Council votes 4-1 for islands annexation

GAINESVILLE - The main thing o n Gainesville City Council's meeting agenda Tuesday night was annexation of 115 island properties, county properties surrounded by the city. As expected Council voted yes on first reading, but the vote was not unanimous.

Councilman George Wangemann cast the dissenting vote. His motion to deny the request died for lack of a second, and then Ruth Bruner's motion for annexation got a 4-1 yes vote.

"You as a council have a right to exercise your discretion and annex island properties into the city," said Frank Jenkins, attorney for the Planning Department and that is precisely what they did, over the objections of property holders who lined up in opposition. Wangemann summed up what several of them said during the meeting.

"I think this is a pretty clear cut case of forcing somebody to do something against their will," Wangemann told fellow council members. "They did not request the annexations; we're the ones who initiated this entire process. To repeat the words of Mr. Jones, This is a clear cut case of taxation without representation."

Wangemann said there was evidence that the annexation law is a 'pretty bad' law, subject to being rescinded.

Wangemann was quoting John Jones, owner of Office Pros, whose business sits on one of the parcels to be annexed. Jones went even further in his opposition to the annexation and rezoning. He pointed out that on this day 237 years ago the Declaration of Independence was approved, and Georgia's two delegates, Button Gwinnett and Lyman Hall, would also be opposed to the city's island annexation even though it's supported by state law. Jones also argued that annexed businesses would be subject to duplicate city/county services, which was refuted by Planning Director Rusty Ligon.

"Mr. Jones mentioned duplicate services, duplicate regulations, and that is not the case," Ligon said. "If you decide to approve this you'll have the city fire marshal, the building inspector will be just from the city, and you're not answering to both sets there."

Ken Neidenbach, who owns Village Pets, said by coming into the city most all his costs are going up, except water service.

"I called the city tax office to see what city my taxes would be, and based on last year's it would be $316 more than I'm paying now in the county," he said

The Planning and Appeals Board approved the city's request for annexation during their morning meeting. It comes up for a final council vote July 16th.