Difference between revisions of "Annexations"

There are three annexation layers and then the CityLimits layer which for the most part reflects them.

• Proposed_Annexations: contains areas that will be annexed. These should be the full area of an annexation and should not be updated as parts of it are annexed.
• Recent_Annexations: contains the areas which are actually annexed (no non-annexation agreements) from 1998 onwards. This was the original feature class for tracking annexations and now it serves as extra work whenever you need to update an annexation and as a slightly more convenient way of only showing recent annexations in a map.
• Recent_Annexations_Citywide_Historical: contains annexations from 1960 onwards. The 1960 annexation that starts it is a massive one that enclosed the whole city, so it provides a good basis for all the annexations that follow. Older annexation ordinances could not be found, and are now so far in the past that they don't matter.

If you are entering new annexations, it's critical to read the annexation ordinance correctly. Triple check your reading. The latest ordinances have followed this formula:

Describe a large area to be annexed (which gets added to Proposed_Annexations) Exclude certain parcels from that area (which get added to CityLimits as an NAA classed feature) Annex the remainder (add to both Recent_Annexations layer and to CityLimits as COD class)

The trick step is figuring out which parcels to exclude. Create a new feature class (gdb or shapefile) and copy excluded parcels to it to keep track. New annexations will likely all include propid numbers, which makes this easier, but you still have to be careful of the wording.

Tricky wording example of an exclusion (#5 from Exhibit C of ordinance 2015-182):

Being 25.447 acres of land, more or less, situated in the S. Huizar Survey, Abstract No. 514 and the G. Barb Survey, Abstract No. 208, described in that Deed of Gift dated December 22, 1994, from James W. Wetzel and Freda J. Wetzel to Lisa K. Fergason and James Fergason, filed for record on December 27, 1994 and recorded in Instrument Number 94- R0093960 of the Real Property Records of Denton County, Texas;

SAVE AND EXCEPT that portion of the 25. 447 acre tract lying within the existing city limits, commonly known as DCAD Property ID 75052;

And further SAVE AND EXCEPT that portion of the 25. 447 acre tract of land previously conveyed to the State of Texas for Highway 380 right of way;

Leaving 7. 535 acres, more or less, commonly known as DCAD Property ID 60782 and DCAD Property ID 36633.

This begins by describing an overall shape of 25.447 acres that won't be annexed. Then it removes a parcel and some right-of-way from that tract. The remainder is 60782 and 36633, which means that those two parcels will NOT be annexed. Big shape not being annexed minus some stuff that will be annexed leaves a portion of the big shape to not be annexed. Maybe this seems clear to you, but when you're reading through dozens of descriptions like this it's easy to mess up.

Read carefully and check your work.