Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Development Agreements topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Rowlett council approves amendment to Trails at Cottonwood Creek development agreement, increases PID cap and fire-station funding
Summary
The council unanimously approved a first amendment to the development agreement with Trail Creek Partners LTD for the Trails at Cottonwood Creek, increasing the authorized PID amount and raising the city's pledged fire-station contribution.
The Rowlett City Council voted 5-0 on March 18 to adopt a resolution authorizing the city manager to execute a first amendment to the development agreement with Trail Creek Partners LTD for the Trails at Cottonwood Creek development.
Deputy City Manager Christoph Bauer told council the original development agreement covered roughly 737 acres and anticipated a public improvement district (PID) raising $11 million at an authorized rate of 0.324. The amendment increases the PID authorization to $20 million and raises the city's pledged contribution toward a planned fire station from $500,000 to $2,100,000; staff estimated the current construction cost of the facility at about $2.8 million.
Bauer said the amendment reduces some on-site trail and sidewalk duplication (eliminating parallel trail+sidewalk segments in favor of one or the other), scales back certain landscaping and irrigation obligations, and adds a requirement that an HOA accept ownership and maintenance of private amenities and pocket parks instead of the city. He said increased housing values and higher development costs since the original 2019–2020 agreement motivated the changes.
Council members questioned the timeline for the fire station and the city's control if the developer elects to construct the station as part of a future phase. Bauer said the developer may participate in construction around phase 4 (roughly three to four years out), but the city retains the option to request property earlier and proceed on the city's preferred timeline. He also said appendix work remains on the station design and the city and developer will refine the plans.
Preston Walhut, representing the developer, said the HOA was created in good faith and is already operating and maintaining some facilities; he noted paperwork to formalize that ownership lagged by about 16 months. Walhut said efficiencies could arise if the developer builds the station while already working on-site, but acknowledged that bringing a third party into construction carries risks the city would need to weigh.
Council Member Shinder moved to approve the resolution; Council Member Bowers seconded. The motion carried 5-0.
