Local

Group pushes to incorporate Denver

DENVER, N.C. — The Lincoln County community of Denver is growing every day as more developers eye the area for new homes.

A group of five people, including a county commissioner, is pushing to incorporate the community.

If Denver Village comes into fruition, that would mean new taxes for residents.

Eyewitness News anchor Blaine Tolison breaks down the battle brewing over the area's future.

Officials said it would cost millions for town services like planning, zoning, building inspections, street maintenance and construction, and possible parks and recreation.

They said incorporating Denver would allow residents to control and possibly slow the community's rapid growth.

Some residents said they don't mind that Lincoln County already takes care of those services.

"We are happy out here,” resident Bobbie Ridenhour said. “We get anything we need."

Other residents are opposed to the idea of incorporating.

They have posted signs against it, and plan on creating a petition and passing it around.

The Village of Denver group currently has a petition that supports incorporation and needs a few thousand more signatures to submit to the General Assembly.

Taxes would go up under the town plan about $225 a year for a house valued at $250,000.

Denver resident Richard Smith believes it would be much more and said Denver needs more businesses to pay for it.

"We need more of that kind of base,” Smith said. “Lincolnton has that."

Tolison tried to contact Commissioner Martin Oates, who supports incorporating Denver but has not heard back from him.

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