Cary has grown enormously in the past 10 years, often annexing entiresubdivisions at the requests of residents and developers, who want citywater and town services. But in some cases, the town has grown aroundhomes and older neighborhoods, creating what are nicknamed "doughnuts."
The planning department had recommended forcing annexation of thesedoughnuts. While the council indicated it would prefer a city withoutsuch gaps, they will wait for homeowners to sell to people interested inbeing annexed, rather than taking the land.
"I will never live long enough to go through another forcedannexation," the News & Observer quoted Booth as saying. "If that is thetenor of this council, then I will not be a part of it."
Cary officials had been heavily criticized in the mid-80s when theyunsuccessfully tried to annex the Medfield subdivision against homeowners'will.
The planning office was asked, however, to create a schedule forhandling already-agreed to annexation agreements. Under these agreements,local governments such as Cary provide city services to a new developmentas long as the neighborhood agrees to be incorporated into the town whenasked. About 150 such contracts are now on Cary's books, and could bringin an additional $105,000 in annual tax revenue.
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