Published: Wed, 01/17/24
Houston Chronicle
By Catherine Dominguez, Staff writer
Conroe City Council has approved a land use assumption plan and set a public hearing as steps toward potentially implementing impact fees for developers as the city grows.
Assistant City Administrator and Director of Public Works Norm McGuire presented the plan Dec. 13 during the council’s workshop meeting.
The council approved the plan Jan. 11.
The city will host a public hearing at 2 p.m. Feb. 21 in the council chambers, 300 West Davis.
City Engineer Chris Bogert said the assumption plan indicates what type of development is expected to happen in the future. That map is then compared to the city’s ten-year capital improvement project plan to determine where impact fees can be applied.
Impact fees help offset the city’s cost to improve and expand infrastructure for water and sewer services needed to support new residential and commercial development, McGuire said.
Councilman Harry Hardman said a committee has been working on developing the plan.
“There’s been a lot of really good feedback from developers that we have invited as well as some real estate agents,” Hardman said calling the plan “vital” for the city. “It shows us what places are to be developed.”
Councilman Howard Wood said the plan is a “strong tool” for city staff.
Bogert said per state law, the city has a year to complete a study on how it would apply impact fees for new development and what those fees would be.
The council has not decided if it will implement impact fees.
While this is not the first time the city has discussed implementing impact fees, the issue surfaced in June after an old utility agreement with Municipal Utility District No. 183 for water and sewer service for a residential development resulted in the city’s portion of the project increasing $6 million.
