WALHALLA, S.C. —
Dozens of road signs can be found along the city of Walhalla's streets as council considers a proposed water annexation ordinance.
Opponents of the proposed ordinance said it could step on their neighbors' property rights outside of the city limits, but Mayor Tim Hall said those concerns are misinformed.
"Nobody's trying to take anybody's land. Nobody's trying to take anybody's money," Hall said.
According to the mayor, the proposed ordinance could require future new water customers who live outside of the city limits to sign an annexation covenant.
The covenant states that the property will be considered to be annexed by the city if the property borders the city limits.
"No existing Walhalla water customer will ever be required to annex into the city of Walhalla, to sign this covenant or pay a dime in Walhalla city taxes," Hall said.
The mayor said people who inherit their properties from a family member are also exempt from signing a covenant.
"A lot of people think it's an instant annexation, and it's not," Hall said. "It's still a long process. The city does not automatically annex someone that has a water annexation covenant in it."
Hall said the proposed ordinance has been labeled as a land and cash grab by the city, which was echoed by Council Member Grant Keehn.
"You took the rights to fire fireworks, firearms, chickens, goats, pigs. There's a slew of things," Keehn said.
He said he bought about 1,000 signs reading "No Annex, Leave Our Neighbors Alone" to pass out and to raise awareness about the proposed ordinance.
"We've really centered on putting the no annexation signs up right here in the city because the people in the city don't have a dog in this fight," Keehn said. "Who it really affects is the people that are just outside the city."
Hall denied Keehn's claim, stating the ordinance is similar to others already in place in neighboring cities.
"It can make people afraid. It's a very emotional appeal, but it's not based in reality," Hall said.
The mayor said the city administrator ran through the potential impact the ordinance could have had on annexations in 2024.
"She went through 454 new water tap applications, looked at the maps, see where they existed, where they were," Hall said. "It applied to one residential property that would have increased our tax revenue a grand total of around $118."
The second reading of the proposed water annexation ordinance is scheduled for June 17.