No residents speak at the Eden public hearing

EDEN - A public hearing about Eden's plan to annex the Indian Hills community was short, as no one chose to speak before the Eden City Council.

Mayor John Grogan said a small crowd attended the earlier informational meeting to ask questions, but many residents were well versed in annexation proceedings due to Eden's earlier attempt to annex the area. He was not surprised the audience was empty Tuesday.

"I think the reason we haven't had a lot of questions is because we've been through this before," Grogan said. "It'd be the same questions, the same things. It'd be a repetition."

Kelly Stultz, Eden's planning and zoning director, opened the meeting with an overview of the proposed annexation area and the city services residents there would be eligible for after annexation.

As with the rest of the city, Indian Hills would receive protection services from the Eden Police Department instead of the Rockingham County Sheriff's Office. Stultz called attention to sheriff's office data indicating each deputy patrols 56.6 square miles. Eden's annexation feasibility study released in May estimates one officer every 3.09 square miles after addition of the annexed area.

Police protection and other services such as the recreation facilities will accommodate the added residents without additional cost to the city. Other services will incur added costs.

Stultz explained that the nearby Leaksville Volunteer Fire Department services Indian Hills. According to state law, a city cannot remove an area of a rural fire district without compensating the district for loss of revenue. Eden will pay Leaksville Fire Department $15,233.26 annually.

Street lighting every 300 to 400 feet is needed, which the city estimates will cost $2,034.84 for 31 lights. Maintenance of the 1.64 linear miles of road in the area will cost an estimated $3,663.77 annually. Garbage cans and economic loss payments to the current private solid-waste collection company amounts to $42 for each can and annual payments of $11,148 for five years.

The largest cost involves water and sewer rates. Residents of the annexed area will begin paying city rates, but their water and sewer will continue to be provided through Dan River Water, a private company. Eden will pay Dan River Water the difference in rates for 84 households. That cost, added to the cost of infrastructure improvements and hookups, totals $1,176,000, though part of that amount will be offset by a community-development grant and revenue from water and sewer assessments and connection fees.

The feasibility study estimated Eden's total cost for all services to the proposed annexation area was $187,962.20. The expense will be paid for from available revenue and the city's fund balance.

Stultz said state law prevents the city council from adopting the annexation ordinance for 10 days after the public hearing.

"If they do adopt it, after that the city must wait a minimum of 365 days from tonight before the annexation is official," Stultz said.

• Staff writer Heather J. Smith can be reached at hsmith@reidsvillereview.com or 349-4331, ext. 16.