At its June 26 meeting, the Huntsville City Council annexed roughly 128 acres of land, and at its first meeting this month, it is expected to annex over 1,000 acres.
However, Huntsville City Councilwoman Michelle Watkins is still worried about whether Huntsville City Schools will be able to accommodate the additional pupils that the new land acquisitions would bring. The meeting’s largest annexation, a 121-acre property west of U.S. 72 East and north and south of Little Cove Road, was not put to a vote by Watkins.
Watkins, who served on the school board before to being elected to the council last year, stated, “I’m asking these questions because the schools are busting at the seams.”
According to Mayor Tommy Battle, municipal officials discuss annexations and Huntsville’s urban growth at their weekly meetings with municipal Schools Superintendent Clarence Sutton.
According to the mayor, they discuss a wide range of topics that have an impact on the city and school board.
Thomas Nunez, the manager of planning and zoning services, stated that while 90 acres of the 121 acres of property would remain in their natural nature, a development of more than 100 single-family homes is planned for the area off Little Cove Road. Additionally, two additional properties totaling roughly seven acres were voted to be annexed by the council.
The petitioners for the Little Cove Road property were Deposit Road, LLC, the estates of William Stevens and Kelly Virginia Stevens, as well as James R. Hays and John W. Hays, managers of the management committee.
With more than 600 acres already acquired this year, the city has surpassed Chicago to become the 37th largest city in the country in terms of area (227 square miles). The nearly 400-acre property along the Interstate 65-565 intersection is part of the previously annexed area, and as part of a mixed-use development, roughly 3,000 residences are planned.
At its meeting on July 10, the council will also decide to annex an additional 1,013 acres west of Vaughn Road and south of River Loop Road. Just a little over 85 acres were annexed by Huntsville last year.
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