Council approves annexations to expand Synergy Park and bring Witter Lane into city maintenance

The Temple City Council approved two voluntary annexation items on first reading and by vote during the meeting.

Miss Strickland presented the first reading for the voluntary annexation of approximately 212.121 acres in the city's extraterritorial jurisdiction intended to expand Synergy Park for industrial development. Staff said utilities and services would be determined at the planning stage and that a rezoning and plat would follow the annexation. The Municipal Service Agreement (MSA) associated with the annexation had been sent by certified mail and accepted; staff recommended approval. The council voted 4-0 to approve the first reading of the annexation ordinance.

A second, smaller item was presented as a cleanup annexation of about 1.63 acres to bring Witter (Whitter) Lane into city maintenance oversight and clarify the boundary between city and county responsibility. Miss Strickland said the parcel had been released by the Bell County Commissioner's Court and that the MSA was accepted. During the public hearing an attendee commented, "Anyone driven down Witter? It's pretty bad." The council voted 4-0 to approve the Witter Lane annexation.

Both annexations were described as first-reading actions; staff noted additional zoning and platting steps will follow where applicable.