During its July 9 meeting, Bee Cave City Council began the formal process to annex property in its extraterritorial jurisdiction, or ETJ, the unincorporated land within 1 mile of Bee Cave's borders.

In its first year as a home rule city, Bee Cave has the authority to annex up to 337.5 acres, or 10 percent of the 3,375 acres inside its city limits, City Manager Frank Salvato said.

The land proposed for the first phase of the city's annexation includes about 109 acres surrounding Hwy. 71 just west of Bee Cave's current city limits.

The city must comply with state law, which requires giving written notice of its intent to annex to all property owners in the proposed annexation area as well as notifying entities that service the area, such as utilities.

Residents who meet certain agricultural, wildlife and timber exemption requirements can agree that their land not be annexed by signing a development agreement with the city, Salvato said.

Salvato said that he was not aware of any residents living in the proposed annexation area, and, as of July 24, had not received a request for any development agreements.

The city of Bee Cave will host public hearings Aug. 13 and 15 to give property owners an opportunity to speak about the proposed annexation. The meetings will be at 6 p.m. at Bee Cave City Hall, 4000 Galleria Parkway, Bee Cave.

Salvato will prepare a service plan before the first meeting. He said the plan will outline who will provide necessary services such as garbage, telephone, water and wastewater to the new area.

"[Hwy. 71] is already being served by our police department since we back up the county [on emergency calls]," Salvato said. "Once it's annexed, we take priority."