s not just because you hold a sign up, ‘I’m against annexation,’ when you’re really not. You’re just not exactly for annexation the way it’s presented, so I think everybody in the community needs to go spend a hundred hours, do some research on annexation,” he said.
Although no members of the Fannin County Board of Commissioners were present, in a commission meeting the same day, Post Two Commissioner Glenn Patterson said, “I just feel like it wouldn’t be the right thing. My statement is still going to be the same as far as opposing the annexation at this time, I don’t see, in looking at it, that it would be the right time for the county to do so.”
Commissioner Stan Helton said, “I have no comment on that.”
Citizens were each given two minutes to speak their side until an open discussion toward the end of the gathering.
“Why are the developers driving the bus?” Donna Thompson asked council members. “This is an issue of quality of life ... for all of us, so it doesn’t just involve the people who are actually paying taxes in Blue Ridge because they’ll be the one to burden all of this, but it also impacts people in the county and other cities.”
Thompson went on to ask the total projected cost, what is needed to be installed and what impact studies have been performed.
“What is the impact of this new, higher-end district will have on surrounding neighborhoods?” Thompson continued. “Will people be forced to sell because they can no longer afford to live here? Fannin’s not really a place with a lot of affordable housing.”
Many citizens echoed these same concerns.
Angie Arp asked what the city’s intentions were for expanding city limits and what revenue the city will see from it.
Arp continued by pointing out that the city is not meeting its current needs, “There’s already lots of things that need to be done in the city. ... What’s this gonna cost the city long-term, and will there ever be a payback, a return on it?”
She asked the council if they’ve done the proper due diligence. “All that stuff should be done because once you annex, even if you don’t ever get a grant ... there’s expense to the city.”
John Walker said, “The reason I moved out of the City of Blue Ridge was because of the corruption you have here. Every town from here to Atlanta’s already been corrupted with all this growth and greedy people.”
John Soave explained that developers should pay their own tap fees.
Mary Taylor said,“I’ve read over the comprehensive plan last week that goes through 2028, and saw that where there’s a desire ... to bring in younger people to the area, and with all of this housing potentially that’s going in between five and $800,000, as a young person, I would have never been able to afford a home like that.”
She also explained that a larger police force would be needed if annexation were to occur.
Kirk Williams said, “I’m trying to figure out what’s going on because, like the majority of the people in this room, other than the members of the council, we, I didn’t know anything about this.”
Williams asked about whether or not the city is sure they could obtain grants, to which Mayor Donna Whitener replied that “nothing’s guaranteed,” but “there’s a lot of infrastructure money out there.”
Linda Housey asked how the annexation would benefit herself. Along with Renee Sylo, she expressed their concern of what development might mean for their livelihood.
Sylo explained that her residence has been invaded by bullets of a nearby shooting range, which was not around when she bought her property.
“I woke up one morning, and we have a firing range a quarter of a football field from my mailbox,” Sylo said. “Everything we bought into that you guys were selling, we’re being sold out.”
She also stressed the threat of “stack ‘em and pack ‘em” homes, the devaluation of homes and the rights of those affected.
Panter said that the county does not have any restrictions, whereas, the city does, so issues along those lines are not a concern of residents.
Rick Skelton explained that the annexation would benefit the city if he were able to tap onto their sewer system, and without it, his plans cannot move forward.
Paul McGuire asked what the opinions of downtown business owners were.