ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, February 14, 1996 TAG: 9602140065
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: S.D. HARRINGTON STAFF WRITER
For more than five years, Vinton has discussed annexing about seven square miles of Roanoke County land, from the town's eastern border to Bedford County.
For nearly a year, officials from Vinton and Roanoke County - which doesn't want to give up the land to the town - have been negotiating off and on about alternatives to annexation.
Now, the county hopes to get a better feel of what east county residents think about being annexed by Vinton.
The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved funding for a telephone survey of 300 to 400 east county residents, which is expected to cost about $7,500.
Martin Research Inc. will conduct the survey, which could begin in about two weeks, said Director of Community Relations Anne Marie Green.
Residents will be asked whether they are satisfied with the services the county provides and whether they want to become a part of Vinton.
There is a statewide moratorium on annexations by cities. But towns are allowed to annex land from the counties in which they are located. Annexation by towns doesn't hurt counties as much as annexation by cities, because counties still collect real estate and personal property taxes from town residents.
Vinton initially studied the possibility of annexing part of east Roanoke County during consolidation talks between the county and Roanoke in 1990. Vinton conducted the study to protect the town's integrity in case voters approved consolidation, said Vinton Mayor Charles Hill.
Vinton decided to update that study about a year ago.
Hill said there still is no time frame for any action to be taken by the town.
The supervisors said Tuesday that surveying east county residents could save thousands of dollars in legal fees if they find that a majority of the residents want to be annexed by Vinton.
Historically, the board has been opposed to any type of annexation of county land. It most likely would fight in court any annexation by Vinton if it was unclear that residents wanted to be annexed.
If Vinton annexed the proposed portion of east Roanoke County, the county could lose as much as $300,000 a year in sales taxes, business-license taxes and vehicle decal fees, Green said.
"We have to take any threats of annexation sincerely," said board Chairman Bob Johnson.
So far, all negotiations between Roanoke County and Vinton have taken place in closed-to-the-public executive sessions.
Officials from both jurisdictions are discussing several alternatives to annexation, including a possible revenue-sharing agreement, under which Vinton would agree not to annex in return for a share of revenues from development surrounding the town.
Possible confrontation between the county and Vinton was avoided in January, when the county changed a proposed amendment to its charter that effectively would have banned all localities, including Vinton, from annexing county land.
After protest from Vinton, the Board of Supervisors struck towns from the annexation ban.
The county never found a sponsor for that charter amendment, and it is a dead issue for now.
However, Johnson suggested during the same time that the county begin looking into becoming a city, an action some say would threaten Vinton's existence as a town.
Vinton officials say it is premature to respond to the idea of Roanoke County becoming a city, saying they would first have to look at the county's proposal.
"We're merely asking our neighbors to allow Roanoke County to be allowed to maintain the integrity of our present bounderies," Johnson said. "I see no sense in us apologizing for us defending our right to exist."
As far as pursuing city status, "we will leave that option open to us," Johnson said.
In other action, the board:
Agreed to give $66,379 to Virginia Western Community College for site improvements. However, after a split vote, the board turned down a request for $7,250 toward a planned Natural Science Center at the Community Arboretum there. Supervisor Harry Nickens said the county should not get into the practice of funding new construction at state institutions.
"We have never funded this type of request," said Nickens, a former administrator at Virginia Western.
Supervisor Lee Eddy abstained from voting, saying he has a contractual agreement with the architect for the planned science center.
Agreed to provide Vinton water if any of the town's wells become contaminated by a construction project in which ash from an American Electric Power coal-fired generating plant is being used as fill. Eddy also abstained from that vote, for a similar reason.
Scheduled a public hearing on the 1996-97 budget for Feb. 27. The board also scheduled a public hearing on a maximum 2-cent increase in the county's real estate tax rate for March 26. The increase would pay for bonds for a new Cave Spring High School and other projects.
LENGTH: Medium: 97 linesby CNB