What’s happening?
Katy City Council will consider a proposed moratorium on fiber companies working in the city’s right of way following damage to public infrastructure, including hitting water and sewer lines causing disruptions at city homes and businesses, Mayor William “Dusty” Thiele announced in a Feb. 18 news release.
If approved by City Council in March, the moratorium will suspend all fiber installation, except for companies with an approved city agreement, for up to 120 days, according to the release.
Notable quote
"Our priority is to ensure the safety and reliability of our city's infrastructure," Thiele said in the release. "The repeated damage caused by fiber installations has led to unacceptable disruptions for our residents and businesses. I am seeking possible action to halt these activities while we assess how best to regulate and manage these projects going forward."
A closer look
City Administrator Byron Hebert said the city actively has one approved vendor, Ezee Fiber, Texas LLC, which City Council approved a right-of-way use agreement at its Feb. 10 meeting. He said the city is open to having additional contracts, but they don’t want companies to come and work within the city without their knowledge.
“These fiber companies are coming and they’re not calling us for a line location, they’re not calling for anything,” he said. “We need to know they’re in our town—they can’t just come in and just start going through our subdivisions with no oversight.”
Looking ahead
Two public hearings will be held at upcoming city meetings, where residents are encouraged to provide input on the proposed ordinance, according to the release:
- Feb. 24 City Council meeting, held at 6:30 p.m.
- Feb. 25 Planning & Zoning Commission meeting, held at 1 p.m.
