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Commissioners Rescind County Tax Exemption for Rainwater Harvesting After Appraisal-district Review
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Summary
Kendall County court repealed a November 2024 order granting a property-tax exemption for approved rainwater harvesting systems after the appraisal district said systems are not currently on tax rolls; commissioners said they will explore alternative incentives such as direct rebates.
The Kendall County Commissioners Court voted March 11 to rescind a November 12, 2024 order that had granted a county property-tax exemption for approved rainwater harvesting systems beginning tax year 2025.
Why it matters: Commissioners said appraisal-district attorneys told the county the rainwater-catchment systems were not listed on tax rolls; adding them to the rolls to then exempt them at the county level would place the systems on other taxing jurisdictions’ rolls (school districts, special districts) and could increase taxpayers’ net tax bills. That outcome, officials said, would defeat the policy’s intent to provide a financial incentive to install rainwater systems.
Commissioner Richard Chapman, who led the item’s discussion, said the appraisal district unexpectedly told the court that the county’s systems were not currently assessed: “They said, basically, right now, your rainwater catchment is not being taxed. It's not even on the rolls,” Chapman said during the meeting. County staff and commissioners said they will pursue alternatives, including exploring whether a direct county rebate is feasible under state law and consulting the legislators who originally supported the enabling statute.
The court’s action: Commissioners rescinded the prior order by formal motion and recorded a 5-0 vote. Commissioners discussed that an alternative structure — a county-paid rebate or direct payment — might be a cleaner way to provide an incentive because it would not trigger appraisal-roll entries that could increase gross tax collections for overlapping jurisdictions.
Next steps: Commissioners said staff will consult with appraisal-district counsel and legislative contacts to evaluate options, including a possible rebate program, and bring recommendations back to the court.
Ending: The court rescinded the county exemption order pending staff and legal follow-up; commissioners asked for briefing materials about rebate mechanics and any statutory limits on county direct payments to property owners.
