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Council approves Dale Earnhardt Way assessment with annexation credit; condo owners voice notice concerns
Summary
Council approved a roadway assessment to finish Dale Earnhardt Way (town pays half; property owners assessed the other half) and offered a waiver/credit for property owners who voluntarily annex within a six‑month period. Several Urban Garages owners and tenants objected to notice and fairness of the assessment.
The Northlake Town Council approved an ordinance on Oct. 10 to fund final construction of Dale Earnhardt Way, voting to split a roughly $1.2 million project with the town covering half and assessing the other half to adjacent property owners based on assessed value.
Drew (staff) told the council the town split the project costs between road impact fees and assessed property owners; staff also said council policy provides a voluntary annexation credit that would waive the assessment if an owner annexes and does so within a council‑specified time window. The mayor’s motion included a waiver for one parcel (Austin 2 Tracks LP) contingent on timely annexation, with council setting a six‑month window for full credit.
Multiple property owners and managers from Urban Garages — several of whom identified themselves as out‑of‑state investors or small local business owners — objected during the public hearing. Lawrence Sander said he owns multiple condo units and had not received mailed notice; he said the assessments would be punitive for small tenants and would be difficult to pass through to the small businesses located there. "It will cost me over $20,000 ... for these small local businesses," Sander said.
Staff explained certified letters were mailed and the notice requirements were met, but reported that some certified pieces had been returned as undeliverable and that further outreach would continue. Council members expressed concern about notice adequacy and asked staff to do additional outreach to property owners; they also emphasized that annexation remains a voluntary option that would be considered in subsequent public hearings.
The ordinance passed with a 6–1 vote. Council also later held a separate voluntary‑annexation public hearing for an 11.5‑acre tract at the NE corner of 114 and Dale Earnhardt; the council approved that annexation unanimously (7–0), with developer representatives saying annexation would allow the town to influence site design and buffering for retail and support the timing of planned infrastructure improvements.
What's next: Staff will continue targeted owner outreach, return annexation petitions to council for any voluntary annexations, and begin construction timing coordination with TxDOT and awarded contractors.
