CITIZEN-TIMES.com

Asheville to slow growth

ASHEVILLE — The city will scale back its annexation policy for 2007, working more to fill in holes and not including manufacturers in immediate plans to expand boundaries.

City Council told staff Tuesday that of three possibilities — aggressive annexation, expanding just to fill in holes in the current city and no annexation — that they preferred the second, the so-called “Swiss cheese” approach.

“I support filling in the gaps,” Mayor Terry Bellamy said. “I don’t think aggressive annexation is required right now.”

It is unknown what properties the city might be looking to annex. City staff will present a proposed annexation plan in 2007 that includes specific properties.

Planning Director Scott Shuford had suggested the city reconsider a policy of not annexing manufacturers. Council members, though, said they did not support changing the policy until they could

offer economic incentives to such businesses, that some characterized as economically fragile.

“Export manufacturing has just gone through an unprecedented period of loss,” Councilman Carl Mumpower said.

Councilman Brownie Newman said it was important that the city eventually be able to annex manufacturers, out of fairness to such businesses already in the city and also because it will ease the burden on other residents and smaller businesses.

Mumpower said he generally opposed forced annexations, but other council members defended the practice, saying Asheville was forced to use the measure because it does not have control of its water rates.

State law prevents the city from charging more for water for noncity customers. That is a tool often used by cities to voluntarily annex.