Decatur considers annexation and planned development for Nature Creek Reserve; developer to extend utilities

Decatur City Council held public hearings on a three-part request from Libertas Decatur LP to annex and rezone land for the Nature Creek Reserve planned development, and city staff presented recommendations supporting the applications.

City staff told the council the applications include an annexation, a comprehensive-plan amendment and rezoning to a planned development allowing single-family detached homes with associated open space and recreational amenities. The council opened then closed the public hearings without receiving public comments; Planning and Zoning recommended approval, 6-0.

Development services staff described the annexation as subject to Chapter 43 of the Texas Local Government Code. During the annexation presentation staff said notice was mailed to property owners within 200 feet and that no responses were received as of March 10; staff recommended approval of the annexation request (reference: staff report notation “2024‑01”). Later presentations by staff on the comprehensive-plan amendment and rezoning referenced the same proposal and noted one property-owner response in opposition received March 4, representing 0.10% of the notified area; staff recommended approval of those items as well (Planning & Zoning recommended 6-0).

Developer representative Helen Eve Beetle, who identified herself as the land planner for the project, presented the concept plan and described site utilities and amenities. She told council the development team expects to extend water and wastewater service to the site and said the development agreement approved last month provides for a 24-inch sewer line and a lift station. Beetle said the development's “overall average lot size is 7,600 square feet.” She also described trails, fitness stations, a stocked pond with an overlook, playscape features, and preservation of an existing lake and a wooded flood plain.

Staff and the developer gave differing acreage figures across the three agenda items in the meeting record: the annexation presentation referenced approximately 125.3262 acres plus about 0.96 acres of right-of-way, while the comprehensive-plan amendment and rezoning presentations described the property as approximately 200.4471 acres. The record does not show a council vote on any of the three agenda items during the meeting; the hearings were opened and then closed to allow further proceedings.

Development services staff repeatedly noted that utilities are not currently served to the property and that utility improvements are required and proposed by the developer. Planning staff told council the planned development would allow primarily single-family detached dwellings with recreational/open-space features and that tree‑survey waiver language had been discussed with the developer and addressed in the staff recommendation.

The items remain at the public‑hearing stage in tonight’s minutes; the record shows staff and the Planning & Zoning Commission recommended approval, and the developer made a public presentation. The council did not take a final vote on annexation, the comprehensive-plan amendment or the rezoning at this meeting.

Several technical and numerical details in staff and developer remarks were unclear or inconsistent in the meeting record (notably the differing acreage figures and some lot‑count percentages). Those discrepancies are noted in the city staff reports and in the transcript of tonight’s hearing and will be resolved in subsequent filings or hearings according to staff procedures.