Annexation Information

How does annexation work?
How will regulation affect my property?
How will my property be affected by zoning?
How will this affect our school district?
What are the economic advantages for annexation?
What will it cost me?

For a community to continue to grow and prosper, it is essential to encourage the timely and planned annexation of land. Annexation would add previously unincorporated property into the City. This enables the city to ensure that outward expansion at the fringe of the community is developed in an orderly manner.

With greater control over development, Granite City can protect your investment by regulating what is built around your property. In addition, annexations will help us to determine the best possible locations and layout of future roads, schools, municipal buildings, parks and influence a wide range of other decisions.

If you are interested in finding out about annexing to the City of Granite City, the Building & Zoning Department is available to assist you in the process and answer any questions. We understand you will have questions regarding the annexation process and the affect on your property taxes. By working together, we can analyze all the options in order to make the best decision for you and the City.

Annexing to Granite City would mean you would receive more comprehensive services such as responsive police protection, water/sewer and street maintenance. Some of the City services would include:

Police Protection: Granite City residents can rely on the police department to respond to their emergencies in approximately four minutes. With 57 uniformed officers your family and property will be well protected.

Ambulance Service: Medical emergencies can be responded to by the GCFD personnel in under seven minutes. Their familiarity with the area ensures they arrive quickly with the latest medical equipment.

Fire Protection: The staff of 57 full-time firefighters can dispatch to your emergencies in approximately five minutes. In addition, the tax rate for fire protection within the City is cheaper than paying for fire protection as an unincorporated resident.

Water Service: Since you would be living in the City of Granite City, you would pay a cheaper "in-town" rate per 1,000 gallons of water.

Library: You and your family can enjoy any of the more than 100,000 resources available in the Library. Children can participate in many of the award winning summer youth programs.

Park District: By annexing into the City, you will be eligible for reduced prices for certain Park Services, such as a summer pool pass, ice rink entry and much more.

Commonly Asked Questions Concerning Annexation


1. How does annexation work?
Although annexation can be accomplished in several different ways, the process being proposed requires the collection of petitions signed by owners and residents of the properties. After petitions are signed and recorded with the City Clerk, the annexation will come before the City Council for final approval.

2. How will regulation affect my property?
The Madison County Board currently regulates your property in a similar fashion to that of the City. The County already has in place regulations regarding zoning, land use, variances and fees. If you have any concerns about regulation, please compare the County regulation with those of the City.

3. How will my property be affected by zoning?
During the process of annexation, any territory brought into Granite City must be placed into a zoning district. The zoning of a property will depend on its location, current use and the Comprehensive Plan. Alternative zoning will require a public hearing and approval from the City Council.

4. How will this affect our school district?
Annexation will have no effect on your school district. School district boundaries were established long ago, and are not altered by changes in municipal boundaries.

5. Economic advantages for annexation:

   • Newly annexed residents will generally see a 30% decrease in their water bill. 
   • You may see a reduction in your home-owners insurance. 
   • If you are considering selling or developing your property, it could be worth more inside the City limits.

6. What will it cost me?
As you are aware, there will be some changes to your property tax bill. Your tax bill contains rates from many overlapping taxing districts. By becoming a Granite City resident, some taxing districts will change to increase or decrease your total tax bill. There may also be some decreases in other bills that might help offset the increase. Because property is assessed differently and are taxed by many districts, an individual tax analysis should be done to show the actual financial impact annexation will have on your property taxes and other costs.

Keep in mind that each parcel is different. An individual tax analysis will have to be done on your property to find the estimated financial impact on you.

Please take the opportunity to calculate estimated property taxes. All you need is your old tax bill and a few additional tax rates. You can get additional tax rates from the County Clerk's Office at 692-6290.

Multiply your Equalized Assess Value (1/3 of the assessment of your home as decided by the County Assessor) by each of the tax rates.

Example:
$125,000 home value X .33 = $41,666.67 EAV.
Then 41,666.67 X 0.0796 (City Rate) = $3,316.67/year