City takes on more of anticipated annexation costs
By SHANNON CRABTREE scrabtree@leader-news.com

Softening the potential financial blow of a municipal annexation, El Campo City Council members agreed to pay tap fees for all incoming existing homes and businesses and extend to one year the deadline to link into lines.

But annexation still won't be cheap for those sitting on targeted fringes of the city facing requirements of running water and sewer lines as well as abating septic tanks.

"Our recommendation is that we pay for everything (directly on the line)," City Manager John Steelman said. "We are not being asked (by those in targeted areas) to be annexed."

Councilman Robert Boone disagreed.

"I can't agree with that. The taxpayers of El Campo had to pay for theirs," he said.

City ordinances place the cost for new taps and meters within the already existing boundaries of the city limits on the account holder.

The majority of City Council sided with the staff recommendation with the measure passing 5-2 with Boone and Councilwoman Gloria Harris standing against.

"They are not asked," Councilman Anthony Collins said.

Line extensions, even if the effort starts almost immediately after December annexation decisions, would likely take two or more years to be completed.

Within a year of completion, home and business owners in annexed areas would still have to pay for any additional or oversized taps and meters, yard line installation and septic tank abatement - potentially several thousand dollars.

All municipal ordinances - including bans on burning - would be effective immediately.

To cope with garbage, Council approved in the same 5-2 vote, a measure to allow for a garbage-only deposit in areas where utlities are not yet available.

For all city residents, there is an anticipated rise in water bills which will coincide with annexation and the subsequent expansion of the municipal utility grid.

It all comes down to the city's cost for water line expansion, which at this point is anticipated to be in the $5 million range, although it could be dramatically reduced by reshaping annexation territories and city tax participation in the program.

If all five areas under consideration were to be annexed, it could mean a $7 or more increase in water bills for each account holder each month for the next 20 years.

Reduced in territory, the annexations could produce a $3 or more per month increase.

The public will have an opportunity to discuss their feelings for and against five annexation targeted areas during public hearings Tuesday Nov. 6 and Tuesday, Nov. 13 in the Duson Room at the El Campo Civic Center. Both hearings start at 7 p.m.

The move to the Civic Center is being made to accommodate potentially large crowds. More than 300 notices were sent to landowners in the areas under consideration.

Areas under consideration with zoning recommendations approved are:

• Area 1: Along Hwy. 71 North bounded by Sandy Corner Road to the west and Wilbur Road to the north while the eastern boundary would be 500 feet east of Hwy. 71 or the depth of the individual pieces of property.

Zoning would be for industrial use east of Hwy. 71 with commercial uses bordering the roadway. Residential development would be anticipated in the Sandy Corner area.

• Area 3: The 60-acre Sunset Terrace tract off FM 2765 just north of the new middle school site. This would be residential.

• Area 4: A tract south of FM 2765 bounded north by FM 2765, east by Ellwood Street and south by Doris Street. This would be residential.

• Area 5: A 1,000-plus foot wide strip from along East Jackson Street running east to U.S. 59 to a quarter mile east of the first El Campo exit. This would be commercial.

• Area 6: An L-shaped tract both north and south of Jackson Street from South Meadow Lane toward the Rice Belt bridge. A blend of industrial and commercial was accepted.