Following an executive session during Tuesday afternoon’s meeting, the Brownwood Municipal Development District Board of Directors voted to file a petition to annex properties on CC Woodson near the Pecan Bayou, and at 2804 Stephen F. Austin.

The property on CC Woodson is the “borrow pit,” where dirt has been used for some construction projects around the city. Meanwhile, the Stephen F. Austin property lies near WT Harris and Ratliff Steel near the railroad.

Brownwood Deputy City Manager Ray Tipton said of the reasons for wanting to annex the properties, “The BMDD owns seven tracts of property, five of which are near Indian Creek Townhomes and those are all inside the city limits. The borrow pit that we purchased five years on CC Woodson is not inside the city limits, and at the time we didn’t see the need for that. After an assessment of BMDD property, it would be good for any potential use of that property to have it inside the city limits. The one in the industrial area, 2804 Stephen F. Austin, it’s along the rail and not inside the city limits. We are recommending to go ahead and petition the City of Brownwood to annex both of these in the city limits that way if we ever do anything with both of these in the future that will be fully taxable.”

Earlier in the meeting, Tipton updated the Board on the progress of the Shops on Commerce, the 41,000 square foot shopping center that will be located at 537 W. Commerce and consist of Ross, Ulta Beauty, Five Below, Bath & Body Works and James Avery.

Tipton said, “Site work is well under way and they’re about to shift to the slab portion of that. My last report as of yesterday was they’ll start pouring the slab over the next few weeks.”

Regarding the Preserve on Mustang Ridge housing development near Brownwood Middle School, Tipton added, “We are almost at a complete draft of the agreement. There are a couple of legal questions on it.”

When plans were announced this past June, construction was initially expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2025 with completion expected in 14 months, so rental properties could be available at the start of 2027.

Tipton also told the BMDD Board that at the first Brownwood City Council meeting of February, approval is anticipated for the second phase of Riverside Park improvements to go out for bid.

Also, a grant application to assist with funding for the covering at the Central Texas Veterans Memorial will be submitted to the Lower Colorado River Authority, as the deadline is the end of January.

Also, Susan Banks with the Small Business Development Center provided a report to the BMDD Board regarding the third and fourth quarters of 2025.