G’boro expansion left up to residents
Published 12:00 am Tuesday, January 2, 2007
Now it is in the hands of residents and legislature to determine if Greensboro will expand city borders.
At Tuesday night’s meeting, Greensboro City Council members agreed to accept the proposed areas to be added to the city’s limit.
If the annexation is accepted, the new borders would include Alabama Highway 69 North to Bus Shop Road, Gem Drive to the old landfill, County Road 28 to Rufus Pickens, County Road 24 to Reid Lawson and the Country Club, Alabama Highway 69 South to Picken’s Quarter and Rancher Hall and Alabama Highway 25 South to Greenleaf Church. The expansion would also add Alabama Highway 61 South to the existing police jurisdiction, Alabama Highway 25 North up to County Road 33, Alabama Highway 14 East to Robert Burrough Road and County Road 19 up to the city lagoon.
“Most of these are areas the city is already serving. So, we decided to bring them in and it wouldn’t add any additional cost the city,” Greensboro mayor J.B. Washington said. “We could also see some more revenue from ad valorum taxes. We are hoping it will over with the residents.”
According to Greensboro city attorney Vangeline Rose, the next steps are to create an official map, host a series of public hearings and pass the matter to the state legislature.
“This was just for the council to agree where they want the lines drawn,” Rose said. “But we will be basically done if the legislature approves it.”
The council also agreed to permit the Lion’s Park construction crew to rebuild the tennis and basketball courts, since that property belongs to the city.
“They basically just need our O.K. to interrupt the property city owns,” councilman Johnnie Davis told the council. “They need to go ahead and tear it up so they can rebuild. They just need somewhere to start construction.”
“I make a motion to give them permission to reconstruct it with the understanding that the courts are still ours,” councilwoman Valada Paige Banks said.
The new park is planned to include four baseball fields, a soccer/football field and new basketball and tennis courts.
At Tuesday’s meeting, the council also paid $37,182.59 in bills, and $9,707.75 to Sentel Engineering for construction on the UNA Martin Leisure Park.
City clerk Lorrie Cook said the city would be reimbursed 80 percent of the costs for the park because it is committed to match 20 percent.
The city leaders set a workshop on Feb. 23 at 6 p.m. to further discuss a solution to after-school traffic problems at Greensboro West Elementary School and a contribution to the Hale’s Habitat for Humanity “Operation Home Delivery,” which could possibly bring 25 new homes to the county.
The next Greensboro City Council meeting will be held Tuesday, Feb. 28 at 6 p.m.