San Antonio

===Growth policy===
[[File:Ahbroadway.jpg|thumb|Broadway Street in [[Alamo Heights, Texas|Alamo Heights]], an enclaved city]]
Unlike most large cities in the U.S., San Antonio is not completely surrounded by independent suburban cities, and under Texas state law it exercises [[extraterritorial jurisdiction]] (ETJ) over much of the surrounding unincorporated land,<ref>[http://www.sanantonio.gov/planning/pdf/GIS/map_download/0607GT09.pdf Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Boundary (PDF)], City of San Antonio Planning Department. July 28, 2006.</ref><ref>[http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/LG/htm/LG.212.htm#212.003 Texas Local Government Code section 212.003], Extension of Rules to Extraterritorial Jurisdiction</ref> including planning major thoroughfares and enforcing rules for platting and subdivision. It pursues an aggressive annexation policy and opposes the creation of other municipalities within its ETJ.<ref>[http://www.salsa.net/aiasa/sa-mastp.html ''San Antonio Master Plan''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140628195115/http://www.salsa.net/aiasa/sa-mastp.html |date=June 28, 2014 }}, Public Studio (San Antonio Chapter American Institute of Architects); retrieved January 7, 2007.</ref> Nearly three-fourths of its land area has been annexed since 1960.<ref>[http://www.sanantonio.gov/planning/powerpoint/Growth_Trends_092506.pps San Antonio Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities (PowerPoint)], City of San Antonio Planning Department. Retrieved January 7, 2007.</ref>

In the 2000s the city annexed several long narrow corridors along major thoroughfares in outlying areas to facilitate eventual annexation of growth developing along the routes. The city planned to annex nearly 40 additional square miles by 2009.<ref>[http://www.sanantonio.gov/planning/pdf/Comprehensive/three_yr_plan/Three_Yr_Map_01_05_06.pdf ''Three-year Annexation Plan'']; (PDF) format, City of San Antonio Planning Department, January 6, 2006.</ref>

In May 2010, the City of San Antonio agreed to release thousands of acres of land in its extraterritorial jurisdiction along Interstate 10 to [[Schertz]]. The agreement releases a total of {{convert|3486|acre|km2}} of San Antonio's ETJ lands north of I-10 to [[Schertz]]. The ETJ lands are in an area bordered by FM 1518 to the west, Lower Seguin Road to the north, Cibolo Creek to the east and I-10 to the south.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mysanantonio.com/community/northeast/San_Antonio_agrees_to_release_ETJ_to_Schertz.html|title=San Antonio agrees to release ETJ to Schertz|date=May 6, 2010|website=Mysanantonio.com|access-date=July 12, 2018}}</ref>

Involuntary annexation is a controversial issue in those parts of [[unincorporated area|unincorporated]] Bexar County affected by it. Residents attracted to the outlying areas by lower taxes and affordable real estate values often see annexation as a mechanism to increase [[property tax]] rates (which are primarily driven by school district taxes, not city taxes) without a corresponding improvement in services such as police and fire protection, while the city regards its annexation policy as essential to its overall prosperity.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/crime/stories/MYSA031107.01A.Fireresponsetimes.370d0e6.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080515130618/http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/crime/stories/MYSA031107.01A.Fireresponsetimes.370d0e6.html|url-status=dead|title=MySA.com: Public Safety|archive-date=May 15, 2008}}</ref>

Since the city has annexed areas over time, San Antonio surrounds several independent [[Inner suburb|enclave cities]], including [[Alamo Heights]], [[Balcones Heights]], [[Castle Hills]], [[Hill Country Village]], [[Hollywood Park, Texas|Hollywood Park]], [[Kirby, Texas|Kirby]], [[Leon Valley, Texas|Leon Valley]], [[Olmos Park]], [[Shavano Park]], and [[Terrell Hills]].