Memphis city council will discuss de-annexation Tuesday
MEMPHIS, TN (WMC) - Mayor Jim Strickland is working to "right-size" Memphis in a proposal to de-annex the Southwind/Windyke and Rocky Point areas of far eastern Memphis.
Strickland will present these two potential candidates for de-annexation to the Memphis City Council on Tuesday. District 1 City Council member Bill Morrison is a sponsor of this ordinance, with support of District 2 City Council member Frank Colvett Jr. Tuesday begins the process by which the ordinance needs three majority votes by the full Council to be approved.
"By right-sizing Memphis, we're making significant steps toward a more efficient City government," Strickland said. "This has been a locally-controlled, data-driven process from the start, and we continue to keep our word about what we'll do."
Back in 2017, the Strategic Footprint Review Task Force identified two areas among seven as potential candidates for de-annexation. The city is focusing on de-annex areas that are low density, and those that were challenging to deliver municipal services.
This past June, the City Council approved the de-annexation of the first two areas: Riverbottoms and Eads. In a future phase of annexation, a seventh area, South Cordova, remains intended for de-annexation.
Mayor Strickland believes it is important to increase Memphis' density so the city can better deliver services, noting that "Memphis may well be the first city in the country to voluntarily explore and propose de-annexation. For too long, Memphis grew only by annexation. We must change that, and we must grow from our core and our neighborhoods. Right-sizing our city by this process helps us do that."
January 1, 2021 is the proposed date of de-annexation. Following the de-annexation, property owners in the areas would be required to pay toward debt on City capital projects in those areas. Depending on the area, that term of debt repayment would last from two to five years.
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