Why not to be in the City? (County Annexation Chat)

[cruiseroutfit]

Seems Sandy City is considering annexing my neighborhood, we are currently unincorporated SL County. To be honest, I don't want to be in Sandy City... but I don't have any real finite reasons...

Things I have "heard"

Property Taxes will increase with annexation to Sandy City? Makes sense, Sandy will start providing snow removal, law enforcement, etc. SLCo currently plows, but I've never seen a Sherriff in my neighborhood unless called (fine by me )

Zoning and Code enforcement? SL County may have much less restrictive codes (unregistered vehicles, building a second garage, additions, etc.). This may or may not be true, but at a minimum I know SL County doesn't enforce this to the degree Sandy might. Not a huge issue for me... but it might one day when I want to build a big garage out back.

What other things am I missing?

I'll be helping my neighborhood with a petition soon, I want some info. to sell the others!

 

[Jeremy]

property values will go up. everything costs more in sandy.

just a thought. i am probably blowing smoke.

 

[Meat_]

Faced with the same situation I saw no benefit and a lot of drawbacks by going into the city.

City = more rules, less freedom, more tax and more fees in exchange for a library card, a pool pass and if you're lucky a dump pass.

 

[Shawn]

We were booted out of SLC and into Holladay, I must say, it was for the better.

 

[offroaddave]

City = more rules, less freedom, more tax and more fees in exchange for a library card, a pool pass and if you're lucky a dump pass.

Aahhh, The (new) American way!

 

[cruiseroutfit]

We were booted out of SLC and into Holladay, I must say, it was for the better.

What specifically changed?

I really need to call the city and see what they "offer" and what they "charge" in return.

My wifes grandmother lives in now Holliday, she and her neighbors were outraged at the switch, her property taxed jumped... but that could have been result of the housing boom in Utah? Thoughts?

 

[StrobeNGH]

Do you live in White City?

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Do you live in White City?

Nope, I live north of Pebblebrook Golf Course (~89th and 1250 east). There are ~100 homes? in our chunk of unicorporated area. All of the 'old timers' have fought annexation sucsessfully 3-4 time in the last 30 years... they are all pretty die-hard about staying out of Sandy.

 

[Caleb]

My motivation would be law enforcement. I'll take County Sheriff over a city cop any day of the week, as a matter of fact this was the deciding factor on if I built a house in South Jordan (city cops) or Riverton (Sheriffs). Taxes may be a little higher once you get annexed but I can't imagine it to be so significant that you'll even notice a difference (unless you're pinching pennies, which I know a lot of young couples are). Granted, any extra money to the government is usually wasted on those much needed raises

 

[78mitsu]

it's a lot easier to stay out then to get out. It's kind of a one way trip, if you're planning on selling your house any time soon, annexation will benifit you, because it will increase your property value/taxes/everything, but can add substantially to the equity margin. For me I'd rather be out of the city, when I buid a house it will be on a lonely country road --> if I have to buy the middle of a corn-field it will be in the country/county!

 

[Meat_]

Another major expense that most county homes face coming into a city is water, sewer and curb and gutter...... yeah they don't pay for that

 

[StrobeNGH]

Honestly, if your roads are being plowed/maintained and you have utilities; stay out.

We have lived in a private/gated community in Sandy for over 30 years, but Sandy has always refused to take care of our roads (plow or maintain), so we get to pay all the taxes, AND we get to take care of our own roads (construct, maintain, plow, etc . . .). Oh, and the police don't patrol up here either.
We'd give anything to get out of Sandy, but it isn't happening. They enjoy our property taxes, and not spending a cent to take care of our roads.
38 years ago, people who lived here thought it best to be a part of Sandy. Mistake.

If you are in a small area that is unincorporated, I'd say stay out.

The only real benefit that being incorporated would have is to be able to enforce covenants, like against neighbors whose lawns look like junk yard . . .
Say, are you sure you aren't the reason for the attempt to incorporate?

 

[Brett]

Someone in Pepperwood?

 

[cruiseroutfit]

...The only real benefit that being incorporated would have is to be able to enforce covenants, like against neighbors whose lawns look like junk yard . . .
Say, are you sure you aren't the reason for the attempt to incorporate?

Nope, my wife has a green thumb and we keep the place really tidy

Really, all my neighbors do... there are a couple of dumpy yards, but nothing I'm bothered by.

SL Co. currently plows our street first thing in the morning, at my parents place in Sandy it would be a couple days before they plowed. Again what do I gain there?

Thanks for all the help folks!

 

[Rusted]

My parents were annexed into Midvale. Pre-annexation they had their streets plowed early in the morning usually before it was time to leave for school/work.

Post-Annexation the services have gone down. Now it is rare to get the roads plowed, often they won't be done at all. Or it will happen 3 days after when it is ice and the plow does not do anything so the roads are ice packed for a long time. The first spring after the annexation the "fence cops" came around and made lots of people upset. Fences that had been in place for years had to be removed to conform to the city regs, they asked us it tie up our dogs so they could check the plates on the registered truck that parks in the back yard to verify it was registered. People were upset and still are about it. On the flip side there were some yards cleaned up that were past due

And there has been no improvements made in lighting, side walks, police, etc since it has happened.

 

[BCGPER]

Just the opposite occurred in West Valley. I was dead set against going to a city, but I was surprised at the improvements it has made. Although it took a few years, services have definitely improved, but at a cost. My little street gets plowed often, all new lighting, and the street sweeper comes around every couple weeks. None of that ever happened with the county. Yes, your property taxes will increase, but there are "hidden" taxes as well. For instance, my UP&L bill includes a charge of like $10 a month for garbage collection. While it may not look like a tax, it still is they're just collecting it differently.

I guess it boils down to do you like the services you're receiving now? If you do, stick with the county. If you would like to see an improvement in services, a city will likely accomplish that. The trade off will be higher taxes, and I think they're blowing smoke if they say otherwise.

 

[Meat_]

If you do go into the city because they promise you something, get it in writing.... they most likely won't give it to you in writing, and if they won't tell them to get bent because they don't plan on doing anything they have promised you.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Thanks again for all the insight folks... I love things the way they are. Why change