Aldermen in the City of Newton is considering whether it will annex additional land into the city limits.
At a meeting on June 5, the Board of Aldermen looked at a map outlining the areas where the city limits could be expanded.
Mayor Murray Weems said he, Airport Supervisor Ron Davis and Public Works Director Fred Snow met with Slaughter and Associates to see what it would take to annex additional land into the city. He said they would have to perform a study to see if there is a need for expansion of the city.
The proposed area of annexation would include an area north of the current limits off Industrial Park Drive northward to Midway Road back down to Old Hwy. 15. It would expand southward to Mason Road, westward to Morgan Field Road and eastward to Hwy. 80 and Old Hickory Road.
Weems said one area where they especially needed land was around the industrial park, and that the annexation would help with that.
“We’ve already run out of room for the industrial park,” Weems said.
If the annexation passed, the city would have up to five years to provide city utilities such as sewer and water. Many of those areas are already receiving many city services.
Annexation wouldn’t change any school districts, but if the city expands 1 1/2 miles past its current limits, the city could be required to add another fire station to maintain its ISO ratings.
“It just makes good sense to have them in the city because we’re already providing services to those areas,” Weems said.
According to 2014 population estimates, Newton had a population of 3,374. Some aldermen asked whether they could find enough land to annex to bring the city above the required minimum of 5,000 so that the city could legalize full liquor sales.
Davis told the board that he looked at annexing all the way to the Decatur town limits on Hwy 15 and eastward on Hwy. 80 toward Hickory, but the city would only pick up about 600 additional residents.
“That would bring us a good bit closer,” Hillie said.
“But no that wouldn’t get us to 5,000,” Weems answered.
Weems said those areas that could be annexed into the city could see additional benefits of being inside the city.
“They would get better insurance rates on their fire insurance,” Weems said. “Even though we service them outside the city limits, it would lower their fire ratings.”
Weems said they could also examine whether they might want to do a second or third phase of annexation when they perform this needs study.
“I think it would help us bring more business into the city if we can show that we’re growing,” Weems said.
If the annexation passes after the city were to redraw lines based on the 2020 census data, Hillie asked if they would have to redraw lines once again.
Davis said the Justice Department would mandate that the city lines be redrawn.
Weems said they weren’t taking action at this time, but he hoped the aldermen would take this under advisement.
