Junction City Council has approved second reading an annexation ordinance, bringing 40 acres next to the Shelby Green subdivision into city limits.

The property belongs to Tom Hensley, who also owns the Shelby Green subdivision. Hensley came to the council in October, asking them to approve an ordinance to make the land part of the city.

On Thursday, he thanked them for approving the ordinance and shared that he was working on “engineering plans” for the property that will include water, sewer and streets for about 30 lots in phase one.

“It will put about $5 million on your tax roll,” Hensley told council members.

When the second phase is done, it could be an additional $20 million on the city tax roll, Hensley estimated.

Presently, he anticipates the first part of the project could be done by spring or early summer 2017.

In other business, the council:

• approved a request to provide a holiday meal, awards and a present for each firefighters with the Junction City Fire Department; and

• decided to research jackhammers to help break up buried slate rock in the currently unused portions of the cemetery, so that graves can be dug there when the space is needed.

Follow Kendra Peek on Twitter, @knpeek.