The Town of Garner's Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ) [sometimes also referred to as Extraterritorial Planning Jurisdiction (ETPJ)] is a cooperative agreement between the Town of Garner and Wake County in which the Town administers zoning, the subdivision of land, floodway regulations and enforcement of the State Building Code. Due to Garner's size, the ETJ is generally an area that extends up to three miles beyond the Town's corporate limits.

Since residents of the ETJ still procure most of their public services from Wake County, they are only required to pay County property taxes.  However, because the Town does administer the services related to the development of land, ETJ residents are given a voice on both the Town's Planning Commission and Board of Adjustment. If you are an ETJ resident and interested in serving on either Board, please contact the Town Clerk's office or the Clerk to the Wake County Board of Commissioners.

ETJ is not a pre-requisite for annexation. Garner has several examples of development that have been annexed without ever being in the Town's ETJ such as Eagle Ridge and South Garner High School. Conversely, there are many developed areas within the Town's ETJ that have been so for decades and may never be annexed due to the imbalance of costs and benefits to the Town and residents alike. If you are a resident of the ETJ, please visit our compilation of Citizen Resources to ensure you are securing necessary permits and approvals for improvements to your property.

Some of the subdivisions within Garner's ETJ since at least 1988 include:

You may also check the Wake County mapping site by searching for your home/property address and turning on the "Jurisdictions" layer.