Gun Barrel City council denies Lakeside Acres disannexation petition after public hearing

Gun Barrel City Council voted unanimously May 27 to deny a petition asking that Lakeside Acres be removed from the city’s corporate limits and revert to Henderson County jurisdiction.

At a public hearing, residents and petition representatives raised both complaints and concerns. One resident warned that disannexation would remove city utilities and raise household costs; another speaker, introduced at the podium, said petitioners contend the city provides little code enforcement and insufficient animal‑control services.

City Secretary Janet Dillard told the council staff received the petition May 6 and that it listed 45 original signatures; staff verified 31. Dillard said Henderson County appraisal records show 151 lots and roughly 100 unique property owners in Lakeside Acres, and she briefed council on Texas law governing disannexation. "Staff believes the petition doesn't meet any of the criteria to be legally disannexed," Dillard said, while noting the city charter gives council discretion to act.

Council members also cited public‑safety workload. The staff packet and council discussion recorded calls for service of 11 in 2024, 64 in 2025 and 65 as of May 6, 2026 for the Lakeside Acres area.

Council member April Burns moved to deny the petition; Doug Lander seconded. The motion passed on a unanimous voice vote.

By denying the petition, the council left Lakeside Acres under city jurisdiction. Staff told council the matter could be revisited in ordinance form only if council directed it, and Dillard said appeal or further action would follow the city’s procedural channels.

The council closed the public hearing and moved on to other agenda items; no ordinance was introduced at the meeting.