WHITEWOOD, S.D. – Whitewood city leaders are pushing back against rumors that the city plans to annex land within three miles of its boundaries.
During a packed city council meeting Monday night, Mayor Sara Fitzgerald told residents the city’s proposed Extra-Territorial Jurisdiction, or ETJ, is not an annexation plan. Instead, she said the proposal would give Whitewood a voice in how future development near the city is planned and constructed.
Officials say the ETJ would help ensure roads, utilities, and other infrastructure are built to proper standards as the area continues to grow.
Fitzgerald also noted that Whitewood is updating its comprehensive growth plan for the first time in more than two decades, with completion expected in early 2027.
While some residents expressed concern that the ETJ could eventually lead to annexation, city officials stressed that any annexation process would be separate and subject to its own legal requirements.
The city plans to finalize its updated growth plan before moving forward with any formal ETJ expansion.
