The annexation controversy in Tennessee : a comparison of the laws and attitudes affecting unilateral annexations in Tennessee and North Carolina

The unilateral provisions or the Tennessee annexation law have been under attack since its adoption in 1954. The attack has occurred primarily in the courts, the Tennessee General Assembly, and in the news media in the form of expressions of opinions. The apparent dissatisfaction with the present law has resulted in lost time and money as the legislature, the courts, and others have tried to resolve the issues surrounding the problem of unilateral annexations.

Several states, including North Carolina, have unilateral annexation provisions in their laws, but few appear to have experienced the controversy that has been obvious in Tennessee. This research compares the unilateral provisions of the laws of Tennessee and North Carolina and attitudes towards those provisions as expressed by individuals in both states. Expressions of these attitudes were reported in two survey questionnaires mailed to survey participants. The first survey was administered in both states and was used to identify perceived strengths and weaknesses of the respective laws. The second was administered in Tennessee and was used to determine if elements of the North Carolina law would be acceptable in Tennessee.

The surveys showed that there are elements in the North Carolina law that can be considered for incorporation into the Tennessee law. Among the features of the North Carolina law that may help to reduce controversy in Tennessee were the following: 1) more emphasis on planning and the importance of municipalities in the provision of urban services; 2) the importance of municipalities in the overall social and economic development of the state; and 3) state mandated standards and guidelines for carrying out annexation activities.