Annexation
proposal draws flak in Providence
By Taylor Scott
March 10, 2006 | PROVIDENCE -- Fifty Providence residents
showed up to the City Council meeting Feb. 27 to voice
their opinion about the annexation of 42 acres of property
northeast of 775 Canyon Road, said Skarlet Bankhead,
city administrator and recorder.
"The people that live in the area came and expressed
they wanted to keep Providence a small town," said Stacie
Gomm, city councilwoman. The town seems to be in disagreement;
with 50 people crowded into the meeting hall most spoke
out against the petition to annex the two properties.
The first piece of property in contemplation is a
large square shaped piece of land and the second is
a smaller triangle or diamond shaped property, said
Bankhead, these two properties are adjacent. Redstone
Development set in motion on behalf of Checketts Farm
the annexation petition, which was then taken to the
city council and reviewed, said Bankhead. Once the
council reviews the petition the council must then decide
to deny or accept the petition, she said. If the council
decides to deny the petition the annexation process
ends.
On Feb. 27 the annexation process ended for Redstone
Development. The council voted 3-1. Gomm's was the
dissenting vote in favor of the annexation. Gomm said
she was for the annexation because Redstone Development
could annex into another city and back up right against
Providence, and Providence would have no control over
the property. However, Gomm said the other council members
voted against the annexation because they along with
the residents did not want the change or growth to Providence.
Yet, the decision for the annexation process to be
stopped comes on several reasons. When the petition
was reviewed it was to make sure it passes codes, Bankhead
said.
One snag in the process was that "property owners
annexing into Providence City are required to provide
water as development occurs," Bankhead said. "They can
either purchase water shares in one of the irrigation
companies that services the Providence area and dedicate
the shares to the city or they can purchase water rights,
go through a process with the state water engineer to
have the diversion point for the right changed to a
well site within Providence City and dedicate the right
to the city."
However the Providence City Council did not seem satisfied
with the proposed plans made by Redstone Development
and therefore denied the petition for annexation.
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