An argument against annexation

Dear Editor,

I would like to share some serious concerns about the proposed annexation in front of the present Town Council and being discussed by the Saratoga Planning Commission.

To begin with I would like to express my support for the annexation of the U.S. Forest Service because I believe that this will have a very minor effect on this community because the majority of the employees that work at this facility are residents of the town of Saratoga so are already part of the equation for factoring in the load on the waste treatment plant. My concern is the effect of adding to a waste treatment plant that was originally designed for 3,000 people. I believe that the majority of employees at the Forest Service, are residents of the community, they are already figured in to that 3,000 limit on the towns waste water treatment capacities, I believe their impact is going to be minimal.

I have serious concerns about annexation any property that could be developed into housing developments.

The reason for my concern is as follows:

1. The town’s waste treatment plant was designed for 3,000 people. The reason on the number of 3,000 is that before this facility was built it was studied and determined that the zoning ordinances, that the projected population of Saratoga would be 3,000 people was based the lots within the city limits at the time of design. For the recent residents in town I would like to point out that the population of Saratoga in the 1980’s reached 2,800+. This tells me that right now, with the lots available, this town can reach its maximum population, as far as the waste treatment plant, at any time. It also tells me that to approve what could be additional load on this system would be, in my mind a very bad decision for the town as a whole.

2. I would like to point out that one of the contributing factors in property values of every property owner, of the Town of Saratoga, is the fact that there are only a limited number of lots in town, thereby that limited number helps add value to every property owner in town. So by annexing potential housing developments in this town, I believe it would have a negative effect on the property values.

I would like to suggest that anybody concerned about these annexations, please bring your concerns to Public Hearing on this issue, to be held at the Community Center on May 4, 2017 at 5:30pm.

Sincerely,

Steven E. Wilcoxson

Saratoga