Mesquite wants to annex an additional 5.7 miles of land, but the City Council is facing roadblocks along the way. According to the Dallas Morning News, the city is racing to try to get the annexation approved before a change to annexation law takes effect on Dec. 1.

The dispute is between Dallas and Kaufman County landowners, and both counties have filed their own restraining orders. Because the restraining orders are delaying the annexation, the city of Mesquite has filed a second appeal in hopes of beating the deadline. Other North Texas cities are trying to partake in speedy annexations before the deadline. 

The second appeal claims that the district doesn’t have jurisdiction over the issue. However, it doesn’t look favorable that the appeals will allow the annexation to go through before the standards become much tougher.

However, if the appeal is successful, residents of the disputed land aren’t likely to give up without a fight. Lawyers for the residents claim the annexation process itself hasn’t followed proper procedures, including timely notification of landowners and holding public hearings about the issue.

The Texas Attorney General’s office also warned that it could act to nullify the annexation even if it is approved. 

If an agreement isn’t reached before the Dec. 1 deadline, the annexation would have to come up for a public vote or petition. Officials say Kaufman County residents are very unlikely to approve the annexation. Representatives for the residents say the appeals are just wasting taxpayer dollars.

About 200 acres of the land in question falls within Dallas County, with the rest in Kaufman County.