CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Top officials from Corpus Christi and San Patricio County appeared before the State Land & Resource Management Committee on Tuesday for an annexation hearing.
San Patricio County is protesting Corpus Christi's proposed annexation of more than 7000 acres of land on the north side of Corpus Christi Bay.
Texas House Bill 2589 would give San Patricio County voters the right to veto the Corpus Christi annexation plan.
During Tuesday's meeting, both sides got a chance to make their case.
State Representative J.M. Lozano is the sponsor for House Bill 2589.
Lozano and San Patricio County Judge David Krebs stood in front of the committee and said their most significant problem with the annexation is that the City of Corpus Christi is crossing a bay and going into another county.
According to Krebs, the bill would keep San Patricio County the way it is.
Opposing side Corpus Christi Mayor Joe McComb said the 7,000 acres of vacant land would be used for industrial growth and taking it over wouldn't affect residents of San Patricio County.
"It's not gonna have one bit of impact on those city's about losing any revenue because they're not getting any now and their ETJ is they cannot go out and get this property because it's in Corpus Christi's ETJ, " McComb said.
The Extra-Territorial Jurisdiction is an area outside of a city where the city can use for any future growth.
Even though the City of Corpus Christi doesn't take annexing lightly, they are trying to do it while they can, because of bills in the legislative session that would restrict cities annexation rights.
McComb said the city has always supported the region because of its interest in industrial growth and in turn that helps the whole area.
Lozano believes the hearing was beneficial and helped lines of communication between both parties.
According to Lozano, they could soon reach a compromise that would make the bill unnecessary.