For years, cities have undertaken land annexation as neighboring areas seek municipal services, or because the city itself desires control over the suburbs or neighboring unincorporated areas.
This is because, regardless of city size or geography, all cities experience some development outside of their boundaries.
These “fringe” areas develop due to less expensive land prices or less restrictive zoning laws.
Even if a city doesn’t want these fringe areas to pop up, they will, and they will strain the effectiveness of the local government by attempting to use the city’s resources and services without contributing their share of the cost.
The obvious answer is land annexation.
This occurs when a municipality expands its boundaries into adjacent areas not already incorporated into the municipality.
In this blog, we’ll discuss the top things you must know about land annexation.
Let’s get started.
1. What is land annexation?
Land annexation is the addition or incorporation of a territory into a city.
This is a fairly common practice, especially in states where there is consistent population growth (think Florida, California, New York, or Texas).
Often, incorporated municipalities will consider annexing private and commercial properties to maintain both the fiscal and physical growth of a city.
By expanding its territory, a city will ultimately increase its ad valorem tax base, utility taxes, and miscellaneous revenue sources (i.e. fines, fees, utility connection charges).
That said, it can also create issues for a homebuyer, real estate agent, and title agent if they are unaware that a property is annexed (see #6 for more on this!).
2. What are famous examples of land annexation?
Are you curious about some common examples of land annexation in history?
Here are some that can help you understand how land annexation works.
Port of Los Angeles
The Port of Los Angeles along with San Pedro, Wilmington, and Harbor City neighborhoods of Los Angeles are connected to the main part of the city by a Shoestring Strip.
O’Hare Airport
O’Hare Airport is connected to the city of Chicago via a narrow strip of land that is only 200 feet wide.
This land was annexed by the city in the 1950s to ensure the airport was contiguous with the city and to keep it under city control.
The strip itself is bounded on the north by Rosemont and on the south by Schiller Park.
South San Diego
South San Diego (next to the Mexico-U.S. border) is physically separated from the rest of San Diego by National City and Chula Vista.
A narrow strip of land at the bottom of San Diego Bay connects these southern neighborhoods with the rest of the city.
3. What are the laws surrounding land annexation?
Annexation laws vary from state to state, so it’s best to look up the specific rules and regulations in your jurisdiction.
4. Is land annexation controversial?
Yes, land annexation is controversial.
While it often fosters growth for the city, there may be strong interest in preserving the existing tax base and sense of place.
Furthermore, the fiscal and social impact of annexation is a complex assessment.
Ultimately, the municipality must look at the type of land being annexed, its current value, the number of residents being affected, and the expense of expanding services to the residents (if necessary).
Sometimes the cost of expanding services will be greater than the additional tax revenue.
On top of this, chances are that land annexation won’t please everyone being impacted.
Especially because some homeowners will see an increase in their property taxes after annexation.
With all that said, a city’s ability to annex land from its surrounding county is a primary determinant of its fiscal health.
If your city is annexing land, then chances are that it’s doing well financially.
5. How does land annexation begin?
There are two primary methods that cities use to annex land: the election method and the petition method.
Election method:
This method requires the approval of a majority of voters in the proposed annexation area.
The process can be started by either a petition (see below) or by a city council resolution.
Petition method:
This method requires a petition to be submitted with a threshold number of signatures.
For example, in Washington State, most cities or towns require signatures from property owners representing 10 percent of the assessed property value of a proposed annexation boundary.
In other areas, a certain percentage of property owners or voters in the area being annexed must sign the petition.
6. What do you do if you think your property may be annexed?
If you’re house hunting or looking at properties, and you think your property may have been recently annexed, what do you do?
It’s a great question!
Here’s what you should do as part of your due diligence:
Check county records
One of the easiest ways to find out if a property is an annexed property is to look online.
Many counties provide this on their county website if you simply search the address in question.
You don’t want to end up with double charges!
Request an unrecorded municipal lien search
Once you know that the property has been annexed, make sure that a municipal lien search is performed to obtain both county and city information.
You will want to do this because recently annexed properties may have liens, fees and unpaid utilities from both the county and the city.
Check for special assessments from both the city and the county
Additional services may be provided to the property via special assessments from the city to cover the cost of expanding the city’s infrastructure.
If the property was recently annexed, you will want to check for these.
7. How does property annexation impact a buyer?
Often, the goal of land annexation for homeowners is to streamline and centralize the services provided to them.
Instead, it can result in the duplication of water and wastewater services.
Because city and county lines can run alongside each other, different services can be maintained and billed by two different municipalities.
This can result in additional fees applying to the annexed property.
If you’re looking to buy a property, make sure that your title company has annexation research on their real estate due diligence checklist.
This can ensure that you won’t be getting hit with double fines and fees.
8. What restrictions are there on land annexation?
In some states, municipalities are not allowed to annex land that is not directly connected to their existing territory.
This can lead to the creation of what’s called a shoestring or flagpole annexation, which allows municipalities to acquire new territory that is contiguous with existing territory but is in fact only connected by a thin strip of land.
The name comes from the fact that the strip of land resembles a shoestring.
The name flagpole comes from the fact that the connection is the pole and the annexed territory is the flag.
9. What is land de-annexation?
In the past couple of years, cities like Memphis have made headlines for plans to “de-annex” city property.
“De-annexing” means deliberately shrinking down the city’s footprint.
After decades of sprawl, Memphis, in particular, wants to reconsider its growth pattern so that it can reevaluate its course toward fiscal sustainability.
By reducing the area of the city, it can re-prioritize the municipal budgets and enhance the services for existing neighborhoods instead of spreading itself so thin.
That said, de-annexation is rare, and in order to do this, the City Council must usually either pass a resolution to call for an election on the proposition or the property owner(s) wanting to de-annex must submit a petition calling for an election signed by a threshold number of voters.
There’s another scenario in which a property is de-annexed from one city and annexed into an adjacent and continuous city.
While this is also rare, it is possible if both city councils approve.
Once again, the process must be initiated by a voter petition or property owner petition.
10. What will I gain due to annexation into a new municipality?
If you’re being annexed into a new city or county, here are the services that you may gain:
Police protection
Fire protection & prevention
Emergency medical services (ambulance)
Street maintenance
Parks and recreation facilities accessibility
Voting rights and representation of the city’s governing body and various boards and commissions
Maintenance of public infrastructure
Enforcement of Code and Ordinances to make the community safer and more comfortable for all residences
Protection of natural resources from uncontrolled growth and development
Extension of city water and sewer infrastructure as development occurs
Upon annexation, the city is required to provide most city services immediately.
11. Will my property taxes or value change upon annexation?
Yes, annexation can impact both.
Annexation can affect your property values, and any specific questions regarding the appraised value of your property should be addressed to your district appraiser.
Land annexation can also impact your taxes.
In some cases, a resident living outside the city limits may pay only county, school district, and emergency services district tax.
However, upon annexation, a new city tax, as well as utility and water/sewer taxes, could apply as well.
12. Will the city require me to hook up to the water or sewer system?
If you were just annexed by a city, and they’re now offering you the ability to hook up to their water or sewer system, then you should know isn’t a mandate (just an offer!).
You’re generally under no obligation to hook up to the municipal water system or sanitary sewer system if you’ve been using a properly functioning septic tank.
That said, if your septic system happens to fall within 300 feet of the sewer main, then your new County Health Department may require that you connect to the sewer system.
The same goes for a well if it no longer provides potable water.
13. Is my property still “mine” after annexation?
Yes, as long as you are lawfully using your property, then you can continue to use your property following annexation.
Your property will still be yours; it will just reside within the city’s bounds.
14. Does the zoning on my property change upon land annexation?
Your city may have a “default” zone that all annexed property is placed into after annexation.
However, once the process is complete, the property owner may request a rezoning of their property.
For more information about rezoning, contact your local Planning Department.
15. Does annexation impact deed restrictions or easements along public roads?
No, annexations don’t affect either.
Easements acquired by another individual, county and/or state will both remain in effect.
Deed restrictions are also not impacted by annexations.
These will continue to apply in the same manner that they currently apply to the property.
Final thoughts
Overall, land annexation helps to keep boundaries stable in cities and provide services where they are needed.
However, in some cases, land annexation can complicate properties that you’re hoping to purchase or land that you’ve long lived on.
These tips can help you as you navigate this process.
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Disclaimer: we are not lawyers, accountants or financial advisors and the information in this article is for informational purposes only. This article is based on our own research and experience and we do our best to keep it accurate and up-to-date, but it may contain errors. Please be sure to consult a legal or financial professional before making any investment decisions.
Prior to starting Gokce Capital, Erika received a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Southern California and a graduate degree in Urban Policy from Columbia University. She worked as both an architectural designer and engineer in New York before joining the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development.
Erika currently lives in the New York Metropolitan area with her spouse, daughter and cat. She is originally from Chicago and still considers herself a midwesterner at heart.
Erika also loves to read, write and travel (fun fact, she has visited all 50 states and more than 30 countries!). Her new book, Land Investing Mistakes: 11 True Stories You Need To Know Before Buying Land, is now available on Amazon.
How can you avoid being annexed?
Hello Amber, usually annexation has to go through a public review process. So you can go to the public hearing to speak against the annexation.
We just got a letter for the first time (2/22/2022) that our 10 acres is part of an annexation in Mariposa, California. We have a home and barn. We are pretty much self contained except solar power. The notice said we should come to a meeting on Tuesday, March 1, 2022 and we have to send a letter beforehand with a list of questions, etc., etc. We are about 1.5 miles from the end of the town. Our land isn’t really prime for building lots of homes as has some slope, some hilly, some cliffy. Our local politicians/council are all elder and most own lots of ranch land themselves which is more for cattle and much more flat. This sounds like a rush on their part to control the area and because after 20 years the area has built some equity. Does this sound legit? We don’t want to be annexed at this time. The map they sent is small and needs to be deciphered. Thanks for your info.
Hello Susan, if you did in fact receive an official notice and there is truly a public hearing being held, it is likely a legitimate government annexation process. If you are concerned, I would recommend attending the public meeting and perhaps speaking with a local attorney. You can also give the town planning department a call to see if they can give you some more information on the proposed annexation. I hope this helps!
If the city is annexing county property and requiring the new annexed property to connect to their sewer system either upon annexing or when or if the current septic system fails, who stand the cost of fees and connections?
Hello Lester, it may be that the property owners have to pay, but the city may also have a program to assist owners who have failing septics. I would recommend reaching out to the city planning department to see what their policies are.
Is the city or county anticipating annexing properties into the city, required to notify the county resistents of their intent?
Hello Lester, generally, there must be a public hearing held, but each jurisdiction has different rules.
Hello Erica wow i found your articles on Google I live in texas and the lake ray hubbard my grandpa own much of the land and it was all annexed do we still own the property.your videos were amazing Erica my grandpa left the property to me and it got stole from me someway.i just can’t get info reguard the property besides it say it was annexed.the address originally was 5437 barnes bridge road then it went to 5200 barnes bridge road then 5300 barnes bridge road then 555 bb road now its 500 barnes bridge road but my family had a home at address 524 bb road my deal is you can’t have odd and even propertys on same side street.i just have try every avenue and it seems it’s been sealed or covered up .I wud appreciate any info you may could provide us with.i love your videos it is amazen tips for property info.unfortunately it wasn’t on our situation.if you could please help me I would be so grateful my name is James a hicks ll and y grand PA was James hicks thank you look forward to your reply sincerely jhll
Hello James, thank you for your comment. Annexation typically does not affect your ownership, it just changes the local governmental body that has jurisdiction over the property. I would, however, recommend speaking with both the county and city to see why the road has been sealed and what the official address of the lot is now.
When annexation occurs with a subdivision into a small city, does it change the school system the children go to, and can the small city annex the streets and not the individual’s property? I am hearing that even if we oppose this annex, the city will annex our streets anyway and that individual owner can request to be annexed. If this true?
Hello LaNita, since annexation is highly local, I would recommend speaking with a local real estate attorney. You may also want to see if the town plans to host public meetings on the annexation to help clarify how annexation will work.
Erika, suppose that I privately own 6,000 acres in an unincorporated area of Wyoming along with all utilities (water, sewer, electricity, biogas, etc.). My property is circumscribed by a purple trench 3ft wide, but an adjacent town is clamouring to annex my land. If I object, how might things play out?
Hello Bill,
Every jurisdiction is a bit different as far as process goes. I would recommend attending all public meetings in relation to your annexation in order to make your case. I hope it works out!
We were annexed by the city of Denton Texas. We own an acre on or dad’s farm. I see that some states do not allow your property to be annexed if your land does not touch land owned or managed by the city. How can I find that out in the state of Texas? Our parents’ property was allowed to remain exempt for an additional time period as they were allowed to claim AG exemption.
Hello Robert, I would recommend speaking with a local real estate attorney. Many of them do offer free 30 minute consultations. I hope this helps!
If I am force annex is the city required to bring me water and sewer? If they are required to bring water and sewer how long do they have to do so before I can take legal action? I hope you can give me an Idea of what my options are.
Thank you
Hello Van, I’m not sure if the city is required to bring water and sewer to the property. I would recommend speaking with a local real estate attorney.
Our little town recently annexed in a newly developed neighborhood. Our town is Charlestown MD however the area annexed – they remain with an address of North East MD. I was told they are in fact CHARLESTOWN residents and the post master general in Baltimore decides their address but they have all rights as a CHARLESTOWN resident. That’s what our town commissioner sited to me. Is that all correct?
Hi Cindi, I would defer to the town on this question. If the local government says that the new residents have all the rights of regular town members, then I would think they are correct.
I live in a community 2 miles from town, but our address City is the same. We have a different water and sewer system then the town close to us. We would like to be annexed into the town but don’t know how to go about it. The town gets their water from the same place our community does, but the owners of the water company in our community aren’t regulated in our state and are charging us a base rate of $85 for water and $85 for sewer. We can’t afford that and everyone that lives in the state that have this company is paying the same thing weather they need anything done to their system or not, that is why we would like to be annexed into the town. Can you offer any advice?
Hello Chrissy, it may be difficult to get your land annexed if the city isn’t interested in it, but you can always speak to the city’s planning department to see if they have an annexation process in place. I hope this helps!