Longmont City Council, this week, approved the annexation process for property at 150 Francis St., over the objections of two council members.
The proposed annexation now goes through a lengthy review process including a neighborhood meeting.
The property is currently within Boulder County and is zoned Suburban Residential and includes two dwelling units, as well as a number of accessory structures, according to a city staff report.
Property owner Mark Van Wagner told the council he has no plans to develop the property, but wants to connect it to the sewer system of Longmont.
“It always felt like we would rather belong to the city of Longmont than the County Boulder within the city limits of Longmont,” Wagner said in a letter to the city council.
“Our goal is to up-date our property, go off the old septic system, stop polluting the grounds and step into the future by connecting to the sewer system of Longmont,” the letter said.
Wagner’s letter also said he sees this as an opportunity to work together with developer Peter Spalding, who is developing the property north-east of Wagner’s.
“By cooperating with Peter and allowing for an easement of sewer pipe to pass through our property this will be an ideal time for us to switch from septic to sewer,” Wagner’s letter states. ``It will be a win for everyone.”
Councilmembers Polly Christensen and Joan Peck voted against starting the annexation process for the property.
The property is accessed by a small dirt road with one entrance and one exit and any proposed development would turn into an issue for neighbors, Christensen told the council.
“I don’t see this as enhancing this neighborhood at all,” Christensen said. “This is a very dangerous proposition.”
A formal annexation application will need to be submitted by Wagner for the property, said Erin Fosdick, principal planner for Longmont. The application would then go before a development review committee review, the planning and zoning commission and back to the city council for approval, Fosdick said.
A neighborhood meeting will also be held to review the proposal.
“We would review this in detail,” Fosdick told the council.
