Conroe council authorizes start of process for temporary citywide development moratorium after heated debate

The Conroe City Council on May 8 authorized staff to begin the process to implement a temporary citywide development moratorium, after public commenters and council members disputed the water-capacity numbers used to justify a pause in new development.

The action instructs staff to start the legally required notice and hearing timeline that would create a temporary pause on accepting new development applications while the council considers a moratorium. The council also voted that day to deny appeals and waivers requesting exemptions from the temporary moratorium.

The discussion centered on whether the city is out of compliance with Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) planning thresholds. Several residents and industry representatives said staff numbers overstated shortages. Alan Collette, a resident, told council that some figures in staff presentations were incorrect and urged council to independently verify claims, saying, “When staff makes a claim like $12 a thousand gallons or only 225 connections and it turns out to be false, it erodes the public trust.”

Resident John Sellers disputed the city’s methodology for…