Annexation is the process by which towns and cities extend their corporate limits to provide for the orderly extension of municipal services to areas that are becoming urbanized. Since 1959, the North Carolina General Assembly has given cities and towns the authority to annex areas that meet specific standards. In Cary they are referred to as town-initiated and citizen-initiated. Since 1986 over 98% of adopted annexations were citizen-initiated; with the remaining 2 percent being town-initiated because doing so was in the best, long-term interest of the community.

State law lays out these specific standards as well as the steps to be followed and the responsibilities that cities and towns have to the properties that are annexed. For over 26+ years, annexations have occurred on a regular basis and are managed by the Planning Department.

Citizen-Initiated Annexations - If you own property that you’d like to see become part of Cary, your first step is to contact the Planning Department at (919) 460-4936 to schedule a pre-application meeting with staff. Below is a list of procedures that will be followed for all annexation cases.

Annexation Cases

2012 Annexation Cases
2011 Annexation Cases
2010 Annexation Cases
2009 Annexation Cases
2008 Annexation Cases
2007 Annexation Cases
2006 Annexation Cases

Schedules

2012 Annexation Schedule (Inside Cary Limits-ETJ)
2012 Annexation Schedule (Outside Cary Limits)

2011 Annexation Schedule (Inside Cary Limits-ETJ)
2011 Annexation Schedule (Outside Cary Limits) 

Procedures

· Pre-Application Meeting
A pre-application meeting is strongly requested to be held at least 7 days before an application is filed. Please call (919) 460-4936 to schedule this meeting, where staff will ensure the property qualifies for annexation into Cary under State law and according to the Town’s Comprehensive Annexation Program and ascertains if other amendments to current plans would be required.

· Public Hearings
At least one public hearing is required. The Town Council holds this hearing. If further changes occur to the application, or a concurrent case related to the annexation, it must be addressed before the final Town Council hearing on adoption.

· Town Council Decision
Town Council makes a decision on annexation cases by a simple majority vote, which requires three-fourths of the council to be in favor.

Typically, a citizen-initiated annexation petition is effective immediately upon adoption; however, the process can take as little as three months and up to six months. Once approved, the town will begin providing the following services: 

• weekly curbside solid waste, recycling and yard waste collection;
• storm debris collection and street cleaning, including snow plowing;
• annual curbside leaf collection;
• street maintenance including pothole repair and resurfacing;
• parks, recreation, and cultural resources activities as well as police and fire protection services from nationally accredited departments;
• the opportunity to submit a request for sidewalks as well as water and sewer utilities; and
• the right to vote in Town Council elections and the opportunity to be considered for citizen advisory boards and commissions.

Who May File Annexation Petitions
Once determined that the request is in keeping with law and policy, all legal owners of property within Cary or its extra-territorial jurisdiction, or any resident of the town or extra-territorial jurisdiction, may submit an annexation petition to the Planning Department using the above schedule.

Annexation Petition

Contact
Shelley Kirk
Administrative Assistant
Planning Department
(919) 460-4936
shelley.kirk@townofcary.org