Opinion ID: 1564070
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 12

Heading: Factor 5: Whether a neighboring city has the prerogative to contest incorporation.

Text: ¶ 37. Jackson contends that it has the prerogative to contest incorporation, since it is a statutory defendant pursuant to Section 21-1-15 of the Mississippi Code; it has initiated annexation proceedings; and it has committed financial resources toward annexation. Jackson further contends that the PIA/PAA is within its path of growth. BI agrees that Jackson has the prerogative to contest incorporation. However, BI notes that Jackson was awarded a portion of the area it sought to annex, and the chancellor reduced the PIA. BI asserts that the reduction in the PIA has allowed future annexation of land to the south of Jackson's city limits. ¶ 38. While Jackson has the prerogative to contest incorporation, we agree with the chancellor that Jackson's prerogative does not render the incorporation unreasonable. The chancellor duly revised the PIA in addition to approving the annexation of the four-square-mile area. Therefore, this Court finds substantial evidence supports the chancellor's ruling as to factor five.