Louisville looks at the possibility to grow

LOUISVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Louisville could be growing its borders.

City leaders have approved an annexation study.

Mayor Will Hill says this is only a study, meaning, it’s just an idea right now.

The slow process will look at the benefits and downfalls of acquiring more people and more land.

The city limits have not changed in decades.

Mayor Will Hill says there could be some advantages to make the look of the town more efficient.

“Through technology, a lot of changes we’ve gone through with mapping and addressing. We’ve identified that the corporate limit or boundaries for the city of Louisville, they do not line up with parcel property lines, section lines, they actually split people’s property. Traffic patterns have changed due to highway systems changing.”

Hill and city leaders want to look at the economics and the infrastructure an annexation could bring.

“This isn’t just an attempt to say, ‘Hey, we’re targeting one particular group.’ We’re looking at cleaning up the lines and that’s primarily the focus.”

Hill says the areas that are being looked at already receive city services, with the exception of police services.

But city leaders will also have to consider highways, homes and businesses in the study.

“The Highway 25, 15 corridor four-lane runs very, very close to the corporate limit lines on the west side. On the south side, we have a major intersection with a lot of traffic that the potential development opportunities. On the north side, we have a clover-leaf of Highway 25, 15 where they break off. We also have some neighborhoods on the east side.”

Hill says he expects more information to come over the next 6 to 12 months.

“It’s not just an attempt to take in property for the purposes of taxes. I know that that’s kind of an idea that sometimes is misunderstood, but we want to make sure that it’s a benefit and not for now, this is for the future of the city of Louisville, for generations to come.”

Hill says there will be several public hearings about the annexation study in the future.