East Texas

By CINDY MALLETTE
Staff Writer

The City Council unanimously approved a contract to survey Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ) to determine the boundaries of Bullard and Chandler relating to Tyler’s city limit.

The council awarded the contract, not to exceed $20,000, to Bob Matush Surveying in the hopes it will help the city during future boundary discussions with Bullard and Chandler. Council member Chris Simons said surveying the city limits will replace the existing reliance on Geographic Information Systems with more definitive boundary information.

Chandler City Administrator said on the phone prior to the City Council meeting that Tyler’s decision to survey does not concern him unless the city crosses the Neches River. He said that, in past discussions with the city, the river was determined as the stopping point to Tyler’s jurisdiction. He said preliminary indications put Tyler’s ETJ very close to Chandler, but does not infringe upon its city limits.

In 2005, a city of Tyler population analysis reported the population had grown to more than 100,000, allowing the city to expand its ETJ from a three-mile radius to a five-mile radius.

Since that time there has been discussion between the city and several outlying communities regarding the expanded ETJ and claims to land within or near it.

The council also approved ordinances to make several speed limit and speed zone changes.

At Dixie Elementary, the school speed zone along Patton Lane will be extended, and a new speed zone with a speed limit of 20 miles per hour will be added to Nimitz Street.

At Robert E. Lee, council members approved establishing a new school speed zone along Donnybrook Avenue with a speed limit of 30 mph.

The council also lowered the speed limit on a portion of South Broadway Avenue, from Heritage Drive to Southtown Drive, from 55 mph to 45 mph. Additionally, it approved temporary construction speed limit of 35 mph on a stretch of New Copeland Road, from Rieck Road to Paluxy Drive.

In other business the city council unanimously approved:

The following items are included on the consent agenda. They are considered either to be routine or have been discussed in prior meetings. They were considered together in a single vote and were approved unanimously:

The resolution allowing the sale of land within the city limits that is owned by taxing entities, including the city of Tyler was pulled from the agenda for further consideration.

Staff writer Adam Russell contributed to this report.