The city is planning to annex land (outlined with green stripes) that will eventually be a 135 home subdivision named Oak Creek. Graphic courtesy of the city of Tyler.

The city of Tyler is expanding further south on Old Jacksonville Highway.

Tyler began the annexation process for a proposed 135-home development south of Knollwood subdivision, near the intersection of Old Jacksonville and West Cumberland Road. Knollwood is not included in the annexation and will remain out of the city limits.

The new subdivision, Oak Creek, is under development but currently is out of the city limits. The developer wishes to tap into the city’s water and wastewater system, which is significantly cheaper than building a system from scratch, said Michael Howell, Tyler Metropolitan Planning Organization manager.

That means opportunities for new developments to come into the city.

“Old Jacksonville is growing and has been growing,” Howell said. “(The corridor) has changed exceptionally quickly with the connection of Cumberland Road, and having that access and that connectivity will continue with the widening that (the Texas Department of Transportation) is doing. The corridor will continue to grow.”

Any new annexation must touch a border of the city limits, and in this case, there are a total of six separate landowners coming in at the same time to connect the new housing development to the limits, Howell said. The annexation is on both sides of Old Jacksonville Highway, and includes the intersection with West Cumberland Road, which is technically out of the city now. The city maintains the light at that intersection.

Because the land is undeveloped, it’s a fairly simple process to bring it into the city – the process includes two public hearings and a final approval. 

The first public hearing will be at a specially-called City Council meeting at 9 a.m. May 17.

The second will be 9 a.m. May 24 at a City Council meeting.

Final approval is slated for June 14.

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