Rockwall County hears D.R. Horton appeal over apportionment costs for River Rock Trails development

Rockwall County held a special meeting April 24 to hear D.R. Horton’s appeal of a March 4, 2025, county apportionment letter for the River Rock Trails development, as residents raised concerns about traffic and infrastructure during the public forum.

The developer’s counsel argued the county exceeded its statutory authority by listing 16 items in the apportionment letter and said only county infrastructure (primarily roads, pipes and drainage) may be the subject of an apportionment under Texas law. "The burden of proof under the case law is on the county," said Art Anderson, attorney for the applicant, adding that most items on the county’s list are not county-owned infrastructure and lack the professional-engineer reports required by statute.

That legal interpretation was sharply disputed by the county’s representative, who framed the dispute as a question of statutory meaning. "If you take a step back and boil this down ... the real underlying issue is an issue of legal authority," the county speaker said, arguing the county may lawfully require assurances and contributions for services and facilities that serve the county geographically.

The hearing included technical testimony on roads. Jeff Miles, a licensed professional engineer for the developer, testified that an existing adjacent road, FM 548, is a state road and that the…