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New housing development underway

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Local investors plan to offer “unique living sites with a ranch setting only minutes from the center of historic Albany” with the new Clarke Estate Development project.

The project has been divided into two phases, and phase one is underway. 

The 159.55 acres included in the first part is located just to the east of the Albany ISD track.

The land has been divided into 22 lots of various sizes ranging from 5.5 to 15.6 acres, and roads have been laid out.

“We will construct all- weather gravel roads 22 feet wide,” said investor Keith Holcomb. “It is our hope that they will be paved at a future date.”

The investors also intend for the development to be annexed into the city limits, and started that process by submitting a petition to the Albany City Council on Monday, July 9 for voluntary annexation. The petition was approved by the council. 

Texas law requires at least two public hearings before annexation, but according to city manager Billy Holson, lawyers have told him that in this case the two hearings can occur on the same day, back-to-back, because it is a voluntary annexation, and there are no residents on the 159 acres.

The public meetings are scheduled to take place on Tuesday, July 24, starting at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall, and the City Council could then approve the annexation agreement by the middle of August. 

“I am all for it, because it should increase our overall tax base after houses are built on the lots,” said Holson. “When the total tax base of the city goes up, we don’t have to raise taxes as much on any individual property, so it will benefit the city down the road. I’m behind it 100 percent.”

Once property is annexed into a city, state law also requires that the municipality immediately begin supplying the area with police protection, fire protection, EMS, solid waste collection, operation and maintenance of water and wastewater facilities, operation and maintenance of roads and streets, and operation and maintenance of publicly owned parks and play grounds.

“Each lot will have a septic system for now,” said Holson. “It will be included as part of the zoning deed restriction.”

The city will be responsible for maintaining the streets.

“There is no current plan to pave them,” said Holson. “We have a lot of streets in Albany that are not paved.”

According to Holcomb, the city and Clarke Estates are working together to determine who will pay to install the water lines.

“A six-inch main water line will be run from Breckenridge Street to Hwy. 6, going into the division,” said Holson. “Each lot will receive water to the property, with a meter on each lot.”

Holcomb added that the water meters will be paid for by the owners.

“All water lines from the meters to the houses are a property owner’s expense,” Holcomb said. “All power is planned to be run underground, except where that is not possible because of rock (directly) below the surface. AEP will pay for the electric infrastructure upfront.”

Water lines would be run after the electric company has completed their work, added Holcomb.

“We have just started on the underground power,” Holcomb said earlier this week. “The (work on the) water would begin after the power is complete. We do not expect both to be complete until October.”

There will be restrictive covenants on the deeds, but those specifics were not available at press time.

“The minimum house size is to be 1,800 square feet, and there are restrictions similar to those at Momentum’s project,” said Holcomb. “This is still being developed and is about 80 percent complete. The area will be zoned for residential only – no commercial use of any kind.”

An additional 202 acres between phase one and the Albany airport is planned for phase two.

“We are unsure of timing, but it is the ownership’s desire to annex into the city as early as is feasible,” said Holcomb.

The project is being developed and carried out by Clarke Estates Development LLC, which is a partnership between MCPL Albany East LLC and 2122 Kidwell LLC.

MCPL Albany East LLC is an entity beneficially owned by members of the A.V. Jones Jr. and Jean Jones Tucker family. 2122 Kidwell LLC is owned by Justin Trail and Keith Holcomb.

Those with questions are encouraged to visit the development’s website at www.clarkeestates.com and/or to attend the public hearings on July 24 at City Hall.