Annexation made official in Olive Branch
The City of Olive Branch welcomed new members of the city on Friday as the annexation ruling expanding the city limits has become official.
Chancery Court Judge Percy Lynchard Jr. in April heard a challenge to the city’s attempt that would annex sections of the unincorporated adjacent parts of the county into the city limits. The effort to annex close to 50 square miles in the Center Hill, Bridgetown, Cedar View, and Pleasant Hill communities, however, was reduced to what officially is 18.476 square miles in Lynchard’s April 5 ruling.
The most impact came in the Center Hill portion of the city’s annexation proposal, as all of that area was included in Lynchard’s final decree. There were other parts of the proposal that was included, but not to the level originally sought by the city.
Residents in the annexed areas had 30 days to appeal Lynchard’s order, but no appeals were filed. Thus, as of Friday, May 28, the new city limits are now drawn and those who live in the annexed areas are now residents of Olive Branch.
DeSoto County Government has provided a webpage on its website for residents to view an interactive map of the new lines drawn and to answer any questions they may have about annexation. CLICK HERE for that webpage.
The City of Olive Branch also posted information about the annexation on its official city website Friday morning.
One item to be pointed out is that the new residents in Olive Branch are not eligible to take part in the upcoming municipal elections this year on June 8. Eligible voters must have been residents of Olive Branch for at least 30 days and the new residents do not meet that threshold. They would be eligible for future municipal elections, however.
