The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-05-25
GETTING TO WORK
ON ANNEXATION
Council Committee to Garry
Out It's Instruc-
tons.
WHAT STATE LAW REQUIRES
Real Fight Comes in Court, After
City Council Has Finally
Acted.
WHAT STATE LAW REQUIRES

nC puuiiC nodElNS On inc SUD
1eot OF annexation before the special
committee of tho City Council goes
actually to work on maps and plans
Will be held tomorrow night Mt 8
o'clock. Those who desire to be heard
for or against annexation will be given
provided they are speaking definitely
as to some locality or represent some
element IN the community. and are
not merely indulging In generalties.
Tho committee began its work by a
series OF motor car rides entirely
around the city. viewing the outlying
sections and seeing just what there
was to take in, gaining a better under
standing than could be secured from
mere study Of maps Each OF the vari-
Gus suburbs petitioning for annexation
was then heard
At the last two meetings tho COM
mittee heard from property owners
and Representatives of manufacturing
plants who. for one reason or anorier
desire to be left outside OF the cor
porate limits. This form of hearing
will conclude tomorrow night. after
which the committee, in light OF the
knowledge 1t has gained both from the
hearings from personal observation
and from statistical information now
in hand. proposes TO get down to work
around a big table with a map of the
city and suburbs. outlining exactly
what 1t will recommend to the Council
for inclusion within the lines
The Committees Instructions.
Tho committee was Instructed by
the City Council to consider certain
applications for annexation from su-
burban communities and to report Il
1t considered Ii wise, n general plan
for the enlargement of the city's boun-
| daries. 1t proposes to go ahead with
the work committed to II and to make
such a report II possible within the
| next sixty days. regardless Of the ef-
| forts of the City Democratic Commit
| tee to tak5 the matter out of the hands
of the City Council by placing the ISSUE
| on the ballots In the Democratic pri-
mary OF Juno H.
In view OF points yet to be con-
sidered the committee has no idea that
| 1t can agree on any definite lines by
that time. II indeed II can do SO by
midsummer and any ballot cast in
that primary will inevitably he n hit
| no voter VIII know nor will the COM
mittee know. what is being voted
upon.
The Annexation Act
Many people seem TO confuse the
| method of annexating territory from
| the county for the necessary growtt
of the city with the entirely different
| procedure had under q different stat
ute. for the consolidation of Richmond
| and Manchester. The annexation ac
approved March 10. 1904. provides
very simple method. The Council
must declare by an ordinance passed
| by a recorded Affirmative vote OF q
| majority OF the members OF each
| branch, that II desires to annex GER
tain territory. which territory must
be accurately described In the body
| of the ordinance, together with the
terms and conditions on which 1t pro-
poses TO annex such territory, and the
| provisions 70. its future management,
and Improvement Notice is then given
| to the Commemorative Attorney and
| boards or supervisors OF the county
or counties in which such territory
| lies that the city VIII, not less than
| thirty days thereafter, move the Cir
| cult Court OF the county wherein the
| greater part OF such territory lies &c
make an order authorizing and declar-
| ing such annexation. The proceeding
then assumes the form of suit OF
the city against the counties. TO be
! tried In tho Henrico Circuit Court. be-
| fore Bome judge from another part
| of the state, TO be designated for the
| purpose by the Governor.
| County May Contest.
| The county may contest the proceed
| ings. Any person or corporation affect
cd may appear in person or by coun-
| sci and become party defendant. Evil
| dence Is to be heard before the Judge
| IN the manner specified for trial OF
| common law cases, and the Judge shall
| ascertain and determine the necessity
| for or eXpediency Of annexation, and
| whether the terms and conditions SET
| forth In said ordinance arc reasonable
and fair If the judge IS satisfied
| of the necessity for or experiency OF
the annexation, from tie evidence be-
fore MIN. and that the conditions AND
! provisions are reasonable and fair, hs
shall enter an order providing for the
annexation. II the Judge shall be nj
opinion that no annexation Is neces-
sary, then the proceedings shall be dis
missed with the costs on the city.
Ample provision is made for the pro-
lection Of the county and to check
any wild ambition OF the city Council
to take in more than Is necessary OF
! reasonable
May Modify Plan.
IL tho trial judge is of opinion that
the annexation OF only part or the
| territory proposed is necessary or eN
| pedient, or IL 1t shall be his opinion
| that more territory shall be annexed
| than described in the ordinance, he
| shall enter II proper order setting
! forth what he deems reasonable and
fair from the evidence, showing how
| much Of the tcrritoy shall he annexed
| and on what terms. and shall direct
| Its annexation in conformity with the
terms and conditions so prescribed
| The tax rate on the land annexed Is
not to be increased for five years af-
| ter annexation, except upon pctitior
OF majority of the freeholdcrs OF
such territory, and all revenue de-
rived from taxation In that territory
for five years is to be wholly expended
in public improvements therein; pro
vided that the city may set npar
IL per cent OF the assessed value OF
the territory annexed at the time OF
annexation for public Improvement:
entirely in the annexed territory. II
which case the land becomes subject
to the city tax rate.
1t does not AFFECT the procedure out
lined above that certain suburbs are
Incorporated into townships. The ne