Huntsville Annexation

[Southron]

Huntsville need only to look southward to Birmingham to see what a bad idea it is to be surrounded by these little suburban cities that siphon off population and revenue. My vote would be a resounding no, but then I don't live in Huntsville...

[highlandtodd]

Uh, do any of you ever visit Birmingham?

Do y'all even know Birmingham exists?

Is our urban model really what you want to emulate?

South Huntsville is in no way, shape or form isolated.

If Birmigham City Hall were superimposed over Huntsville City Hall, this city's corporate limits would stretch from Gurley to Decatur (or just shy of it).

Most people in Birmingham have to drive to the suburbs south of Red Mountain to shop- and increasingly to work- which takes a minimum of 30 minutes. It takes about 25 minutes just to get from northeast Birmingham to southeast Birmingham within the city. Going west to Bessemer (a suburb) is a 45 minute drive on good days.

Every 2,000 or so people have to form their own town down here, because everyone here has to have their own school system/police department/park/fire department and city hall. Currently there are 36 incorporated communities just in Jefferson County, and a total of 73 for the metro area.

With just over a million people, metro Birmingham sprawls over more terrain than Boston proper...and Boston has over 4 million people! It's shameful and disgusting.

Huntsville can beat this. Even if Huntsville, Athens, Decatur & Madison started a multilateral annexation war, y'all would STILL be ahead of Birmingham when it comes to urban planning and land management.

Seriously, though, do people up there even come to Birmingham? And, if so, why on Earth would y'all want to copy this dystopia????

Please find ways to cooperate, and to view your sister communities as allies, not rivals.

People in Atlanta, Nashville, Birmingham, and Chattanooga don't see Madison or Triana or Meridianville or North Huntsville, they just simply see Huntsville.

Y'all have such a tremendous community! Don't ruin it!

[HSVTiger]

Uh, do any of you ever visit Birmingham?

Do y'all even know Birmingham exists?

Is our urban model really what you want to emulate?

South Huntsville is in no way, shape or form isolated.

If Birmigham City Hall were superimposed over Huntsville City Hall, this city's corporate limits would stretch from Gurley to Decatur (or just shy of it).

Most people in Birmingham have to drive to the suburbs south of Red Mountain to shop- and increasingly to work- which takes a minimum of 30 minutes. It takes about 25 minutes just to get from northeast Birmingham to southeast Birmingham within the city. Going west to Bessemer (a suburb) is a 45 minute drive on good days.

Every 2,000 or so people have to form their own town down here, because everyone here has to have their own school system/police department/park/fire department and city hall. Currently there are 36 incorporated communities just in Jefferson County, and a total of 73 for the metro area.

With just over a million people, metro Birmingham sprawls over more terrain than Boston proper...and Boston has over 4 million people! It's shameful and disgusting.

Huntsville can beat this. Even if Huntsville, Athens, Decatur & Madison started a multilateral annexation war, y'all would STILL be ahead of Birmingham when it comes to urban planning and land management.

Seriously, though, do people up there even come to Birmingham? And, if so, why on Earth would y'all want to copy this dystopia????

Please find ways to cooperate, and to view your sister communities as allies, not rivals.

People in Atlanta, Nashville, Birmingham, and Chattanooga don't see Madison or Triana or Meridianville or North Huntsville, they just simply see Huntsville.

Y'all have such a tremendous community! Don't ruin it!

[highlandtodd]

you don't have to worry, this whole thread was a bit off the wall anyway.

From an actual city square mile point of view I think HSV is actually larger than BHM, not counting metro, suburbs etc. but actal city limits.

[deesonic]

This is a pretty absurd suggestion if you ask me. South Huntsville "isolated?" Isolated from what? It's no more than 10 minutes from Bailey Cove to downtown Huntsville. That's hardly isolated. You got great shopping, housing, schools, city services. The city of Huntsville bends over backwards to build parks and bike trails and stuff down there. Southeast Huntsville has over-benefited from being a part of Huntsville as far as I'm concerned.

Come up here to West Huntsville (the real "West Huntsville as in Triana and Bob Wallace area) sometime and see how little the city cares about THIS part of town. They get rid of city parks to allow developers to build dumpy apartment complexes, they let the homeless, drug dealer/addicts, and prostitutes take over Brahan Spring. I think the biggest insult was to build those soccer fields on the old site of the old Merrimack Mill for kids from Southeast Huntsville to play on and then lock them up when there are no games so locals can't access them. The roads are full of potholes and there's few sidewalks on major thoroughfares like Bob Wallace. Do our creeks and open spaces get facelifts to make them nice for jogging and biking like southeast Huntsville? We have no grocery store (Holiday Foods doesn't count). I shop in "isolated" southeast Huntsville at the Publix on Whitesburg. The city is content to let our schools go on withering away while they build nice suburban schools like Columbia and Providence to ciphen off the "good" kids to the newer suburbs past Rideout. Butler was not overcrowding, but yes Grissom is overcrowded because most residents down there wanted to remain competitive in athletics and fought AGAINST building a new school.

So go ahead and break off SE Huntsville. Maybe the city will pay more attention to it's older suburbs for a change.

[Alabadrock]

I understand your unhappiness. Cities often do show preferential treatment. But, separation shouldn't be done in spite. I'm sure a good bit of revenue comes from south Huntsville. I think the main reason this thread was started is because, in my opinion, Jones Valley has a natural barrier. That's the only part of town it would make sense. But, even then, it wouldn't happen, natural barriers have never separated parts of town. The river separates two parts of Decatur, and the city doesn't ignore the north part of town.

[deesonic]

Well, I don't serioiusly want separation and I don't mean to be confrontational or anything. I just think it's a bit ridiculous to try to make southeast Huntsville out as some poor forgotten wasteland. Give me a break. Outside of Twickenham/Old Town, that's the nicest part of Huntsville with more amenities than one can shake a stick at. And with the city planning to beef up Ditto Landing, do you really think Huntsville is going to let SE Huntsville go? They're building homes all up and down through that stretch that leads to Hobbs Island. When was the last time a developer built anything around here in SW Huntsville? They got the funds to build that great scenic road over the mountain to Green Cove (edit: meant Hampton Cove)and we can't get anyone to even consider extending Triana out to Martin to link us to South Parkway which could bring some commerce to Triana Blvd and maybe new development in this part of town. And the neglect of what used to be the nicest park in Huntsville, Brahan Spring, is appalling. I grew up playing in that park and now you can't take kids down there. They use the once very nice Huntsville Tennis Club grounds as a surplus parking lot for city vehicles for cryin' out loud. At least we have the softball complex on Patton.

So, I really can't see what issues SE folks can have with the city of Huntsville. And I don't really think the majority of residents down there would support a split.

I understand your unhappiness. Cities often do show preferential treatment. But, separation shouldn't be done in spite. I'm sure a good bit of revenue comes from south Huntsville. I think the main reason this thread was started is because, in my opinion, Jones Valley has a natural barrier. That's the only part of town it would make sense. But, even then, it wouldn't happen, natural barriers have never separated parts of town. The river separates two parts of Decatur, and the city doesn't ignore the north part of town.

[Alabadrock]

Well, I don't serioiusly want separation and I don't mean to be confrontational or anything. I just think it's a bit ridiculous to try to make southeast Huntsville out as some poor forgotten wasteland. Give me a break. Outside of Twickenham/Old Town, that's the nicest part of Huntsville with more amenities than one can shake a stick at. And with the city planning to beef up Ditto Landing, do you really think Huntsville is going to let SE Huntsville go? They're building homes all up and down through that stretch that leads to Hobbs Island. When was the last time a developer built anything around here in SW Huntsville? They got the funds to build that great scenic road over the mountain to Green Cove and we can't get anyone to even consider extending Triana out to Martin to link us to South Parkway which could bring some commerce to Triana Blvd and maybe new development in this part of town. And the neglect of what used to be the nicest park in Huntsville, Brahan Spring, is appalling. I grew up playing in that park and now you can't take kids down there. They use the once very nice Huntsville Tennis Club grounds as a surplus parking lot for city vehicles for cryin' out loud. At least we have the softball complex on Patton.

So, I really can't see what issues SE folks can have with the city of Huntsville. And I don't really think the majority of residents down there would support a split.

[rnc]

Well, I don't serioiusly want separation and I don't mean to be confrontational or anything. I just think it's a bit ridiculous to try to make southeast Huntsville out as some poor forgotten wasteland. Give me a break. Outside of Twickenham/Old Town, that's the nicest part of Huntsville with more amenities than one can shake a stick at. And with the city planning to beef up Ditto Landing, do you really think Huntsville is going to let SE Huntsville go? They're building homes all up and down through that stretch that leads to Hobbs Island. When was the last time a developer built anything around here in SW Huntsville? They got the funds to build that great scenic road over the mountain to Green Cove (edit: meant Hampton Cove)and we can't get anyone to even consider extending Triana out to Martin to link us to South Parkway which could bring some commerce to Triana Blvd and maybe new development in this part of town. And the neglect of what used to be the nicest park in Huntsville, Brahan Spring, is appalling. I grew up playing in that park and now you can't take kids down there. They use the once very nice Huntsville Tennis Club grounds as a surplus parking lot for city vehicles for cryin' out loud. At least we have the softball complex on Patton.

So, I really can't see what issues SE folks can have with the city of Huntsville. And I don't really think the majority of residents down there would support a split.

[deesonic]

I see what your saying about West Huntsville, because much of it is true, but you seem to have a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" attitude as well. The Tennis Center, Soccer Complex are very nice things to have in SW Huntsville, yet you find something to complain about. If they were built in SE Huntsville, I'm betting you'd complain that they were built there and not in West Huntsville. You then say Grissom is overcrowded, but go on to say only because the people in South Huntsville want it that way. If the city dumped a bunch of money into Grissom to expand it, you'd still complain.

[Huntsville_secede]

This could be devastating in particular to Madison's further expansion plans. It could hurt Huntsville too but Huntsville can easily expand east or north if it wants to.

http://www.al.com/news/huntsvilletimes/ind....xml&coll=1

HSV Times Article

Bill to halt land grabs is in works

Thursday, February 14, 2008

By WENDY REEVES

Times Staff Writer [email protected]

Annexations inLimestone Countyfocus of measure

A bill to stop annexations of Limestone County land by neighboring cities could soon be introduced to the state Legislature.

The proposed constitutional amendment was still being put together in Montgomery on Wednesday, said state Sen. Tom Butler, D-Madison.

WAFF

http://www.waff.com/global/story.asp?s=7869017

Updated: Feb 13, 2008 07:26 PM

Limestone County fighting annexation

By Robyn McGlohn

WAFF 48 News Reporter

A Valley county tired of losing land is fighting back.

County leaders are taking their fight to the Alabama Legislature.

Limestone County wants outside municipalities to stop annexing its land.

[HSVTiger]

Huntsville speeds up

By JOHN PECK

Times Staff Writer [email protected]

Council acts ahead of proposed hurdle to annexations

Huntsville's city limits took a major leap west Thursday with two large annexations in Limestone County.

The City Council rushed the annexation approvals through Thursday night, adding nearly 300 acres along two major highways.

I-565 and US 72

http://www.al.com/news/huntsvilletimes/ind....xml&coll=1

[rnc]

I think Huntsville needs to stop annexing far flung patches of land and focus on developing and improving the area within its limits. Huntsville sprawls immensely for a city of its population. There are still a LOT of undeveloped/underdeveloped properties within the service boundaries.

[Huntsville_secede]

I think Huntsville needs to stop annexing far flung patches of land and focus on developing and improving the area within its limits. Huntsville sprawls immensely for a city of its population. There are still a LOT of undeveloped/underdeveloped properties within the service boundaries.

[kayman]

I think Huntsville needs to stop annexing far flung patches of land and focus on developing and improving the area within its limits. Huntsville sprawls immensely for a city of its population. There are still a LOT of undeveloped/underdeveloped properties within the service boundaries.

[Huntsville_secede]

Commentary about annexing

http://www.al.com/opinion/huntsvilletimes/....xml&coll=1

Annexations? Look a little deeper

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Huntsville Times

A newspaper prides itself on reporting issues in its community. In many cases, nobody else covers what we cover - local city councils, the county commissions, the Alabama Legislature.

And not everyone who reads the paper pays attention to the details. I think that's what is happening with regard to a proposal before the Legislature to keep outside cities - namely, Huntsville and Madison, but Decatur, too - from annexing land in Limestone County without the voters in that county having the final say.

[Huntsville_secede]

They didn't stop this annexation this one is huge....

Huntsville to annex 5,000 acres

Thursday, March 27, 2008

By JOHN PECK

Times Staff Writer [email protected]

New K-8 school required as part of Limestone deal

Huntsville is poised to expand its city limits in Limestone County with its largest annexation in nearly two decades - and a new school may be part of the deal.

The City Council tonight is expected to consider three annexation requests covering nearly 5,000 acres, all in Limestone County. The property is in the area of the original Greenbrier Restaurant.

http://www.al.com/news/huntsvilletimes/ind...&thispage=1

[Huntsville_secede]

http://www.al.com/news/huntsvilletimes/ind...120825092188200.

Huntsville now abuts Athens

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

By JOHN PECK

Times Staff Writer [email protected]

City adds nearly 2,878 acres with I-65 frontage

Huntsville's and Athens' city limits now touch.

The Huntsville City Council voted Monday night to annex nearly 2,878 acres (4.5 square miles) in Limestone County on the southwestern edge of Athens.

The move pushes Huntsville's corporate limits to 202 square miles with prized frontage on Interstate 65 where an interchange is planned for the future Memphis-Huntsville-Atlanta freeway.

[AlienCity]

Come up here to West Huntsville (the real "West Huntsville as in Triana and Bob Wallace area) sometime and see how little the city cares about THIS part of town. They get rid of city parks to allow developers to build dumpy apartment complexes, they let the homeless, drug dealer/addicts, and prostitutes take over Brahan Spring. I think the biggest insult was to build those soccer fields on the old site of the old Merrimack Mill for kids from Southeast Huntsville to play on and then lock them up when there are no games so locals can't access them. The roads are full of potholes and there's few sidewalks on major thoroughfares like Bob Wallace. Do our creeks and open spaces get facelifts to make them nice for jogging and biking like southeast Huntsville? We have no grocery store (Holiday Foods doesn't count). I shop in "isolated" southeast Huntsville at the Publix on Whitesburg. The city is content to let our schools go on withering away while they build nice suburban schools like Columbia and Providence to ciphen off the "good" kids to the newer suburbs past Rideout. Butler was not overcrowding, but yes Grissom is overcrowded because most residents down there wanted to remain competitive in athletics and fought AGAINST building a new school.

So go ahead and break off SE Huntsville. Maybe the city will pay more attention to it's older suburbs for a change.

[AlienCity]

Why split? But if it happens...please don't call it Whitesburg. Can you imagine the press?

[Rail Claimore]

Wow, I completely forgot I had signed up for an account here a while back.

Anyway, my two cents: No way in hell!

And I say that as someone who grew up in SE Huntsville (Grissom class of 01). SE Huntsville is still Huntsville, and while it doesn't have the office space that is located in downtown or RP, if you include the area up to Airport Road, there's enough. That also adds considerably to the retail options on that side of the city.

Keep in mind, from Green Cove Road to Airport Road is only about 6 miles. It may seem long because you're going through almost half the city, but it's still relatively compact in comparison to the western stretches of the city and Madison.

Once that new interstate is built, SE Huntsville will have even more assets: easy access to all the major business districts in the city as well as future developments along the 431 corridor to the east.

And you know why Huntsville has been successful at annexation? It's because people who choose to live in the city or have their subdivisions annexed know the services they're getting. Have you seen just how dumpy a lot of subdivisions in unicorporated northern Madison County look? Those people don't want to pay Huntsville property taxes, and that's fine. Their property values will deteriorate over time. Madison isn't much better, even if it does have a high median income. Why do all those new developments of smaller homes along Taylor Road in Big Cove look nice? Sure, part of it is that they're new... but when you look at what's not too far away in the unincorporated parts of the county and in Owens Crossroads and New Hope, you realize what you're getting by actually living within the city limits.

SE Huntsville is by far the nicest large area of the entire metro area, and maybe the whole state. Except for those 1950's and 1960's subdivisions along Hickory Hill, most neighborhoods have sidewalks, street lighting, and other amenities. It looks like a real city... a suburban city, but a city no less. Not some scattered housing developments that look like a planner barfed on a map.

And you'd be hard pressed to find a larger urban area that has such a sense of community. Practically all 60,000 (rough guess) people who live in SE Huntsville know each other, and the biggest reason for that is Grissom High School. Is it any wonder that many people there rejected the idea of a new high school 10 years ago? Grissom is less crowded than it was in the past, from what I hear. My senior class was the first graduating class under 500 since the 1970's.