CED Annexation Policy Plan 1992 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

• grow and develop at a rate comparable with that of the area as a whole. The need and cost of all City services have increased at a faster rate than the growth necessary to support them. Aggressively annexing the fringe areas of the City will help equalize the tax burden of City residents and provide more equitable service delivery. The City's present relationship with its surrounding environment has been concisely discussed above. No one issue is the driving force behind South Bend's need to pursue annexation, but they are all equally important in the development of the foundation of the annexation program. The past 40 years have witnessed a tremendous upheaval in our society, creating the economic and social conditions which face the South Bend community. One of the few opportunities that the City has to keep up with what will invariably be even greater changes is to grasp control of its physical environment. Indiana annexation law, although somewhat cumbersome to deal with, is one of the few legislative tools currently available for South Bend to address the issues with which it will have to face in the coming decade and beyond. In order for the City to develop in a planned and coordinated manner, the City should abandon its passive approach to annexation for an active policy of controlled growth and development with an aggressive City -initiated annexation program. B. THE ANNEXATION STUDY PROCESS Annexation is more than the physical incorporation of territory. It is a systematic and comprehensive planning process that, when successfully implemented, will enable the City to efficiently manage growth and development for the benefit of all citizens and businesses located in the South Bend urban area. Section I of this study provides insight into why annexation should be considered. Issues that the City must address as the metropolitan center of the urbanized area are identified and the need for undertaking annexation as a solution to these issues is formulated. The study process for developing the City's annexation policy and plan is also overviewed in Section I, along with the creation of a study area to be evaluated for potential annexation. Addressing these issues will require a solid foundation of information that subsequently will be used for establishing the City's policy and plan for annexation. An essential requirement for this foundation is a thorough understanding of the legality of annexation. Section II of this study reviews the state annexation law, the annexation process, and the requirements that will be imposed upon the City for serving annexed territory. 10