Council OKs amendments to Pulte development and utility agreements to allow phased starts and interim water service

Sugar Land City Council approved Amendment No. 1 to the amended and restated development agreement with Pulte Homes of Texas LP and a companion amendment to the city's water, wastewater and reclaimed-water service contract on May 6. The changes clarify building finish allowances, permit limited out-of-sequence housing starts, and formalize responsibilities for interim water supplies while regional facilities are designed and built.

Lisa Kosichmeyer, director of planning and development services, told council the development — approximately 960 acres in the city's extraterritorial jurisdiction — will include roughly 2,300 homes and a 60-acre commercial/flex tract. She said the developer asked to modify some finish-material percentages to respond to market demand and sought limited flexibility to start some home construction ahead of the typical planning sequencing. Kosichmeyer said the MUD (Municipal Utility District) 269 had entered interim interconnect agreements to obtain temporary water supply while regional plants are constructed.

Amendments in the development agreement add provisions to allow phased or out-of-sequence housing starts in limited sections, modify the list and application of acceptable exterior finish materials and treat model homes as nonresidential for permitting purposes while they are used as sales offices. The utility-services amendment aligns schedules with the development agreement and adds terms for MUD responsibility for storm-drain oversizing if the district elects to pursue that option.

Kosichmeyer said the intergovernmental subcommittee reviewed the proposed amendments in March and April and that subcommittee feedback was incorporated. Council voted to approve both contract amendments 7-0. Council and staff noted that sidewalk ownership while the development remains in the ETJ will fall to the MUD or HOA and transfer to the city only upon annexation.