Several years ago I bought 10 acres of land just outside the city limits where I live. It has nothing on it. The previous owners used it as farm land so it is flat and only has a few trees at one end of it. I had always assumed I would one day build a house on it and sell it or something (maybe even build a house on it and live on it). Ever since I bought it I have been petitioning the city to annex the land into the city. If they did this the land would be part of the city and would then be eligible for city services such as water, electricity etc.
I was just told today that they accepted my application. The process is that it has to go on the next election's ballot, which in this case won't be until 2012, but if the voters approve it then the land will be part of the city. Mainly what this does for me is allow me to then apply to have it re-zoned as a multi-residential property. If I can get that zoning approved I could either build multiple homes on it and sell them or sell the land to a developer who would then develop it.
From what I am told about 95% of all annexes are approved on the ballot so it looks like it is pretty likely to happen. The re-zoning in another story, but it looks like I have a decent shot of getting that.
So it is still a ways down the road, but today was a big step in turning this land into more than just a big field.
