Proposed Water Line Faces Opposition In Anna
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ANNA (CBSDFW.COM) - A Collin County town is accused of turning its back on one of its oldest pioneer families.
Jim Luscombe and his ancestors have lived on more than 100 acres in Anna since the 1800s.
"I've traced things back to original immigrants shortly after the Civil War," says Luscombe.
The 70-year-old was a boy when generations of his family built a farm with a pecan grove that now sells its harvest on-site along with homemade jellies.
But the town of Anna's plans for a new water line along Foster Crossing, which runs through the Luscombe farm raises concerns that the town is preparing to turn the road into a major thoroughfare.
"It's dividing what we've spent 100 plus years putting together," says Luscombe.
Luscombe and other concerned homeowners demanded to know the town's plans before a city council vote on whether to use eminent domain for the water line. The council insists the water line will not force removal of any trees and does not mean there will be wider road.
But a room full of citizens wasn't buying it.
Still, the council voted 4-3 to approve the water line and use eminent domain if necessary to acquire the land.
Whether Foster Crossing will ever be widened is a question that will be answered down the road.
The town's mayor tried to reassure angry citizens any widening project is not going to happen anytime soon. Despite this, it's in Anna's long term master plan.