City leaders will consider changes to the Envision Taylor Comprehensive plan, but will it be enough to appease landowners in the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction who say their property is being unjustly devalued? At the Feb. 23 Taylor City Council meeting, staff will introduce ordinance 2023-10 to amend some elements of its “Restricted Growth Sector,” which limits some kinds of development in the Extra Territorial Jurisdiction due to the high cost of extending and maintaining infrastructure there, city officials have said.
According to Texas law, cities have the authority based on population size to manage growth patterns in their ETJ, which in Taylor’s case, is one mile out from the city limits, except for some areas that petitioned to be included.
Proposed changes to the plan include changing the name from “Restricted Growth Sector” to “Future Growth Sector” and distinguishing different parts of the sector into tiers, as well as developing clear policy guidelines for the creation of Municipal Utility Districts and other special districts, among other changes.
Meanwhile, some ETJ landowners are joining the Taylor Landowner Rights Coalition, which will meet at 6 p.m. next Monday at the Taylor Public Library. The Coalition is organized by attorneys Chris Johns, who specializes in eminent domain issues, and Bill Cobb, the former deputy attorney general for civil litigation for the state, as well as Alice Duffy, an agent with Keller Williams Realty, who has a background organizing Central Texas landowners with properties in areas experiencing high growth.
In other business, city leaders will also:
• Hold a public hearing on the adoption of increased water, sewer and transportation impact fees for capital improvements based on recommendations from city engineering firm HDR and an advisory committee that will raise the maximum fees from $3,000 to $5,718.
• Consider changes to the city’s personnel policy manual.
• Consider making the footprint smaller for the May 6, Blackland Prairie Day Festival by closing only two city-controlled streets and allowing for the sale and consumption of alcohol in Heritage Square.
The council meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 400 Porter St., in the council chamber. Those who wish to share their thoughts and comments are limited to three minutes and should sign up no later than 5:45 p.m. The council agenda and live video stream of the meeting can be found on the city website at http:// www.taylortx.gov.
