Bradley brothers buy land on Northside to build homes; will seek annexation of enclave that's not in city limits

Google map, with some labels added, shows undeveloped area around Graves home. See map below for correct city limits. 

Seven and a half acres in the middle of Midway, but not actually in the city, have been sold for a residential development.

The purchase was made Wednesday, June 17, by Mike and Scott Bradley, sons of Chuck and Shirley Bradley of Georgetown. Family members owned and operated the Midway Corner Grocery for 41 years, until January, when Scott and his wife Susan sold the business.

The property to be developed lies between the grocery and Northridge Estates. It was the remainder of the Fisher farm, more recently owned by Jack and Debbie Graves, according to a press release from Northside Homes, the limited-liability company formed by Mike and Scott Bradley.

Mike Bradley told the Messenger that the purchase covers 10.5 acres, but almost three acres is unusable because it is a drainage-detention area for Northridge. In addition to the main parcel of 7.3 acres, which includes the Graves home, it includes a small lot next to the grocery, he said.

Bradley, a real-estate agent, said he and his brother will be the developers, and will probably partner with another company once lots are platted, probably in a "about a month or so."

Zoning map shows property isn't in city limits (red line).
For a slightly larger version of this map, click on it.
For the complete city limits map, see below. 

The property is already zoned single-family residential, but it is not in the city limits, although it is surrounded by the city. Bradley said they would seek annexation, and said Mayor Grayson Vandegrift has told him that he favors annexation.

Vandegrift said in an email, "If the development gets through Planning and Zoning and the council passed it, my policy is to annex, or else we would not provide services. If we’re going to be providing the infrastructure we might as well get property taxes and clean up our map as well as make sure those potential future citizens aren’t left to feel like black sheep."

Asked earlier to comment generally on the Bradleys' plans, Vandegrift said, "This is obviously a big and complicated issue that I’m sure many of our citizens will be keenly interested in learning more about and giving feedback. I don’t want to make any statements of support or dissent until I can see the plan specifically, know exactly how many homes we’re talking about, whether more water retention will be necessary, and hear from our citizens as to they want. But we all knew at some point we were going to have this conversation again. Looks like we’re about to start."

The press release said, "One of the more important, broader goals of Mike and Scott Bradley is affordability while ensuring the neighborhood fits the design and feel of the Midway they came to love since their family moved from Los Angeles in 1979" to take over the grocery. "All five of the siblings would eventually work in the store."

Mike Bradley's wife, real-estate agent Missy Bradley, said in the release, “Whatever the final design of the neighborhood is, I want to make it truly a part of Midway, something my mother would be proud of, something young families could afford so they could enjoy growing up in Midway as much as I did.” Her mother was the late Betty Bright, Midway's first female City Council member. 

Mike Bradley said in the release, “We will work hard to come up with a design befitting Midway, and one that will remain as attractive in future years as it will be new; affordable housing designed for individual owners, attractive smaller homes with very nice finishes.”

The residential development will be the largest in Midway since the mid-1990s, when Northridge Estates was completed. There is a great demand for affordable housing in the city, to the extent that the city has an Affordable Housing Committee looking at the issue. 

City Council Member Stacy Thurman, who chairs the Affordable Housing Committee, said in an email, "I am cautiously optimistic about this, but I don’t have enough details yet. I’m anxious to hear about the number of homes and the price range. This could be a good opportunity for modest and manageable growth in Midway. It will be interesting to see!"

Vandegrift provided this map of the city limits: