Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

Award Date

1981

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department / School

Geography

First Advisor

Maynard Samuelson

Abstract

A major portion of both commercial and residential growth in the Redfield, South Dakota, area was occurring outside the existing city limits of that community in the late 1970's. This pattern was becoming a concern to the Redfield City Council and prompted the city council to contact the Geography Department of South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota, in 1978 to complete a study of annexation for Redfield. The author of this thesis was hired as a research assistant to complete the Redfield annexation study for the Geography Department. The city council needed to evaluate the annexation potential and problems before advancing into the actual annexation process. The study would serve as the basis of information required before annexation without petition could be allowed. The requirement for an annexation study was set forth in South Dakota Codified Law which reads in part, before a municipality may extend its boundaries to include contiguous territory, the governing body shall conduct a study to determine the need for the contiguous territory and to identify the resources necessary to extend the municipal boundaries. A letter written by Duane Sanger, Mayor of Redfield South Dakota, on behalf of the City Council requested information or advice on the following points: (1) The orderly development of the City within reasonable boundaries (2) The real estate tax impact on the City ( 3) The cost, if any, of extending City Services to the annexed areas (4) The feasibility of annexation of the State Institution located in Spink County, contiguous to the City (5) The impact of Federal and/or State with an increase in municipal population from 3,000 to 4,000 (6) The benefits, if any, the annexed areas will receive from the City (7) Other data which the City planners may use to continue the orderly development of the City's growth. In the process of gathering information for the final annexation report, it became obvious to the researcher that conflicts were bound to occur. The researcher anticipated certain actions by the city council no matter what the annexation study reported. Therefore, the author attempted to present the information requested in an unbiased manner leaving the actual decision to the city council. The author felt this thesis would not be complete by presenting only the annexation study information as presented to the Redfield City Council on November 5, 1979. A look at the council's decision on annexation and the resulting conflicts were an essential part of understanding the situation. The information presented in the annexation study, the actions of the city council, and the community controversy that resulted all needed to be evaluated to understand the annexation problem.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Annexation (Municipal government) -- South Dakota -- Redfield

Format

application/pdf

Number of Pages

97

Publisher

South Dakota State University

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