City annexes 13 acres near fairgrounds

There were no objections against, but one oops came during the annexing of property by the city of McMinnville.

One land owner got his land annexed, as requested, while a county resident lost his city service when an oops was revealed during last week?s McMinnville Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting.

There were no objections made for the annexation of 13 acres located on Northwood Lane, which is near Morton?s Horticulture on Smithville Highway.

The land owner, Fitch Development Group Inc., asked for the annexation and wants the land brought in as a R-3 high density residential district in order to develop the land into multi-family dwellings consisting of 64 apartments.

The developer will be putting in everything including water and sewer which will be attached to the city?s main line along Highway 56. Providing services will be at minimal cost to the city.

The one oops was made by Public Works director Bill Brock who realized, while looking at the proposed maps of city and county land depicting what area is to be annexed, that one property owner whom he thought was in the city really wasn?t.

?We thought he was in the city,? said Brock referring to the property owner receiving the service. ?I told Jim (Planning and Zoning director Jim Brock) that he was in the city and Jim said no.?

Although the property owner has been approached before by Planning and Zoning regarding annexation, he has always declined. But when the Public Works Department mistakenly dropped off a city trash can, that wasn?t declined.

Because Public Works thought that property was already in the city, that county resident has been receiving garbage service.

?I was told he has a city trash can,? said Mayor Royce Davenport. ?We need to borrow that back. According to our records, the land is not in the city limits.?

Although the property owner has been receiving the city service without being in the city, the service has not been free. To correct the situation, the service will be discontinued.

Elected officials voted to pass the requested land annexation on its first read. The ordinance will need one more pass before the board.