Land near annexation

The city of Odessa hasn’t been working out. But it could be getting quite a bit bigger by the end of the month.

Marwan Khoury, city planning director, said the city is awaiting a letter from the U.S. Department of Justice signing off on the annexation of 1,928 acres, which has already gone through City Council.

“As soon as we get the letter, it goes into effect,” he said.

The annexation would increase the city’s size by 7.8 percent.

Khoury said cities are required to have justice department approval anytime they annex land so the department can review population figures to make sure City Council districts are closely drawn. But since the three major areas being annexed are vacant, he doesn’t expect that to be an issue.

“Once it’s developed, then later on we’ll make adjustments,” he said.

That could happen within the next eight to 10 years. Khoury said the populations of the annexed areas could reach between 4,000 and 5,000 people.

The areas being annexed include 784 acres in the area between East 52nd Street and Yukon Road, mostly northwest of Ratliff Stadium.

While the area isn’t part of the city yet, Khoury said the annexed areas would benefit from a $4.8 million project that’s bringing 5.2 miles of sewer pipelines to northeastern Odessa.

Another 288 acres is being annexed east of Mission Boulevard. That is being done in the short term to make sure drilling is done following city regulations, but Khoury has said it could eventually be used for residential areas.

A large part of the job of connecting to city water and sewer will fall on developers of subdivisions, Khoury said.

Another area being annexed is Larry Lee’s Leeco Industrial Park, where Lufkin Industries has started work on an $8.5 million facility that will house oilfield service operations, technological and automation training and electronic cable manufacturing.

Khoury said the Odessa Development Corp. could help provide money to bring services to the industrial park, which the city is annexing 856 acres to bring in.

Gary Vest, economic development director for the Odessa Chamber of Commerce, said bringing the Leeco park into the city helps with luring other potential businesses to Odessa.

“We’re very supportive of that,” he said. “We think that will enhance Larry Lee’s property because he will have infrastructure out there that he wouldn’t otherwise have.”

The city is annexing 600 feet on the east and west sides of JBS Parkway between East 52nd Street and Northeast Loop 338. It is expected to have primarily commercial usage.

Khoury said the city has a positive record in annexations.

The most recent one came in 2007, when the city annexed 289 acres in two tracts. The larger one is 231 acres between Yukon Road and East Loop 338 that is home to Ratliff Ranch Golf Links. Another 58 acres was annexed north of Business Interstate 20, between Billy Hest Road and the Midland County Line.

“At this point there’s a lot that’s going on there,” Khoury said.

A complex of townhouses is among the proposals for the area, he said.

Before that, the city’s last major annexation came in 2003, when the city annexed 520 acres that was meant to boost the Estates of Shiloh housing development.

At the time, the city paid $302,628 to extend a sewer interceptor to the property.

Khoury said around 30 large homes have been built in the annexed area, and a Stripes (formerly Town & County) convenience store is planned.

Figuring out the long-term cost of annexation to the city can be difficult, Odessa City Manager Richard Morton said. Along with water and sewer extensions, factors include where to place fire stations and how to allocate police protection. But knowing that depends on how development occurs.

“Until you know where and when you’re going to, it’s hard to put a number on it,” he said.

But, if the people do come, it means increased property tax revenue for the city. But, because it gives the city flexibility in providing services, Khoury said any annexation is a success.