Residents Fear That Annexation Is Unsafe For Neighborhood

Several residents of Joshua Mabry Street in Carrollton are unhappy with the city’s approval to annex and re-zone 14-acres of nearby property, requested to provide the Southwire 12-For-Life facility additional access for light trucks and automobiles. Resident Ricardo Keith told city council Monday that it’s hard enough currently to even get two regular-sized cars down the street. “I have kids… my neighbors have kids… and there’s a lot of traffic up and down that road already,” he says. “I’m totally against it. But I’m not against Southwire. It’s a great thing they’ve got going for the kids. It’s the traffic.” Keith says “If they could guarantee they won’t have trucks coming in, maybe it won’t be as bad.”

Councilman Gerald Byrd was the lone vote against re-annexation stating there were too many questions about it. Byrd encouraged more discussion between Southwire, the city and Mabry Street residents.

The city says it will strongly enforce light industrial vehicle use and will install a number of rumble strips on the street.