by WES FERGUSON
Texas Lehigh officials are continuing to ask the Buda City Council to postpone efforts to annex the company’s land southwest of town.
The council held public hearings last week and Tuesday for the annexation of 360 acres of Lehigh land. After nearly a decade of talks, Buda leaders have decided to expedite the process amid concerns that another entity could swoop in and claim the company’s potential sales tax dollars.
“My request is we get together to work through an annexation agreement and come through with a win-win, versus a unilateral agreement,” Texas Lehigh President Bob Kidnew told council members on March 20. “If there isn’t a reason to expedite it, we can turn around an annexation agreement by the end of the year that meets everyone’s needs and protects my business.”
The first reading of the annexation ordinance is scheduled for April 17, with the second reading scheduled for May 1. The city does not require Lehigh’s permission to annex the property. Appraised at more than $60 million, Lehigh is more valuable than any other business or property in Hays CISD.
City staff have said they would pursue the annexation of Centex Materials, a smaller neighbor of Lehigh, at a later date.
