At its Dec. 13 meeting, the Magnolia City Council will consider adopting an ordinance implementing a temporary development moratorium due to water issues.

The city’s water facilities are at capacity and "has bottlenecks that threaten the proper operation of the city’s regional wastewater system,” according to the proposed ordinance, which also asserts the city has no additional water capacity to commit to new development.

“Our community is developing at a very fast pace,” City Administrator Don Doering said in an email. “We are sorry for the recent disruptions caused by low water pressure.”

During a special meeting Nov. 29, the council approved Magnolia Economic Development Corp.’s 4A project list, which included a project to provide a temporary water system for the east side of Magnolia, where the Magnolia Place and Magnolia Village developments are located, Community Impact previously reported.

The city also entered a Stage 2 drought and enacted water restrictions in early October, Community Impact previously reported.

Once implemented, the temporary development moratorium would be in place for 120 days unless it is repealed or extended, according to the ordinance.

The moratorium would not affect developments that do not impact the city’s water capacity or developments that are in progress and have city permits that are not expired as of Dec. 16, according to the ordinance. It also does not apply to completed applications or plans for development for a permit, plat, verification, rezoning, site plan, approved wastewater plan or certificate of occupancy filed before Dec. 16.

Doering said the city has three water wells, which are all in the southwestern part of the city, while a new water well is in the works for the northeastern part of the city. The city is also advertising for and expecting proposals for a fifth water well, Doering said.

The first reading of the proposed ordinance will take place Dec. 13, while the second reading will take place Dec. 21.

Read the proposed ordinance below.