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Flower Mound officials say 2025 legislative session largely avoided harmful land-use changes
Summary
Town staff reported on the 89th Texas Legislature: several bills that would have restricted local land-use authority either were narrowed by population brackets or failed; funding for a local Texas Tech Health Sciences Center campus did not make the final budget.
Town staff briefed the council on results from the recently concluded 89th Texas Legislature, saying several bills the town opposed were either narrowed by population brackets or did not pass, while one rider to support a local Texas Tech Health Sciences Center campus was not included in the final budget.
Brandy (last name not specified), who led the town's Austin lobbying effort, said the delegation and outside advocates secured population brackets that limited the reach of several land-use bills. "Please thank Senator Parker as you see him around the town because we're very grateful," Brandy said, referring to Senator Tam Parker's role in obtaining the population exemptions that protected Flower Mound.
Staff recounted that a minimum-lot-size bill and a commercial-to-multifamily conversion bill both passed but were restricted to communities above the 150,000 population bracket; two other land-use bills the town opposed'an accessory dwelling unit bill and a multifamily-on-religious-lands bill'failed to pass. Staff also reported that Senate Bill 1883 (impact-fee changes) passed and takes effect Sept. 1; that bill limits how often a city may increase impact fees and imposes audit/approval conditions.
The council's Texas Tech funding priority did receive action on the House side: Representative Baumgartner secured a $15 million rider in the House budget, but staff reported the Senate did not include that rider in the final budget conference report. Brandy said the town will work during the interim to craft a strategy for securing campus funding in 2027.
Council members and staff discussed interim outreach and advocacy between sessions: staff emphasized the need to maintain relationships with committee members'and their staff'during the interim and to assemble coalition partners with other municipalities. Brandy noted that committee staff turnover means cities must periodically re-educate lawmakers and their staff.
No Council action was required; staff said they will maintain the town's legislative advocacy, monitor vetoes through the governor's June 22 deadline, and develop a strategy for Texas Tech campus funding ahead of the 2027 session.
