Will the unincorporated area between Houston and Katy ever be annex?

[crone]

Originally Posted by cla

A limited purpose annexation can't be initiated without a strategic planning agreement with the utility district of the area. In the case of the property in the 1960 area, the Harris county mud district agreed to split a 1% sales tax 50/50 with the COH for a term of 30 years. In return, the COH is supposed to provide law enforcement for the annexed commercial areas and not annex residential areas. So, the area didn't lose the entire sales tax base.

Yeah, I understand the deal. Most people here do not even know they pay MUD tax, and being annexed by the city, it would go away. Taxes to the COH would be less than our MUD tax. One had to really read the fine print to even know our MUD was considering it. We got a letter from the MUD lawyer. I was the only one who called and asked what's up with this. We were told by the COH that they do no ordinance enforcement in the annexed area or the ETJ. They for dam- sure have no sign enforcement in their newly acquired territory.

[CRBoyd91]

So, what I'm getting is, for the foreseeable future all these neighborhoods will just be unincorporated in the ETJ.

[cla]

This is just from one COH meeting..

http://www.houstontx.gov/citysec/age...10/Nov3010.pdf

It would lead me to believe that nearly every MUD within the ETJ has such an agreement with Houston. I wonder why they are so ready to give up a portion of the local sales tax for very little in return. According to the legislation, two public hearings are to be held prior to the adoption of the SPA. I saw several such hearings on multiple agendas, but no one from the public was present for these hearings. I am not sure how visible the signs are for such hearings. I remember seeing a sign for a public hearing a few years back, but it was set so far back from the road and turned in such a manner that I could not read the sign without actually stopping my car and craning my neck out of the window.

[SouthernBoy205]

From the other thread, Houston's ETJ limits are confusing. What purpose do they serve?

[cla]

Basically, an ETJ prevents two large cities from developing very near each other (thereby competing for resources). A city's ETJ depends upon the population of the city. I think Houston's ETJ is currently 5 miles outside the city limits. As the city grows, the limits of the ETJ grows.

More info on Houston's ETJ and the limited purpose annexation can be found here...

MUDs and Houston profit from annexation system (http://impactnews.com/northwest-houston/328-news/9414-muds-and-houston-profit-from-annexation-system - broken link)

[SouthernBoy205]

Houstn sounds like a bully. LOL

[Htown2013]

I know this is an old thread, but I find this topic very interesting.

[Htown2013]

In other words, I am amazed that most of the major south Katy-area MPCs are in unincorporated Harris or Fort Bend counties. What does this mean? Does this mean that there is no zoning and that anything can pop-up outside the MPC owned property? I'm not sure that Houston annexing this area is best for that area long term. Is it possible or even probable that that area can incorporate itself and follow a more Sugar Land style of government? In that case it would be able to provide city services, zoning, and ordinances more in line with that specific area.

I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that a city with no-zoning annexes as much as it does. Don't get me wrong, I still like the metro area overall. This just surprises me.

[crone]

Back in the olden days, when Turner Collie and Braden was doing the CoH's planning, all these subdivisions in the ETJ were to be annexed when they were nearly finished. Then the MUD taxes would be absorbed by the city. For some reason I missed, that stopped. It was a way to get water, sewer and streets and save the city the most of the cost. Must have been Kingwood. The county has said that they do not have the money to do street repair, etc. The strong deed restrictions is all the subdivisions have. No one can incorporate without permission from the CoH.

All the flap raised about The Woodlands taxes going up if they incorporate is going to scare away any talk of incorporation. Makes no sense to me. Why would the taxes go up? They are paying for the same services now.

[Johnhw2]

Originally Posted by Htown2013

In other words, I am amazed that most of the major south Katy-area MPCs are in unincorporated Harris or Fort Bend counties. What does this mean? Does this mean that there is no zoning and that anything can pop-up outside the MPC owned property? I'm not sure that Houston annexing this area is best for that area long term. Is it possible or even probable that that area can incorporate itself and follow a more Sugar Land style of government? In that case it would be able to provide city services, zoning, and ordinances more in line with that specific area.

I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that a city with no-zoning annexes as much as it does. Don't get me wrong, I still like the metro area overall. This just surprises me.

MPC's prosper in Houston imho because they offer private sector planning and deed restrictions to contrast with the no zoning look of the rest of Houston. Houston is city who has the novel view about land rules. In Houston if you own the land you can restrict its uses.(deed restrictions). If you do not own the land and want to change.. then buy it and you can.

The MPC will provide water and sewer and flood control to land they own and develop. Frequently fire fighting service is provided by volunteers. The developer puts in parks, pools, soccer fields etc. So an MPC acts like the city to some degree and under Texas law can tax property values to recover things a city would provide. They recover the cost of building these things and cost to run them as MUD property taxes.

Its a unique city in many ways this is just one of them. I believe lower cost of property in Houston to a degree comes from the lack of zoning.. zoning adds time and cost and typically lowers density in an area all of which drive up the land cost. 4th ward is an older largely residential area near downtown Houston. Without zoning, someone will come along and start to redevelop the area and take advantage of its close to DT location... this will happen faster and at lower cost due to no zoning.

Probably more than you wanted to know about MPC's and no zoning in Houston. This is just my view as a former developer employee. You are asking the right questions to understanding the Houston area market in my view.

Good luck