Arlington-Texas based home construction company D.R. Horton is seeking to annex 6.26 acres as the first step of a plan to eventually annex almost 290 acres just north of Edinburgh’s current boundaries for a future housing development. Image provided by Brian Tuohy
A small annexation could eventually be part of a nearly 287-acre housing development in Edinburgh.
Arlington, Texas-based home construction company D.R. Horton is seeking an annexation of 6.26 acres of land bordering Edinburgh, north of State Road 252 and bordered by County Road 650 East to the east and U.S. 31 to the west. That annexation will be up to a town council vote after an introduction and two readings.
If it’s approved, D.R. Horton will seek another annexation to the north of the first property. Company leaders will have to wait until the first annexation is approved because any annexed property has to be contiguous with properties already within the town’s boundaries. That second parcel would be about 111 acres, said Brian Tuohy, an attorney representing D.R. Horton.
If the council approves the annexation of that land, D.R. Horton would seek the annexation of a third and final parcel, this one 170 acres, bordering the second piece of land to the east. The land will also need to be rezoned for residential use before the plan can move forward.
“If everything works out according to plan, they could have it rezoned next summer and then they would start constructing roads and putting in utilities and things like that in the fall of 2024,” Tuohy said. “I think realistically, you would probably not see homes there until the first quarter or even later of 2025.”
Officials from D.R. Horton plan to build single-family houses on the land, but it’s too early to say how many homes will be built or the price range of those houses. There is also the potential for commercial lots to be included in the land, Tuohy said.
While residents are often hesitant about new development, an addition like this would help increase the tax burden on individuals by increasing the tax base, he said.
“It will certainly significantly increase the tax base of Edinburgh by having improvements on that land. That land now doesn’t generate much taxes for the community and from my understanding the school (district) has capacity for more students,” Tuohy said.
D.R. Horton has built communities elsewhere in the county, including Highland Knoll in Bargersville, Saddlebrook Farms in Whiteland and the Meadows at Bellevue in White River Township, among other developments.
During the past decade, the Edinburgh Industrial Park has developed on the southern end of town, and currently has 25 businesses. With job growth, people will need a place to live, he said.
“It seems like a cool community. Recently they’ve had a number of new employers announce new development in Edinburgh and there’s not many housing options for people that want to move to Edinburgh,” Tuohy said. “This will provide them a place to live in the community. You’d like people to live where they work and attend the schools and participate in sports and churches. This will give those folks an option.”
Housing growth is something town council members have expressed support for in the past. Decreasing enrollment and lack of housing growth is an underlying reason Edinburgh voters were asked to approve a school funding referendum in May of last year.
