Schertz defines its ETJ as unincorporated land adjoining its city limits, while annexation is the legal act that brings property into the city.
For a Guadalupe County address in Schertz’s ETJ, ETJ status alone does not put the property inside Schertz city limits. The distinction matters when a property owner needs to identify the right government office for a land-use question.
From the source record
Annexation is the legal act of incorporating an area / property into the domain of the City, often thought of as becoming part of the City.City of Schertz ↗
Schertz describes its ETJ as land next to its corporate boundaries that is neither incorporated nor already in another city’s ETJ. It says annexation incorporates an area or property into the city. Those are different boundary statuses: being in Schertz’s ETJ is not the same as being in Schertz.
Check the boundary first
For a property near Schertz, open the city’s Maps page and look for “Current Municipal & ETJ Boundaries.” It also offers an interactive web map. Compare the property’s location with the municipal boundary and the ETJ boundary before describing it as inside the city, in its ETJ or outside both. If the location is close to a line, ask the city to confirm it: Schertz says its maps show approximate boundaries and are not on-the-ground surveys.