Pender residents voice opposition to Burgaw annexation

Burgaw | Flooding concerns were on the minds of Pender County residents who opposed the town's plans to annex 197 parcels of land from nearby unincorporated areas.

Nearly 50 people packed the meeting room in Town Hall on Thursday to discuss the town's plans.

The town wants to annex about 751 acres along N.C. 53, which includes the area that extends from the McDonald's on the highway to exit 398 of Interstate 40. In addition, land owned by Four County Electric and portions of McKoy Road are being considered by the town for annexation.

Burgaw officials want to annex these areas because many of the parcels already are hooked up to the town's water and sewer systems or they plan to extend those services to the area in the future. The board also wants to annex areas where the town's boundaries extend through portions of the land.

Residents facing annexation questioned how the town could deal with their drainage issues when it was facing its own flooding woes.

"Every time it rains, we float," said Joyce Bowman, who lives in one of the proposed annexation areas. "I have cattle. What's going to happen to my goats and cows because you're not going to fix our drainage issues?"

If approved, the annexation would bring 93 homes and roughly 232 people into the town. The latest census in 2000 counted 3,337 residents in town, including 700 inmates in the correctional facility. The annexation would increase the population by 7 percent.Burgaw's last involuntary annexation - meaning it wasn't requested by property owners - occurred in May 1994.

Town resident Charles Rooks said the proposed annexation will raise taxes.

"I'm not opposed to the town growing," Rooks said. "I'm opposed to increased taxes. I feel like the town is taking on a lot of area that's going to cost the citizens a lot of money."

If these areas become part of Burgaw, residents will receive all town services, such as street lights, water, sewer, police and fire protection, and pay the town's property tax rate of 57 cents per $100 of land valuation.

The commissioners are scheduled to vote on the annexation ordinance July 10.

Tyra M. Vaughn: 343-2070

Tyra.Vaughn@starnewsonline.com