The Lubbock City Council voted Thursday night for the first reading of annexing land in South Lubbock County into the city limits. The first vote passed.
The council also voted in favor of agreements that will give homeowners who sign those agreements a 20-year grace period before getting annexed.
“Now that ties to the property, not to the property owners, now what it means is that we cannot, as a city, annex them for 20 years,” Mayor Glen Robertson said.
Robertson said homeowners in that area who want to sign one of those agreements should contact the City Attorney’s office as soon as possible.
The council approved the first reading of the ordinance and has to approve it again before the land is officially added into the city limits.
“Feeling very positive about it. It was certainly a compromise, it’s a long way from where everything started, so we’re very pleased with it, and having worked with the council, it just took time to flesh out all the kinds of options,” South Lubbock County resident Robert Henry said after the vote Thursday.
“This gives them breathing room, it gives us breathing room, and I think it’s about a fair a compromise as could have been hoped for,” Henry said.
“It gives the city a very good growth plan and allows for the city to start planning to take those other areas in in 20 years, and yet it gives those property owners a little bit of protection,” Robertson said.
