Council hears property‑owner plea as staff seeks direction to start disannexation proceedings

City staff told the Paris City Council they had received petitions from three property owners seeking disannexation of parcels along U.S. 271 South and asked the council for direction to institute the formal disannexation process and schedule public hearings.

The parcels named in staff’s memo include land owned by Wally Craft, the Cobb Testimony Trust and Paul and Shelly Morrison, south of the highway and near Woodall Field. Staff said some parcels lack city water or sewer service and that one parcel is currently subject to impending right‑of‑way takings by the Texas Department of Transportation that will require property reconstruction and new private taps to city lines.

Wally Craft, who identified himself as the owner of a veterinary clinic on one of the parcels, told the council he did not want to tear down his clinic and described the local utility access as problematic. “I by no means wanted to tear down my veterinary clinic. That was completely unexpected,” Craft said. He described a 60‑year‑old water line routed through woods and the ballpark that has caused multiple leaks and said a sewer line was installed nearby in the last year to 18 months. Craft said the combination of limited water access, expected TxDOT takings and the clinic’s large‑animal operations motivated his request to be removed from the city.

Staff recommended authorizing initiation of disannexation proceedings so the city can set two public hearings and collect more information; staff emphasized that instituting proceedings would not oblige the council to approve final disannexation. After public comment and staff explanation, council members indicated a desire to proceed with the procedural step. One council member said they were “good with disannexation” and asked staff to return with a resolution instituting proceedings; another member said they had hesitations, noting the city generally seeks to expand rather than reduce boundaries.

Council did not adopt a resolution at the meeting; staff said they will prepare resolutions and public‑hearing calendars for the council to consider at a subsequent meeting.