Columbus Town Council met last Thursday and set public hearings on April 17 for the annexations of two residential lots in Foster Creek encompassing approximately 16 acres and one lot owned by Harold Burrell across from the Diamond B Kwik Shop near Polk County High School. Burrell has informed the town that he plans to construct an office building on the property.

Foster Creek has already been annexed into Columbus with approximately 1,000 acres and plans for around 800 homesites. The two lots to be added are for residential units.

The Burrell property is non-contiguous, but sits across Hwy. 108 from town limit property, so services should be no problem to provide, town officials said last week.

Council also directed its town clerk to certify the petition to voluntarily annex the Sanctuary,&bsp; a subdivision of Hwy. 108 near Isothermal Community College Polk Campus that includes approximately 200 acres and 63 lots. A public hearing for the Sanctuary annexation will most likely occur in May or June.

Columbus Town Manager Tim Holloman said the Sanctuary wants to be annexed into the city limits so Columbus can take over the development&squo;s water system. Columbus has been operating the system and would take over ownership if the development is annexed. Town officials have said they have checked and found that the system is suitable for the town to own and maintain. The Sanctuary, if approved, will be a contiguous annexation.