The Planning and Development Department has received a petition from the President, Board of Trustees of Humble ISD, to release a 2.434-acre parcel (Annexation Area) from the extra-territorial jurisdiction (ETJ) of Houston for annexation by the City of Humble. Humble ISD owns all the land that is the subject of this petition. Humble ISD’s planned development in and around the Annexation Area includes a new location for Ross Sterling Middle School, which will replace its current location on Wilson Road, and the extension of the existing school sports facilities. The Annexation Area is also adjacent to Humble ISD’s Lakeland Elementary School. There are no other planned improvements to this Humble ISD-owned property in the ETJ release area. This Humble ISD tract in this petition request is currently in the City of Houston’s ETJ while the rest of the school tract is in the City of Humble.
This jurisdictional division causes numerous points of duplication and confusion in the policing of school campus and the provision of other municipal services to the Humble ISD’s property. Besides that, improvements to Humble ISD’s facilities will require review and approval by both cities, Houston and Humble, causing duplication of work and delay to Humble ISD’s projects to allow both municipal processes to complete. Also, the property has no ad valorem or sales tax value.
The City of Humble has provided us with a letter expressing their intent to annex the tracts if Houston releases them from the ETJ. Houston Public Works has looked at the area proposed for ETJ release and determined that Houston will not be able to provide city water and wastewater in the area in the immediate future as the nearest service area is 2.5 miles away. In 2020, the City released 98.08 acres of land (Ordinance 2020-435) adjacent to this tract at the request of Humble ISD for annexation to the City of Humble therefore it is unlikely that the City of Houston would be able to annex this property in the foreseeable future. Such a release will not impair the City’s ability to annex any other territory in the vicinity. This release will also not impair mobility in the City of Houston or in the ETJ.
The Planning and Development Department recommends that the City Council release the 2.434 acres of land located to the northeast of the intersection of Wilson Road and Will Clayton Parkway.
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Vonn Tran
Director
Planning and Development Department