Austin Land Annexation Debate
- The city held a special meeting solely to conduct public hearings on several large-scale land annexations.
- Proposed annexations spanned hundreds of acres in Travis and Hays Counties, targeting areas along Hwy 290, FM 1826, and FM 150, including parts of Oak Hill.
- The public hearings revealed strong opposition from landowners, some citing decades of family ownership and concerns about "strip annexation," alongside support from certain neighborhood associations.
- Discussions included practical concerns like fire protection, marking this as the initial required hearing, with a follow-up scheduled for April 10th.
Full Transcript
Y OF : City Council Ron Mullen Mayor John Treviño, Jr. Mayor Pro Tem Council Members Mark Rose Roger Duncan Sally Shipman Mark E. Spaeth Charles E. Urdy Jorge Carrasco City Manager Elden Aldridge City Clerk FOUNDED 2839 Austin City Council MINUTES For MARCH 29, 1985 3:00 Ρ.Μ. - SPECIAL CALLED MEETING Council Chambers, 307 West Second Street, Austin, Texas Memorandum To: Mayor Mullen called to order the Special Called Meeting of the Council, noting the absence of Councilmember Spaeth. Mayor Mullen announced the purpose of the meeting is to hold public hearings as follows: a. 3:00 Ρ.Μ. - (1) 46.38 acres of land for limited purpose in the City of Austin to be converted to full purpose annexation out of land in the Thomas Anderson Survey No. 90, and the Jessie Williams Survey No. 62 in Travis County, Hwy. 290/FM 1826 Corridor - Phase I. C7a-85-004. (2) 390 acres of land for full purposes out of and part of Travis and Hays Counties, including Oak Hill Heights Section Four and Five and unplatted land, Phase I. b. 3:05 P.M. 306 acres of land for full purposes out of Hays County along FM 1826, Phase II FM 1826 Corridor. C7a-85-005. - c. 3:10 P.M. 406 acres of land for full purposes out of Hays County along FM 1826 and FM 150, Phase III FM 1826 FM 150 Corridor. C7a-85-006. Brian Shuler stated this is the first of two public hearings, required by law. He announced the second hearing will be held April 10, 1985 at the clearing site on Darden Hills Road and FM 150. C Council Memo 2 3/29/85 Bill Batts, Dripping Springs, spoke against the annexation. Betty Garnett said their land had been in the family for 70 years and does not want annexation. Jim Keleher will fight annexation in court. supports the annexation. Steve Twidwell, Oak Hill Neighborhood Association, Betty Rathbone, North Hays County, is opposed to strip annexation. After some discussion concerning the fire protection, the meeting was ended. Motion The Council, on Councilmember Rose's motion, Mayor Mullen's second, closed the public hearing. (6-0 Vote) ADJOURNMENT Council adjourned its Special Called Meeting at 3:58 p.m.