Cary is moving forward with its involuntary annexation program that could affect nearly 200 parcels.

Town staff will evaluate nine areas and develop an annexation report and plan of service. Cary’s Town Council approved the move late last month.

The reports are expected in September or October, Ricky Barker, the town’s associate director of planning, told the council.

The one no-vote on the plan came from Mayor Harold Weinbrecht.

“I have a philosophical problem with involuntary or forced annexation,” Weinbrecht said.

The council’s recent action does not bring the areas into the town yet. Several other steps would need to be approved, including a resolution of intent and the annexation itself. The resolution of intent could come in September or October followed by the annexation in January or February. The properties would then become part of the town on July 1.

Cary’s process, adopted in 2006, identifies 30 different areas — primarily southeast, northeast and west of the town — under consideration for eventual annexation.

The nine neighborhoods being studied are Brookridge, Birklands and Hermitage; Jenks Carpenter Road; Hemlock Ridge; Carpenter Upchurch Road; Wickham Place; Reedy Creek Road-Mickey Place; Evans Estates; Woodland Acres; and 2800 Pleasant Grove Church Road.

Depending on how the criteria fit a particular area, the preliminary report puts the area in a general time frame for possible annexation: 2007 to 2011, 2012 to 2016 and beyond 2016.

Evaluation criteria include whether the area is contiguous to town boundaries, the availability of services from adjacent municipalities, existing town infrastructure, age of septic systems and history of septic-system failures.

Erv Portman said he shared Weinbrecht’s concerns about annexation but still wanted to move forward.

“The tradeoff here is, do you grow in a planned, thoughtful way … or in an unplanned, haphazard way?” Portman asked.

Portman also said it is not good public policy to have county safety services having to travel through the town to deliver service.

Town staff started working on an annexation policy for the town in January 2004. Cary had just aborted the involuntary annexation of 4,700 people in areas south and east of the town after settling a utility boundary dispute with the Town of Holly Springs. The council wanted the policy so it could clarify how, why and when it would involuntarily annex. The final program was approved after notice of the program was sent out to all potentially affected property owners and public meetings were held.

Cary completed its last forced annexation in the summer of 2003, bringing in about 600 homes in the Windsor Oaks, Summerwinds, Triangle Forest, Bud-El Acres, Greenwood Acres and Hillsdale Forest neighborhoods.

Medfield Estates resident Cathy Heath, a co-director of Stop N.C. Annexation, said Cary taxpayers should “look closely” at the town’s financial ability to take on capital expenses that these forced annexations will require. Heath is a leader in efforts to have the N.C. General Assembly put a moratorium on involuntary annexations. The measure has passed the state house and is now being considered by the Senate.

“The town decided to raise fees and lower the tax rate 9 cents,” Heath said.” If the annexations tie up current funds just to make up for the rate decrease with a quick infusion from new property taxpayers, then the current taxpayers should question the fiscal responsibility of doing this during hard times with the economy. The council needs to think about paying the long-term debt that the annexations might bring down the road.”

Council member Julie Robison asked Barker if the town would have to pay for any infrastructure.

Barker said that the water and sewer trunk lines needed to serve the neighborhoods are in place but depending on whether services are requested the town could subsidize the extension of service lines.