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RALEIGH — Oak Ridge would be able to govern what is built between its borders and the Forsyth County line under a bill the House gave tentative approval of Thursday.

The measure also gives the town powers to annex the land in that area if residents request it.

The vote was 99-16 despite an effort by Forsyth County lawmakers to block it. The House will have to vote a second time next week to send the measure back to the Senate for a final approval.

It is unusual for local bills — those governing matters of concern to 15 or fewer counties — to encounter controversy on the House floor. But this bill has been the subject of a tug-of-war between the members representing Guilford and Forsyth counties.

“I have absolutely no trouble with the ETJ portion of this bill,” said Rep. Larry Brown. The Kernersville Republican was referring to Extra Territorial Jurisdiction, which allows towns to manage growth and development outside their borders.

But Brown did object to granting Oak Ridge annexation powers, saying that the town had agreed when it was first incorporated to renounce such ability outside a prescribed area.

Brown put forward an amendment to strip the annexation powers from the bill.

“I don’t think we should worry about some agreement that had somewhat questionable origins to begin with,” said state Rep. John Blust, a Greensboro Republican.

That agreement, he said, was forced on the town of Oak Ridge by Greensboro and Kernersville, which didn’t want the town to incorporate at all.

Those cities got help a decade ago, Blust suggested, from a House member who is “residing in a prison cell,” a not terribly opaque reference to former Rep. Michael Decker and his ally, former House Speaker Jim Black. Both of those men are serving time on federal corruption charges.

The state, Blust said, was not bound by agreements between the towns. “One thing I think the gentlemen from Forsyth are forgetting is that we should take into account (what) are the wishes of the people in this area,” Blust said. “They don’t want some city from Forsyth to come across the border.”

But Brown said Oak Ridge should stick by its word.

“If they made an agreement, they should stick with it,” Brown argued.

While other members of the Forsyth County delegation and some Republicans came to Brown’s aid, the five other members from Guilford County — including four Democrats and one other Republican — joined Blust and urged members to defeat the Brown amendment. It failed 44-77.

Once the House gives the bill final approval, the Senate would have to vote to approve changes made in House. That would be the last approval, since the governor does not sign local bills.

Contact Mark Binker at (919) 832-5549 or mark.binker@news-record.com