Anna City Council Approves Voluntary Annexations

<p>By Ken Gaidziunas
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<p>Staff Writer
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<p>The Anna City Council introduced the city's first full-time fire chief, held a public hearing on the proposed budget and approved voluntary annexations and zoning changes during Tuesday's regular meeting.
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<p>Mayor Darren Driskell introduced Danny Newton as the city's first full-time fire chief. 
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<p>"We almost lost him to Brookshire's," Driskell said. "They were ready to send him to Tyler (Brookshire's corporate office). We're blessed to have him here."
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<p>A public hearing was held on the fiscal year 2010-11 proposed budget. The proposed tax rate of 65 cents per $100 of property valuation would produce approximately the same amount of revenue as collected last year when the tax rate was 62 cents.
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<p>While the proposed rate is higher than the current rate, due to the lower values of Anna properties, the new tax rate will not result in a tax revenue increase.
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<p>With virtually no residential growth in 2009, when the number of new homes constructed in the city fell from more than 500 in 2006 to only seven last year, the city is in a position in which it must increase water and sewer rates again. The proposed budget recommends that the base monthly rate for water and sewer service be increased by $4 for each.
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<p>The proposed budget can be viewed at www.annatexas.gov.
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<p>The council approved the requested voluntary annexation of 51- and 60-acre tracts owned by Two-J Partners LLP (Julia and Duncan Gray) within Anna's extraterritorial jurisdiction. The properties are located south of County Road 370 and west of West Crossing Boulevard.
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<p>Public hearings were held for requested zoning changes for two properties also owned by Two-J Partners LLP.
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<p>The owners requested a zoning change from Single-Family Estate (SFE) to Planned Development (PD) to also include Multi-Family Residential (MF-2) and Restricted Commercial (C-1) for a 50-acre property southwest of County Road 370 and east of U.S. 75.
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<p>Two-J Partners LLP also requested a zoning change for 111 acres located south of County Road 370 and west of West Crossing Boulevard to Planned Development (PD) zoning to also include Single-Family Residential (SFR) and Neighborhood Convenience (NC).
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<p>Both of these properties are currently being considered for annexation. The council approved the zoning changes as requested.</p>