Texas-based grocer H-E-B is continuing to make preparations for its first location in Magnolia city limits in the next few years. During the Nov. 10 City Council meeting, Magnolia officials announced H-E-B submitted a petition requesting the annexation of a 0.855-acre tract adjacent to a 163-acre parcel annexed into city limits last fall, City Attorney Leonard Schneider said. “City Council can accept [the petition for annexation] and have public hearings in December and in January adopt it or possibly adopt in December,” Schneider said. The 0.855-acre tract is located at the corner of Spur 149 and FM 1488 across from Magnolia High School, Magnolia City Administrator Paul Mendes said. “That’s where [H-E-B is] going to put their gas station,” Mendes said. “When they were annexed into the city a year ago, they didn’t have ownership of that one piece of property, but now they are asking to be included in the city limits also.” H-E-B is the first tenant to purchase property at the future 142-acre Magnolia Commons mixed-use center that will be developed by Austin-based Stratus Properties Inc., development partner Jon Andrus said. H-E-B purchased about 18 acres in September 2014 at the newly annexed site, Andrus said. Stratus Properties confirmed the sale of the land to H-E-B in May. Stratus plans to develop the center with 400,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space, including a possible movie theater, a home improvement store, 12 pad sites and 1,200 multifamily buildings or townhomes.