The Huntsville City Council continued to gobble up land at its regular meeting Thursday, approving an annexation request north of Bob Wade Lane.

The 572.48 acres are bisected by Mt. Lebanon Road. The annexation was requested by the Sam and Rosa Harris Family Farm LLC and, according to city administrators, could help support and foster new retail development along the Northern Bypass.

The land is expected to be developed through a master planning process for residential and commercial development.

Thomas Nunez, the city’s manager of planning services, told the council the Harris family “has been working significantly with the City of Huntsville through acquisition, through right of way acquisition, as we have expansion of the Northern Bypass. They are excited about the opportunity to petition our council to annex into the city limits.’’

The ordinance passed unanimously.

The Planning Commission will now take up the matter in a public hearing at its Aug. 26 meeting regarding zoning for the property. More than 500 acres has been proposed for Residence 2 or Residence 2-B, while 65 acres is targeted for Highway Business C-4 designation.

“This is a legacy farm in the northern part of the city,’’ said Shane Davis, director of urban and economic development. “The Harris family has been speaking with both Mr. Nunez and myself to bring this into the city.’’

Davis added that after the Planning Commission meeting the project will move to master planning “in a way to where the build out will be multi-phased to not place a negative impact on our city services or the school system in the way that it will be developed.’’

Signs cause confusion

Complaints have been received by District 4 Councilman Bill Kling and others concerning what residents have called misleading signage at some downtown parking lots.

Kling said the complaints are about a private company issuing parking citations for parking in private lots, which is allowed.

“But then the fact that the parking lot has big signs to say public parking seems to be a little deceptive,’’ Kling added. “People get in and they’re not aware that there’s paid parking (in places) on this lot, whereas downtown nights and weekends there’s no paid parking (in public spaces or lots). Anyway, it seemed kind of deceptive to me and I know some people have been hit with $35 parking tickets.’’

According to City Attorney Trey Riley, the confusion stems from whether a lot is private and requires payment, or public and free after 5 p.m. on weekdays and throughout the weekend. The confusion is compounded because of where the signs are placed, sometimes at more than one location on a single lot, and some signs include small print.

“They are often complicated, rather verbose,’’ Riley said. “You would have to sit and pull up a chair to read all the information that’s on them and somewhat unclear.’’

PMC Management of Nashville operates several parking lots in downtown Huntsville, including multiple lots on Williams Avenue at United Community Bank, Regions Bank, and the Park Plaza Offices. They also control a lot at Huntsville Museum of Art.

Riley added that offenders receive ticket notices in the mail and aren’t sure if they’re real or a scam.

“The city attorney’s office is looking into drafting an ordinance to address the issue or issues arising out of this,’’ he said.

Tackle football

For the second meeting in a row, District 1 Councilwoman Michelle Watkins opined that tackle football youth leagues should once again be sponsored by the city because, she said, “it puts us in a handicap’’ by not doing so.

“That’s one of the sports that the city does not fund. They fund soccer, they fund volleyball, they fund everything else except tackle football. And I don’t know what the problem is with tackle football. But the city is at a disadvantage right now because the county has tackle football at a young age. They’re ready to play (on the high school level).

“That’s why when you see the county teams running over city teams, they’re at an advantage. I believe tackle football needs to be back into the city. I’m investing some of my (district) appropriation money to help these organizations get equipment that they need, as well as to get uniforms.’’