Columbus moved one step closer to expansion Tuesday night.
The city council unanimously approved a map submitted by the Oxford firm of Bridge and Watson highlighting four areas outside the city limits to be annexed and granted the firm permission to begin legal proceedings.
The only concern voiced among the council was Ward 3 Councilman Charlie Box”s questions about whether a shift in racial composition will necessitate the redrawing of district lines.
Tim Youngblood, representing Bridge and Watson, misspoke in the meeting saying a 10 percent difference in racial composition at the ward level would not necessitate redistricting. But he corrected himself this morning, stating such a shift would require redistricting.
He said he would look at 2010 census data today to note any racial shifts among Columbus” six wards. The figures may show a need for city-wide redistricting or the wards may not be effected.
What will be effected by the proposed annexation, according to Youngblood and Chief Operations Officer David Armstrong, is the city”s tax revenue.
Armstrong estimates the entirety of the annexed land will cost the city $187,742 annually in operating expenditures. However, taxes from the incorporated businesses — primarily along Lehmberg Road and Highway 12 — and private properties are expected to bring in $461,601 for a net annual revenue of $277,859.
The four areas proposed for annexation include most of the east side of Lehmberg Road and a short distance north on Highway 12, the Riverwalk to the west of downtown, a piece of Woodland Heights Drive to the north and the area around the newly opened Columbus Middle School.
All told, the annexation would add approximately 1,500 citizens, five miles of road and three square miles of land to Columbus” totals.
Youngblood said the annexation process could be completed by the end of the year or may be tied up in court for years. In the event annexation takes several years to be finalized, Youngblood said ward lines may require redistricting, which in turn could force city councilmen to run a second time in the new wards.
Jason Browne was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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