About 30 land owners just outside town limits have signed a petition asking Carrboro to cede their jurisdiction back to Orange County government.

Three candidates in this year's race for mayor and alderman appeared at a press conference to support the residents; a move Mayor Mark Chilton called political grandstanding.

Carrboro's "extra-territorial jurisdiction" currently extends a mile outside the town limits. The town has zoning authority over the land, though its residents cannot vote in town elections.

Mayoral candidates Amanda Ashley and Brian Voyce and aderman candidate Sharon Cook attended the press conference at the home of Linda Brockwell Roberts, whose family owns farmland along Old N.C. 86.

Warren Wombel shares about 100 acres of farmland with his father, Numa Wombel, on Smith Level Road. He said his family has been farming the area for a century and he supports the petition.

"My dad signed it and I signed it," he said. "My dad's always said we really should be in the county. That's where we get our support for the farming, through the county. The town is really not set up to ... help the farmers out."

Marilyn Kille, who owns Peppermint Spring Farm, handed out information sheets at the press conference.

"We don't feel we benefit under the extra-territorial jurisdiction," she said.

Kille illegally built a barn apartment on her farm, according to the town. In September, Kille was found guilty of forgery for writing the words "workshop future apartment" on a copy of a plan for her property.

Ashley says town growth threatens farmers' livelihoods.

"The town of Carrboro has growth and annexation as a priority of its focus," she said. "That requires taking rural farmland that is next to it."

She said the town also wants to balance the tax base by adding more businesses, which further threatens rural areas.

"It's a stupid equation, and we have to stop," she said. At a candidates forum weeks ago, Ashley suggested returning the ETJ to the county as a part of her plan to keep the town small.

Voyce said the lack of representation in the ETJ is a problem.

"I would be for turning primary planning jurisdiction to the county," he said.

Cook, a member of the town planning board who ran unsuccessfully for the Board of Aldermen in 2007, said she also supports the farmers who want to leave the ETJ.

Chilton said he had not seen the petition as of Friday, but he was aware some candidates supported moving the ETJ back to Orange County.

"That is obvious political grandstanding on their part," he said.

Chilton said he would need to explore the issue further before he made up his mind.

"I actually have to deal with the consequences of these statements after I'm re-elected," he said. "Brian does not."

He did say he is willing to consider ceding some areas in the ETJ, but cautioned against a quick timeline.

"The conversation isn't anywhere near far enough along," he said. "Even if the board were of entirely one mind about this issue ... it would have to be signed off on by the Orange County Board of Commissioners and Chapel Hill Town Council. It's not something that can be changed at the drop of a hat."

Chilton also said some of the rhetoric is "a desperate ploy on Marilyn Kille's part to try and find some allies wherever she can."

Kille has said that the town could legally extend the ETJ by two additional miles once it has 25,000 people. The latest estimate pegs town population around 19,000 people.

"We're not going to extend the ETJ to any new areas," Chilton said. "That would be a violation of our joint planning agreement. I'm not interested in doing it."

Carrboro Planning Administrator Trish McGuire had not heard of a formal request to leave the ETJ. But Orange County Manager Frank Clifton said towns sometimes ask to amend their boundaries.

"I think the town would have to initiate that process," he said.