"I think the time is coming that we're going to have to look at annexation," Mayor Woody Gurley said. "Other towns are doing some annexation. If we don't we're going to get cut off."
Officials expect growth on the southeast side of town to continue, and they're beginning to see growth on the northeast, said John Sullivan, interim town manager.
"If we're going to grow, we ought to prepare ourselves to grow with it," Gurley said.
The last annexation was in 1999 when the town brought in two subdivisions from the north side and two from the south side. Those annexations were at the developer's request.
"Requested annexations aren't a difficult process," Sullivan said. "It's when the town decides it wants to annex an area (that is difficult)."
Town commissioners this week discussed from 903 South to U.S. 70 and the area out towards Bear Creek as possible areas to consider. Town attorney George Jenkins suggested they get a map and see what areas are already in the town before they begin to pinpoint areas.
"A good first step is to streamline the shape of the town," Jenkins said.
LaToya Mack can be reached at (252) 527-3191, Ext. 273, or lmack@freedomenc.com.
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