An annexation committee has recommended several areas, including the Wildwood Addition just south of town, for the Lampasas City Council to consider bringing into the city limits.

Although the City Council discussed the committee’s proposals during a workshop session Monday, no immediate action is planned. The committee consists of Mayor Pro Tem Les Gerhardt and Councilmen Brad Neely and Evan Stubbs.

Annexation of land between the southern city limits and Lampasas High School, as well as on both sides of Farm-to-Market Road 580 West from the city limits to the end of the sports complex under construction, can be accomplished with little expense, City Manager Michael Stoldt said. Those places would not require utility extensions.

Other areas the annexation committee recommended for consideration, however, would cost too much to bring into the city immediately, Stoldt said.

A 678-acre zone called “Area 4” -- listed as the committee’s highest priority -- includes parts of South Chestnut Street, Old Austin Road and U.S. Highway 183 South. The area also includes County Road 4030/Millican Street, CR 4000/Supple, CR 4002/ Hereford and CR 4003/Mockingbird.

Infrastructure extensions required for the annexation of those areas could total more than $1.8 million, according to the committee’s estimates. Area 4 would generate approximately $36,500 in additional annual tax revenue for the city, the committee estimated. That figure does not include sales tax receipts that could result from development of the nearby city business park.

If the roads and residential prop- erties south of town were to be annexed, city officials would need to decide whether to extend the city limits to the business park as well.

The committee’s fourth-highest priority, “Area 1,” begins at the northern city limits and extends to the Lampasas Municipal Airport.

That annexation, which would bring as many as 380 acres into the city, could be handled as a fourphase project.

Infrastructure extension costs are estimated to be $110,890 for the first phase, $917,398 for the second, almost $2 million for the third and about $475,500 for the fourth phase.

Proceedings for the annexation of Area 4 and/or Area 1 likely will not begin until 2011, Stoldt said. At that time, voters could consider the annexations as part of a capital improvements project on a debt issuance ballot, the city manager said.

“Obviously, I wouldn’t recommend we begin annexation of areas that are going to cost $1 million to annex until we have funding,” Stoldt said.

Although no dates were set for beginning the less-expensive annexations, city staff expect the Lampasas Independent School District to request that the high school property be annexed. City staff also believe Grace Fellowship may request that city boundaries be extended to include the church property.

Because neither the school nor the church property is adjacent to the city limits, however, other land closer to the Lampasas limits also would have to be annexed.

East of U.S. 281, the annexation committee recommended annexing only Texas Department of Transportation right of way and not nearby homes.