Opinion ID: 1751437
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: Impact on Property Owners

Text: Again, Jackson first implicitly agrees that this factor weighs in favor of reasonableness because no contrary argument is presented. Madison asks this Court to defer to the Chancellor's finding. In reply, Jackson urges that the interest of a landowner must defer to the good of the region and the central city which drives the region.
At the close of all evidence, the chancellor found: The major complaint voiced by the individual objectors is that they don't need or want what the city has to offer, and they don't want to pay the taxes... . The fact that one is required to pay taxes is not sufficient to prove unreasonableness, nor is it sufficient to rebut reasonableness. Again, we also have the factor here of the western portion of Tract 1, which is basically owned by two landowners, Mr. Brown and the School District, and their request to be included in this annexation. And the bottom line on that is that this court finds it very difficult to say that an annexation is unreasonable, when the city asks for it and the landowner asks for it. Certainly I think the court would have the standing and the right to say that it's unreasonable, even under those circumstances. But in the context of this particular litigation, the fact that the landowners have requested to be included within the annexation adds further strength to the reasonableness of the annexation. And having considered the evidence, the court is of the opinion that the annexation proposed by the City of Madison would have no adverse impact, economic or otherwise, on the residents who reside in or upon those who own property situated in Tracts 1, 2, 3 and 4, with the possible exception of the increase in the taxes; and in the opinion of the court, that is not sufficient to rebut the reasonableness of the annexation.
J. Army Brown, owner of the largest portion of Tract 1, was in favor of annexation. Owners of the portion of Hunters Point subdivision which was located in the proposed annexation area did not object to the annexation. Other owners of large portions of the proposed annexation area, David Cox, the Spains, and the Madison County School District, also interposed no objection to the annexation. The Madison County School Board was actually in favor of the annexation. The Lake Castle homeowners' association lodged no objection to the annexation. Mayor Hawkins testified that the city tax millage rate would be offset by the savings gained through the fire rating of 7, via guaranteed fire protection by Madison, and may even prove a savings to residents of the proposed annexation area. Joe Lusteck also was of the opinion that the economic impact on property owners in the proposed annexation area would be favorable, although Corinne Fox disagreed. Jim Elliott testified that, regarding equity and fairness to the land owners, annexation of Tracts 2 and 3 was reasonable. Hugh T. Cottrell, who owned two parcels of property located within the proposed annexation area, was in favor of annexation. Alva Rutledge, another owner of property in the proposed annexation area, favored annexation. Various individual objectors testified that they opposed annexation of their property.
With substantial credible evidence supporting his finding on this factor, it cannot be said that the chancellor manifestly erred. The evidence presented indeed tends to establish reasonableness.