The best time to annex an area into an adjoining city that threatens to grow around it is usually "a while ago."

The next best time is "now."

We believe that's the case with Rapid Valley, a residential area that was once on the rural eastern shoulder of Rapid City, but has since become a donut hole of unincorporated housing and retail development surrounded by the sprawl of Rapid City.

Mayor Alan Hanks appointed a Rapid Valley annexation study committee in October. Its members are Alderwoman Deb Hadcock and Aldermen Sam Kooiker, Tom Johnson, Bill Okrepkie, Ron Kroeger, along with Mike Derby from the planning commission, Jim Kjerstad from the Pennington County Commission and Tony Dupont of the Rapid Valley Sanitary District.

Those committee members all know that Rapid Valley annexation issues are not new, nor are they ever going to go away. The time to deal with them is now.

The committee hasn't begun meeting yet, but its first task will be to explore the pros and cons of annexing businesses along Highway 44. The public perception is that the city only wants that strip of retail business for the city sales taxes it would produce. We think it's time to take a look at the bigger picture instead of a piecemeal approach to annexation in Rapid Valley.

There will be costs to annexation for Rapid Valley residents, of course, but benefits as well.

For starters, they will get representation in a city government whose decisions already affect their lives, simply by the proximity in which they live to it. They'll get the benefits of well-managed development that comes with city zoning ordinances. In rapidly growing areas like those south and east of Rapid City, zoning is not a bad thing. And how about library cards that don't cost $70?

It's also time for Rapid Valley residents to admit that they benefit economically, socially and culturally from their proximity to Rapid City.

They drive on city streets to get to their jobs in Rapid City. They enjoy the city parks and recreation areas on which their children play soccer and football. They take advantage of cultural and recreational opportunities right next door in Rapid City that improve the quality of their lives in intangible ways.

Change is inevitable. Growth happens. The only question is when we deal with it.