Lawmakers are continuing to step up their efforts to give Davidson County some future authority in dealing with annexations of any type by surrounding cities.
N.C. Sen. Stan Bingham, R-Davidson, is preparing to introduce a Senate bill nearly identical to one proposed by Davidson County Commissioners’ vice chairman Larry Potts last month.
The two bills, if approved, will allow county commissioners to ward off or grant annexation attempts by municipalities in and around Davidson County by a simple majority vote.
Potts wants the bill to ensure cities like Winston-Salem and High Point can’t look to incorporate areas near their borders without review. Thanks to redrawn district lines, Bingham is no longer representing High Point at the state level. He said he’s now able to introduce his bill without conflict of interest.
“Because of that (representing High Point) I couldn’t introduce it, and I couldn’t allow it to be introduced,” Bingham said. “Now I’m free to do this. You can’t introduce local bills unless they’re non-controversial.”
Simultaneously, Potts has been in contact with N.C. House Reps Rayne Brown, R-Davidson, and Jerry Dockham, R-Davidson, about drafting his bill to be heard in the House.
Bingham is hoping to have his bill heard in May when lawmakers return for the short session. Potts shares Bingham’s optimism that the bills will hit each chamber’s floor for hearing and said he was pleased to see the senator’s support on this issue. Potts noted recent history and development in pockets of northern Davidson County as reason enough for him to want to better protect county lines.
“For the next three years this would probably have limited impact because there’s not going to be construction,” Potts said. “If we return to the years of 2000 to 2005 when hundreds of homes were being built, and we (Davidson County) were by far coming out on the losing end.”
By David Bodenheimer
(The Dispatch)
Published: Tuesday, April 3, 2012 at 3:36 p.m.
