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Village planning board to draft ETJ fact sheet

By Rose Hooper
In its continuing study of extra-territorial jurisdiction, the Forest Hills planning board is preparing a fact sheet to help residents answer questions about the concept.

Rather than spend meeting time Monday night going over the issues point by point, board members agreed to individually work on the draft and e-mail responses to planning board Chairman Larry Kolenbrander. A final version will then be prepared for the village council to consider.

One of the main questions those in the proposed ETJ are asking, according to resident Julie Ogletree is, "What does Forest Hills want with us? Do they want to zone us like they are?"

Forest Hills recognizes and accepts the differences of existing development, such as farmlands, she said. It is not Forest Hills' wish to change these differences, but to preserve them, planning board members agree.

As for zoning, it should be consistent with the current development. For instance, if the development is currently farmland or even trailers and duplexes, then the zoning for that area should allow this development to remain the same.

The question that follows is if zoning wouldn't change anything, then why have it?

Sylva has undergone lots of growth in the past five years with the influx of fast food restaurants and Wal-Mart. Ogletree said, "I think we all feel for the folks who, at one time, had a nice, secluded home and are now exposed to bright parking lot lights 24 hours a day and incredible traffic at their driveways. Forest Hills would like to help preserve the beauty of the neighborhood, but this does not mean no new business in Cullowhee. What it means is that citizens in our communities can be part of the process in deciding which way to steer new business and growth."

Several questions on people's minds concern taxes. With ETJ, there are no taxes. Many think that ETJ is just the first step to annexation where you can tax.

To be annexed, the area must pass two major tests. The first is the subdivision test. Here 60 percent of the lots within the ETJ boundary must be 3 acres or less. The second is the land use test. In it, 60 percent of the area must be used for residential, commercial, industrial or governmental purposes. This applies only to a small section of the proposed ETJ area, specifically, the Oak Forest residential community.

These are some of the basic issues the planning board is dealing with as it prepares its draft for the village council to review.

Due to the Fourth of July holidays, the next village council meeting will be 7 p.m. Monday, July 10.

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