A means to help pay for infrastructure within a new development in the west side of Flower Mound was mulled over by Town Council at its Dec. 18 meeting.
Council received a report on a potential public improvement district for the Flower Mound Ranch development, but no decisions were made as it was just a discussion item. Flower Mound Ranch will be located near US 377 and Cross Timbers Road.
The background
In October, Flower Mound Ranch land owner and master developer Jack Furst requested the town of Flower Mound’s consideration of a public improvement district for the Flower Mound Ranch development in accordance with the town's charter for requesting this district, according to a council agenda memo. In addition to the statutory requirements of Chapter 372 of the Texas Local Government Code, the town of Flower Mound also requires certain steps—specifically, an election—prior to creating a public improvement district by charter.
Flower Mound Ranch, previously known as Furst Ranch, is a planned mixed-use development that will have single-family homes, apartments and commercial operations. A public improvement district enables an entity, such as city or town, to levy a special tax assessment against properties within the district to pay for improvements to the properties in that district, according to town officials.
Zooming in
Corey Admire, representing Shupe Venture PLLC and counsel for the applicant, discussed a public improvement district with council, with her presentation stating a public improvement district is a "mechanism to provide funds to finance the public infrastructure that is required to bring high-quality uses and amenities to west Flower Mound to make a premier destination to live, work and play."
The details
An overview of a public improvement district was provided to council by Mary Petty of P3Works LLC on Nov. 16. P3Works is a consultant for the town. At the Dec. 18 meeting, Petty conducted a presentation on public improvement districts and all the intricacies that come with them, including costs.
The presentation described, for example, how a property that benefits from the infrastructure pays for the infrastructure. The infrastructure will be built to town standards, with assets dedicated to the town, but it is not anticipated that the public improvement district will be able to cover all costs. Thus, infrastructure will have to be paid for in part by the public improvement district and in part by the developer, Petty’s presentation noted. Petty explained the public improvement district is a new revenue source that is generated when it places a levy on the landowner’s property at the landowner’s behest.
Council is set to discuss the authorization of a public improvement district at a Feb. 5 meeting.
If council votes to approve the implementation of a public improvement district, the town charter requires council to call a special election to allow the qualified voters of the town to consider allowing the public improvement district, the agenda memo states. If the majority of voters approve the proposed public improvement district, then council can begin to negotiate standards and requirements with the developer under Chapter 372 in order to permit the public improvement district within the town.
