The City Council approved an ordinance amending Chapter 10A (Subdivision Ordinance, Part 2 Procedures) by adding Section 2.13 to create a formal process for petitions requesting release from the city's extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ). The ordinance was assigned number 2529 when read into the record.

City staff said the amendment responds to state legislative changes and recent litigation affecting ETJ procedures. The new section establishes how petitions must be submitted and verified, clarifies documentation required to show property ownership, and provides a process for handling larger petitions that may trigger an election for removal. Staff explained the change provides internal procedures so the city can consistently process petitions and meet state‑law requirements; staff recommended approval.

Council members discussed the practical and planning implications of ETJ removals; staff noted that property owners in the ETJ are not city taxpayers and that release from ETJ could, in some cases, create long‑term planning challenges (commonly described as “donut holes”) though the ordinance implements the state‑authorized petition process. Council approved the ordinance, which includes standard savings, repealer, penalty and severability clauses and an effective date to be published with the ordinance.