Two distinct neighborhoods becoming part of Leander
By Andra Lim, Austin American-Statesman | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
On the opposite side, roosters trot between chain-link fences, small manufactured houses and power poles that stretch their lines through trees.
These two neighborhoods on
The growth of
Like it or not, though, they're caught up in the next wave of expansion outward from
"
But growth comes with a price.
"It may not make financial sense, but it makes long-term planning sense," said
Skepticism from some
For instance, Yantis said,
The city plans to put in wider water lines for
But water lines and the lower insurance rates they would bring aren't enough for some
Another
The developer of
"If it affects my property, I would go to court," said Sommerfeld, whose home is uphill from a stream and has a barn out back where his cinnamon-colored horse lives.
Yantis said the original restrictions on the land will remain in effect even if they contradict the city's rules on zoning.
Warmer reception
Across town, in the lower- and middle-income Falcon Oaks neighborhood off
But the majority said they were looking forward to weeding out certain elements of their neighborhood with more consistent police presence and animal control, two services they could get under annexation.
"Our hope has been, the last few years, with all the growth around here, that it would make this neighborhood better,"
Paying property taxes in a lump sum could be difficult, Blakeney said, but it would probably be well worth the city services his family would get in return.
The
Once Falcon Oaks and
"We collect nothing from them right now," Fire Chief
In the short term,
One, off
The other area is off
------
What's Next
Falcon Oaks: The city is following a three-year process, laid out in state law, because there are more than 100 homes in this neighborhood.
Per state law, residents cannot stop annexation if the city follows the correct process.
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