The Waxahachie City Council voted on May 21 to deny a request from Centurion American Development Group to increase the Saddlebrook Phase 4 public improvement district (PID) assessment. The developer had asked to raise the assessment on new lots in Phase 4 to as much as 79¢ per $100 of assessed value to cover rising infrastructure costs.

Centurion representatives said construction and public-infrastructure costs have risen substantially since the project was planned and that the requested assessment would help recoup roughly $11.5 million in public infrastructure costs for the phase; the developer’s finance adviser said even with the higher assessment there would remain a deficit of roughly $2.4 million for that phase. Sean Terry, vice president of Centurion American, told the council the developer plans $7 million in private amenity investments and described planned new amenities including splash pads, pickleball courts and an amenity building.

Several council members and attendees pushed back on the proposed increase, citing local affordability and precedent. One council member said the requested assessment “is higher than our city tax rate” and described the added tax burden for buyers of new homes. Another council member noted that nearby developments had lower PID or assessment rates and questioned why infrastructure costs for the phase should be so large given surrounding built infrastructure.

Council members also raised maintenance concerns: public infrastructure installed by developers eventually becomes the city’s responsibility. The developer’s finance adviser said material and construction costs have risen more than threefold in some categories since the project began and that the current request was limited to future lots in Phase 4, not existing homeowners in earlier phases.

After deliberation, Councilman Atkins moved to deny the Phase 4 PID request and the associated preliminary service and assessment plan; the motion passed. The council did not approve the increased assessment and called for continued attention to affordability in future development proposals.