City sets dates for public hearings on annexations

The City of Graham is planning to annex a portion of land across from Fawn Trail on Spivey Hill and scheduled two public hearings regarding the annexation during their Thursday, Jan. 11 city council meeting. The two properties involved are 101 and 105 Fawn Trail and are bordering the neighborhood of Spivey Hill, which is within the city limits and receives services from the city including fire, police, building inspections, planning and zoning and all other applicable municipal services. “So they are kind of getting the benefit of the services without paying for it because from a PR standpoint, we are not going to not help those people,” Council member Kyle Peavy said at the council’s Dec. 14. Currently the properties are under the law enforcement jurisdiction of the Young County Sheriff’s Office and upon annexation the Graham Police Department would have the authority to provide the same law enforcement services that Spivey Hill receives.Other services provided would include fire suppression by the Graham Fire Department, code enforcement services and planning and zoning oversight. “If you are going to provide fire, police, you know, things to these people and right up to next door to them, it makes no sense not to do it for everyone,” Mayor Jack Graham said at the Dec. 14 council meeting. Two public hearings will be held, on Thursday, Jan. 25 and Thursday, Feb. 8, both at 9 a.m. in the city council chamber of the Graham Visitor and Business Center at 608 Elm Street. The hearings will give all interested parties the right to appear and be heard on the annexation by the council. For the rest of this story, subscribe to our print or online edition.