Waco council approves two large annexations after residents raise schooling, flooding and traffic concerns

WACO, Texas — The Waco City Council on Nov. 18 approved first‑reading ordinances to annex two large development tracts — the roughly 567.56‑acre Westlake Village site south of Tom Ledbetter Road and Highway 6, and an approximately 212.37‑acre grouping (Speegleville/Edgewood holdings) north of Maple Shade Drive — even as neighbors urged the council to delay action until traffic, drainage, school capacity and legal disputes are resolved.

The annexations are the initial municipal step to bring the land into city limits; council members and staff emphasized that detailed plats, traffic studies, drainage plans and utility design will follow during the development and permitting stages.

Why it matters: The Westlake and Speegleville projects together would add thousands of housing units over time, extend city utilities and require substantial road and drainage investment. Residents said the proposals risk overloading local roads and schools, threaten floodplain and lakefront areas near Lake Waco, and could shift long‑term infrastructure costs to current taxpayers if funding arrangements are not clarified.

What happened: For Westlake Village, Director Peters described plan‑commission support (10–0) for voluntary annexation and proposed suburban residential land use. Brad Shelton of Shelton Development, representing the Westlake interests, told council his company has worked with staff for years on utility and access solutions and thanked city staff for coordination. Council approved the annexation on first reading and noted the item will return for second reading.

Speakers from the Riverside subdivision and nearby properties focused on the separate Speegleville/Edgewood annexation. Nicole (Nikki) Oates said the developments shown on preliminary maps included “extremely small lots, tightly packed homes, narrow internal streets” and raised multiple issues: lack of a public traffic plan, no school capacity study or coordination with Midway ISD, unaddressed drainage and flood risks near Lake Waco, and concerns about litigation and out‑of‑town builders. Oates asked the council to deny or table annexation “until all required studies are completed.”

Developer response: Josh Welch, representing the applicant, said the annexations are an early step in a multi‑phase process and noted that the city has master plans and ongoing drainage and utility projects that will tie into the developments. He said traffic studies, drainage engineering and plats will be completed at later stages and that engineering teams will address floodplain and runoff issues.

Council framing and next steps: Several council members acknowledged residents’ concerns about flooding and school capacity but differentiated between annexation (the legal act of bringing land into the city) and subsequent approvals (platting, permits, infrastructure funding). One council member said talks with Midway ISD were underway and noted the district’s recent bond work addressing projected growth. Council members emphasized that annexation does not automatically approve plats or construction; those steps will require further studies and reviews.

What the annexation approvals mean now: Both annexation ordinances passed on first reading with council votes recorded at the meeting; Westlake’s accompanying PUD zoning also passed on first reading. The items will return for required second readings and for the detailed planning processes that evaluate traffic mitigation, drainage design, school‑capacity coordination, platting and utility extension agreements.

Community context: Speakers said they are not opposed to growth but seek greater transparency about infrastructure funding, school impacts, environmental reviews and builder selection. Developers and staff said those issues are part of later stages; council members asked residents to stay engaged as the projects advance.

The council did not vote to approve preliminary or final plats, nor did it adopt specific traffic or drainage mitigation plans at the Nov. 18 meeting; those remain future steps in the development and permitting process.