The Grand Forks will stay the course when it comes to the annexation of properties along Highway 81 in Falconer Township.
The city council annexed the site and businesses along the corridor in June 2022 during discussions regarding the Fufeng project.
A number of property owners filed a de-annexation petition after the corn milling plant was scrapped. City Attorney Dan Gaustad says his office and city staff reviewed those petitions and determined they don’t meet the measurements of the statue for de-annexation. “There are insufficient qualified electors who have signed the petitions…the property has been platted…and there are municipal improvements adjacent to the area or within it.”
Several landowners criticized the council’s actions.
During the council comment portion of the meeting member Ken Vien floated the idea of creating a so-called PILOT for newly annexed properties and businesses for property taxes. “Where we would treat the property owners kind of at the same level that we treated Fufeng as far as phasing that in. Not that they shouldn’t pay and it’s the rightful to do. At least phasing over the years to allow for some level of transition as they pay city taxes.”
Vien says those conversations would have to include how that could happen and the potential implications to other taxing entities like the county and school district.
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