The struggle between Texas’ unbridled growth and its limited resources is coming to a head in Williamson County.
County commissioners are considering making changes to its development code that would require developers to get earlier guarantees for water and sewer service, the Austin Business Journal reported.
Developers are pushing back.
The proposed updates, set for discussion at a Dec. 10 public hearing, also include changes to traffic analyses and lot size minimums.
Williamson County — the county north of Travis County, which is home to Austin — has seen its population boom in the last 15 years, growing from 423,000 to 697,000 since 2010. That’s in part due to two major economic development projects in the area: Samsung’s Taylor factory and Apple’s campus.
Infrastructure strain as a result of this growth must be addressed, county engineer Adam Boatright told the Business Journal.
Water and wastewater utilities in Texas aren’t typically handled at the county level. Instead, cities or municipal utility districts provide these services; the coverage area is negotiated by agreements known as certificates of convenience and necessity, with approvals occurring later in the process.
Developers argue that the process has worked in the past, and adding requirements at the county level will create unnecessary delays.
“We’re not really aware, especially in large-scale developments, of developments being approved and lots being constructed when there’s not availability of water and wastewater service,” Seth Mearig of Gray Engineering told the outlet, noting, “the investment is too large to build without utility service,” he said.
He fears the additional costs caused by delays will result in higher home prices.
Vice President of Randolph Texas Development Grant Rollo also weighed in, noting the process is time-consuming without the changes.
He told the Business Journal that it took four years to reach an agreement on sewer services for a recent project. He also characterized the proposal as part of an “overcorrection” to S.B. 2038, a new law that allows landowners to remove themselves from municipal jurisdictions, which have higher development standards.
Boatright noted the court is still accepting input on the proposal, and nothing has been approved yet.
— Andrew Terrell
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