As growth continues to make its way to Buda, city leaders have given the green light on a new policy addressing how it will guide annexation in the future.
By a unanimous vote March 21, the Buda City Council approved a new annexiation policy.
Chance Sparks, Buda assistant city manager, said the policy offers a “different approach” to annexation for the city. It’s the first update to the city’s annexation plan since 2009.
Sparks said the new policy would “explain what an extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) is and what annexation is,” as well as what the city considers when evaluating whether to annex a property or not.
Sparks said Buda could create an Annexation Growth Management Review team in the future.
Sparks’ also identified Buda’s annexation priorities for 2017 that begin June 27.
Buda could also accept voluntary petitions for annexation as the need arises, Sparks said.
“I’m certainly in favor of what was put forward,” Buda Mayor Todd Ruge said.
One potential concern for the city centered on Old Black Colony, where the landowners had plans to place an RV park.
See Buda's growth plan here.
According to a Facebook post provided by Ruge, plans for the RV park were shuttered by the landowner after they gathered feedback from neighbors.
Ruge said the annexation policy “laid out a game plan for the year,” but it doesn’t necessarily mean that every property listed in the cut sheets will be annexed.
Sparks said the city has an annual plan instead of just the state mandated three-year annexation plan. At this time, Buda measures 9.15 square miles.
Buda could potentially coordinate with the City of Dripping Springs in the future regarding its ETJ and plans for annexation.
“We have worked really closely with Dripping Springs in the past year, maybe there is a possibility of working together on this,” Ruge said.
While Buda prefers to enter into voluntary annexations, where landowners agree to the annexation of their land, as a home rule city, Buda can engage in involuntary annexations.
“All of the ETJ will be a part of the City at some point,” Ruge said, “It’s just a question of when.”
Buda’s annexation priorities for 2017
- Old Black Colony
- Old Black Colony and Cole Springs West
- Kennel
- Hays CISD and Churches
- Green Corners (Old Goforth)
- Northeast corner of the intersection near Hillside Terrace
