We’re counting down the top ten stories residents of The Woodlands area should follow in 2018. No. 2 on our list focuses on The Woodlands Township's research on incorporation:

What we reported

Following the signing of Senate Bills 1014 and 1015 in the Texas Legislature by Gov. Greg Abbott on June 9, The Woodlands has the framework to incorporate should voters decide to become  a city. The Woodlands has until 2057 to incorporate, after which it could be annexed by Houston or Conroe.

The latest

In late 2017, the township board of directors set out to begin a feasibility study on incorporation to determine responsibilities and costs the township would need to take on as a city, such as public safety, transportation, zoning and planning services. The cost of the study has not yet been announced. Last fall, the township submitted a request for proposals for consulting firms and higher education institutions to develop a study. The township board will hear the first of the proposals Jan. 18.

What’s next

While the board has yet to decide which organization will conduct the study, the township is expected to conduct workshops throughout 2018 on a range of subjects related to becoming a city, including what services the township would be required to provide and transportation planning.