Tryon Town Council decided this week to waive the last five years of taxes on a Jackson Street property that was recently found to be inside town limits.

Thelma Foster requested in November that the town waive $1,517 for taxes over the last five years and council approved the waiver Tuesday night.

Councilman Wim Woody said he feels the town should exempt Foster from paying&bsp; taxes moving forward because she had thought she was outside town limits for many years.

Tryon attorney Bailey Nager said by statute, the town cannot exempt her from taxes from now on but can waive the taxes the town was legally able to charge for the past five years.

Since the Foster property was thought to be outside town limits for years, Foster has never paid taxes or received services.

She will be billed taxes beginning for the year 2010.

Earlier this year, based on geographic information systems (GIS), Polk County found two properties in the Tryon area that were not being assessed correctly. The John and Linda Douglas property, also on Jackson Street, was found to be outside town limits although the couple had been paying town taxes for 37 years. After the discovery, the Douglas petitioned Tryon for voluntary annexation, which was granted.