Re: Skinnywater & your nieghbor
<br />Immitation is the sincerest form of flatery, they say.<br /><br />As far as the driveway goes, it's an interesting ongoing story itself.<br /><br />Fourteen years ago we bought this 5 acre corner parcel with a 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 2 car attached garage for 80k in the county. <br />Ten years ago, the ajoining property to the west annexed into the city, a small rural town.<br />This made my fence line the city/county boundry.<br />During that refinance my property appraised for 175K. <br />Shortly after that story the 10 acres directly accross the street from me (to the east and is county)sold to a developer.<br />The developer immediately asked if I'd like to annex. He said he would gladly pay my fees to annex into the city. He said he had plans to build 23 homes and needed the city water and sewer.<br />Currently the county has a 2acre min. for homes. So under county zones he could only build 5 homes on that 10 acres.<br />My answer to him was that I saw no incentive to annex. My well is good, my septic is an engineered unit and the county services were above my needs and expectations.<br />The city however, has continual problems, scandals and bouts with mismanagement.<br /><br />This developer has personally contacted me by phone 3 times altogeather. Asking me to consider annexing. I've always told him the same thing. I'd repeat my conserns with the city and always leave the conversation with the statement that "there isn't an incentive to annex."<br /><br />Shortly after our last conversation, his secretary called. She said that it was noticed my driveway needed reasphalted. She said if I were to agree to annex, I'd get a new driveway and some additional construction type projects done while construction was being done accross the street. Plus have the fees and permits all paid by them.<br />My reply was that this was the type incentive I had been looking for and was willing to talk and consider annexing.<br />Since I was talking to his secretary, I made it 110% clear that it was imperative to me that him and I talk face to face, man to man, eye to eye, here, there, anywhere, to come to an understanding and a meeting of the minds.
Anything in writing would come after this and a handshake. She understood this request.<br />Two weeks later I got a call from his attourny, who introduced himself and told me he was representing the developer. And asked if I had considered annexing. <br />I immediately told him about the conversation I had with his secretary. Then I told the attourny that I prefered 5 homes to 20, that man to man, face to face, didn't mean his involvement at this point. I ended the conversation saying that after thinking about all that they've left me to consider. "There isn't any incentive to annex, nor was there any incentive to talk to
HIS attourny."<br /><br />I had a meeting with the city manager. His words were, "We would welcome you into the city, but it is between you and the devoloper. The developer wants our services for his development, and we require
he annex you at the same time he annexes. We don't care one way or another."<br /><br />Building is going crazy around here. My property value would appraise for an easy 220K today and sell for that in a month.<br />This same developer is involved in 3 other subdivisions currently. They haven't broke ground accross the street and I've not heard anything since. They are legally bound to inform me of any deviation in zoning or major land uses. <br />My driveway and I are sitting tight. And the way I see it, I'm sitting in a good place.<br /><br />BTW, this old country boy welcomes any insight or advice you guys can send this way.
