By Steve Browne

With two weeks left for landowners to protest, Valley City’s planned annexation of seven areas of land has generated enough opposition to stop the process in two areas as of Tuesday.
Valley City started annexation proceedings for 153 parcels including 93 residential, 47 commercial, 11 agricultural and two city-owned exempt properties in seven areas in and around the city on Nov. 5.
The areas are defined on a handbook provided by the city as annex areas 1 through 7.
A mandated 30-day protest period began Nov. 6 and runs to Dec. 7. Any protests must be filed in writing with the City Auditor’s office during the 30-day interval, said City Auditor Avis Richter. If owners of one-fourth or more of the land in an area protest, the annexation process must stop and go into mediation.
So far, the City Auditor’s office has received protest letters from 67 percent of property owners in Annex 1.
The area west of Valley City and south of Interstate 94, on Elm Street, consists of five
commercial properties. The city must now give up plans to annex the area or go into mediation with the state.
Mike Stahl owns one of the properties in Annex 1.
“Other than higher taxes, and more than likely a whole bunch of specials, what is the city going to do for me?” Stahl asked.

For full story, see the 11/25/2009 edition of the Valley City Times-Record.