The City of Warner Robins may see some sudden growth.

Council preliminarily approved an ordinance to annex 79 properties into the city limits.

Mayor Chuck Shaheen says the properties are "islands", meaning unincorporated parts of the county surrounded by the city.

They include properties located along Corder Road, Russell Parkway, Kimberly Road, Carl Vinson Parkway and The South Oaks subdivision.

Council member Paul Shealy says most of the properties are zoned for commercial use, and that providing city services to those areas will help attract future development.

Shealy said, "There's many property owners down there, and this is something they have asked us to do, about running water and sewer utilities to that area. So, that's what we are doing, and in the process, we are annexing those different properties for the ownership there, so they can develop those properties and be in our city."

No one came to the meeting opposing the annexation.

Council will vote again on the issue at their next meeting in two weeks. City charter requires two readings before ordinances become law.

Last year, Shaheen said council annexed 417 "islands" into the city. He said many of the property owners were receiving city services without paying for them. He says the revenues that came from the annexations helped balance this year's budget without raising taxes.