The Sanderson Property proposed to be annexed by Huntsville.

The City of Huntsville plans to introduce an ordinance annexing over 1,200 acres of land in Limestone County between I-65 and Highway 31 south of Huntsville-Brownsferry Road.

Two ordinances will be introduced at the Dec. 15 Huntsville city council meeting at 5:30 p.m. Ordinances for annexation are introduced after property owners petition Huntsville’s planning commission.

The larger of the two ordinances is listed as the Haney Annexation. That property is 1,220.5 acres between Highway 31 and I-65. Based on documents on the Huntsville city council agenda, the property touches existing City of Huntsville property. GIS mapping shows the Haney property does touch the corner of the current Huntsville City limits. The second ordinance is for a much smaller piece of property – half an acre known as the Sanderson Annexation on the city council agenda. That half an acre is part of a larger property that would remain in Limestone County, based on GIS mapping.

The half acre of the Sanderson property would create a larger connection for the City of Huntsville to the Haney property. There is some property in the same general area that Athens is looking to annex. They will hold a public meeting on Dec. 22 to consider a resolution to annex the Braly property. The city already has annexed portions of the Braly property for past projects.

The city’s part of the Braly property and the Haney property that could be annexed by Huntsville both touch the Sanderson property today. The half acre of the Sanderson property and the Haney property that could be annexed by Huntsville could cut off Athens’ ability to grow south as they seek to annex the Braly property.

“Property owners have a right to annex if they choose to do so and if they petition. You know, overall, it’s extremely disappointing to me and toward the future of Athens for Huntsville to expand this far, but again, it is the property owner’s right,” Athens Mayor Ronnie Marks said.

Limestone County Commission Chairman Collin Daly said the annexation will not negatively impact property tax revenue. He also said that annexation of county property into city limits can even be helpful for infrastructure upkeep.

In the public notice of proposed action for the Dec. 22 meeting about the Braly property, the City of Athens resolution expresses a plan to create a sewer project “along lower Swan Creek that would serve multiple properties in the area.”

The News Courier asked Mayor Marks if the annexation of the Haney or Sanderson properties into Huntsville would affect their plans for sewer services and he responded that it would not at all.

“I would think that some of the City of Athens future expansion is certainly along Highway 31 south. and so, you know, are we prepared to do that right now – to provide all the services? I would say that we’d be prepared by the time we can get everything done,” Marks said.

The News Courier has contacted the Huntsville City Council to ask what benefits annexation of property has for the city as well as for property owners. The Haney and Sanderson property documents state the reason for request of annexation as “city services.”

Mayor Marks said the cities and the county often work with a common goal of regionalization and embrace changes that can be in everyone’s best interest.

“We work together. and yet, we work to protect our own cities and our city’s future. So, you know, we’ll look at it and see what the votes are, and we will respond and continue to grow and work together where we can,” Marks said.