HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 86
(By Delegates
Manchin, Beach, Cann, Doyle, Hartman, Lawrence,
Longstreth, Poling, D., Poore, Varner, Walker, T., Williams,
Anderson, Duke, Schadler, Cowles, Sumner
)
[Originating in the Committee on Political Subdivisions
on March 4, 2010]
Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance to appoint
a select interim committee to study the annexation process in
this state and other states and make recommendations that
would be beneficial to help ensure an annexation process that
is both flexible enough to permit annexation that is not
overly encumbered with legal or administrative hurdles, yet is
responsive enough to provide meaningful input from affected
parties such as county governments.
Whereas, A municipality may annex adjacent territory by three
different methods: Election, petition and minor boundary
adjustment.
Whereas, Residents in territory annexed or proposed to be
annexed under these methods sometimes feel they are not accorded an
adequate voice in the annexation process; and
Whereas, The annexation of unincorporated territory by
municipal corporations greatly affects the citizens and the general
public in both the municipality and the county involved in the
annexation process; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Legislature hereby request the Joint Committee on
Government and Finance to appoint a select interim committee to
study the annexation process; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Select Committee
shall discuss and
try to answer the following questions: (1) How to ensure public
participation in a proposed annexation, especially when a
shoestring annexation is proposed?; (2) What type of circuit court
review should occur and should this review be the same for each
type of annexation?; (3) How an annexation effects a county's
comprehensive land use plan?
; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct this
study, to prepare all reports and draft legislation be paid from
the legislative appropriations to the Joint Committee on Government
and Finance.