Huntsville grew by another 27 acres Thursday night.

The City Council annexed the land west of Old Big Cove Road and north of Buford Drive. The annexation came at the request of Louis Breland, the founder of Breland Properties and Breland Homes.

Breland is the developer of Town Madison and Clift Farm. Single-family homes will be developed on the annexed property, City Manager of Planning and Zoning Services Thomas Nunez told the council.

The annexation is in one of the fastest growing areas of the city, and not far from the proposed Big Cove Village site on both the north and south sides of Cecil Ashburn Drive, and east and west of Old Big Cove Road.

Negotiations are still on the way at the site That property was annexed into the city last year. The Huntsville Planning Commission and City Council have already zoned the land, clearing the way for single family homes, townhomes, apartments, businesses and restaurants.

The city has also taken in more than 500 acres this year, most of it in Limestone County.

That includes a nearly 400-acre site near the Interstate 65-565 interchange across the interstate from the eastern edge of Decatur’s city limits. A development there would also be modeled after Providence and include a mixture of various housing types and retail.

District 1 City Councilwoman Michelle Watkins – a former school board member – has voiced concerns about that annexation and zoning, which was also approved this year. She is concerned about whether Huntsville City Schools can keep up with the increased enrollment from the growth.

That is also an issue in the Big Cove area where residents seek a new high school to keep students from having to make what they feel is a dangerous drive over the mountains to attend Huntsville High School near the downtown area.