The Danville City Commission approved a first reading of an ordinance for intent to annex approximately 658 acres of unincorporated territory, between US 127 South and Gose Pike, to extending to the south past KY 1273 (Airport Road), on Monday.

It was a unanimous decision. Commissioners Denise Terry and James “J.H.” Atkins were not present at the meeting.

The property is owned by Franklin Floyd Jarvis and Martha Sue Jarvis, Nicholas Adams and Brittney Mills, William D. Spoonamore, William L. McCormick and the Danville-Boyle County Airport Board. The city clerk will send a copy of the ordinance to the property owners via mail and will certify the list of property owners prior to second reading of the ordinance.

If either 50% of the resident voters or 50% of the landowners file a valid petition with the mayor within 60 days of publication of the intent to annex ordinance, the issue will need to be placed on the ballot during the next regular election, according to material from the Kentucky League of Cities.

If there is an election, if less than 55% of those voting oppose annexation, the city can pass a final ordinance annexing the territory within 60 days of certifying election results. If 55% or more oppose, the annexation is defeated. The only people permitted to vote are those registered to vote in the area proposed to be annexed, according to KLC materials.

According to the ordinance, the city intends to annex property “by reason of population density, commercial, industrial, institutional or governmental use of land, or subdivision of land, is urban in character or suitable for development for urban purposes without unreasonable delay.” In this case, Coffey said the intent to annex is for economic development purposes.

Coffey said in an email that the city received “multiple request(s) to be annexed by letter and through executed ‘consent’ documents,” and the city is responding to requests. Requests came from Adams and Spoonamore, he said.

“As we review the totality of the area under consideration the airport facility is logically considered as well,” Coffey said. “The idea is to position ourselves to encourage with incentives and participate in potential future growth around the facility. Ideas discussed previously includes expansion of the airport facilities themselves and being annexed improves the city’s position to support those changes in the future.”

He said the city “will forward official written notice this week,” and after the second reading of the notice of intent on Aug. 9, there’s a 60-day hold, followed by a first and second reading of the annex ordinance. He said all property owners have had communication about the city’s intent to annex.

In other business:

• The city commission unanimously approved a second reading of an ordinance for fiscal year 2021-22 sewer rates adjustments based on a study conducted by Salt River Engineering. According to the ordinance, for residential and commercial customers, effective July 1 the minimum monthly rate shall be $5.42, compared to $4.145 effective Sept. 1, 2017. The rate per 100 cubic feet of water consumed will be $4.52 except for residential and commercial consumers of the former Perryville sewer system ($12.69) and of the former Junction City sewer system ($9.40).

For wholesale and industrial consumers, effective July 1 the minimum monthly rate will be $5.42, compared to $169.098 effective Sept. 1, 2017, according to the ordinance. The rate per 100 cubic feet of water consumed will be $10.73, compared to $4.20 effective Sept 1, 2017.

• The city commission unanimously approved the second reading of a zone change for 202 E. Walnut Street, from two-family residential to central business. This is the property locally known as the Willis Russell House.

• The commission approved a change order unanimously for $48,400 to be applied to the parks capital line in the current budget, to install a rubber safety surface for the installation of the ADA playground equipment at Millennium Park, for better accessibility compared to mulch.

• The commission unanimously approved two change orders for the waste water treatment plant. For the city of Danville loan-funded project, the city negotiated a project cost reduction from $14,307,000 to $13,857,302. Additionally, another change order reduces the city’s contractual obligation to Smith Contractors from $13,857,302 to $8,863,904.41. This does not alter Smith’s contractual obligation to install materials or do specified work. The city will purchase materials directly from vendors, making the total cost savings to the city $299,603.86.