Opinion ID: 1926677
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Homewood's Annexations

Text: As previously mentioned, Birmingham officially commenced the Oxmoor Annexation by adopting the Annexation Resolution on February 4, 1975. After Birmingham began the annexationin what the Court considers to be basically defensive maneuversthe City of Homewood began a series of `consensual' annexations under the provisions of Section 137(1), Title 37 of the Code of Alabama of 1940 (1973 Cu.Supp.), in an effort to incorporate within its municipal boundaries certain of the territory already subject to the Annexation Election. These annexations began at a regularly scheduled Homewood City Council meeting held on February 10, 1975 [six (6) days after Birmingham officially commenced the Oxmoor Annexation], and continued for the next six (6) weeks. Section 152 of Title 37, Code of Alabama of 1940 (1958 recomp. ed.) provides that territory annexed under Article 2 must be `contiguous' to the boundary of the annexing city and `not . . . within the corporate limits of another city'. Seizing upon this provision, plaintiffs argue that Birmingham's Oxmoor Annexation is void because it embraces territory which is actually within the Homewood corporate limits. Plaintiffs' argument is not compelling, however, since it is well recognized that once a municipality has officially commenced proceedings directed toward annexing certain territory, that municipality retains full and exclusive jurisdiction over such territory until the conclusion of said proceedings. See 1 Yokley, Municipal Corporations, 56-57; 2 McQuillin, Municipal Corporations, Section 7.22a; City of Tualatin v. City of Durham [249 Or. 536], 439 P.2d 624 (Ore.1968); City of Countryside v. Village of LaGrange, [24 Ill.2d 163], 180 N.E.2d 488 (Ill.1960); City of Lincolnshire v. Highbough [Highbaugh] Realty Co., 278 S.W.2d 636 (Ky.App.1955). Here it is clear that Birmingham took the first step in passing the Annexation Resolution on February 4, 1975, several days before Homewood began its annexation efforts. This Court finds, therefore, that (a) Birmingham had and has retained exclusive jurisdiction of the Oxmoor Area for annexation purposes; (b) Homewood had no right or power to initiate any subsequent annexations in this territory; and (c) the Oxmoor Annexation was not an infringement upon Homewood's city limits. Plaintiffs' contention with respect to Section 152 is without merit. [4] B.