City limits problems should convince lawmakers of the need for change

The problems with Greer's aggressive annexation and Spartanburg's inability to annex should convince lawmakers to change the state's laws.

The General Assembly should create a law, based on population density, that allows urbanized areas to be annexed into city limits and restricts attempts to annex rural areas.

The problems in Spartanburg and Greer are different but stem from the same inadequate law.

The city of Spartanburg has limits that don't include much of the urban metropolitan area that most people think of as the city of Spartanburg. The city is left with only the core of a much larger city that exists outside its boundaries. It is hard to maintain city services and raise revenue with such an untenable situation.

Because the city has given up some control of its utilities, it is difficult for the city to annex these areas.

Meanwhile, the city of Greer is aggressively using its sewer service to annex new areas into the city. As it extends its sewer lines to bring service to more areas, it demands that these areas join the city. In this way, it extends thin tentacles far out into the surrounding country, encompassing rural areas that shouldn't be part of any city.

Both situations arise from the shortcomings of South Carolina's annexation laws. Cities looking to expand their limits face major obstacles unless they can use access to utilities to obligate property owners to annex, in which case there are few limits to annexation.

These laws don't foster sensible city boundaries that surround the urban areas that should be within the city limits. Nor do they exclude rural areas that should lie outside these boundaries.

Lawmakers should revise the law to properly consider population density. When an area outside a city's limits grows to the point that its population density is considered urban, it should be easy for that city to annex the area.

But cities should face significant obstacles toward annexing rural areas, regardless of whether they are providing utility services there. Cities can always charge for utilities without demanding that new territories assimilate into the city.

The escalating annexation controversy between Greer and Reidville, which now involves litigation, should convince lawmakers of the need to reform the law in the next legislative session.