Charter Review Committee

Annexations

Date: Revised January, 2005

Sub Committee Members: John Enders, Keith Massie

Issue Statement:

Should Ashland residents vote on every annexation to the city?

Pros and Cons:

PROS

1. Gives citizens direct control of new annexations

2. May lead to more citizen involvement

3. Becomes relevant when the local Planning Department does not engage the community in proposed future growth options.

CONS

1. Difficult for citizens to know all the pros and cons of a specific annexation proposal

2. Voting on annexations is inappropriate if it is used primarily as a tool to block urban population growth

3. Additional cost of elections for each annexation

4. Money could influence the outcome of the annexation election

Budget Implications:

Additional cost of elections for each annexation.

Background:

Voter annexation is the process of requiring voter approval of new annexations to a city.

Voter approval of annexations is put into place via city charter amendments. Corvallis passed the first one in 1976. Since then, over 34 other Oregon cities, including Salem, have followed suit. This represents approximately 450,000 residents of Oregon. Nearly all were passed by initiative and by large margins.

Summary:

1. Would voter approved annexations solve or cause more problems?

2. Do the residents of Ashland want to approve each potential annexation?