Goodland developers ask Johnson County to join financing plan for 5,000‑acre master‑planned town
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Summary
Developers and Grand Prairie officials presented the Goodland master plan, described regional infrastructure needs and asked Johnson County to participate in a tax increment reinvestment strategy to help fund roads, sewer and parks that will support projected growth.
Developers of Goodland, a proposed 5,000‑acre master‑planned community that stretches from the U.S. 287/360 area toward State Highway 67, returned to the Johnson County Commissioners Court on July 14 to seek county participation in financing infrastructure needed to support the project.
Providence Realty representatives and Grand Prairie officials showed commissioners conceptual plans for an urban‑style town center, parks, schools and more than 6,000 single‑family units and over 4,000 multifamily units at full build‑out. Daniel Toya of Providence and Megan Mahan, deputy city manager for Grand Prairie, said most of the Goodland acreage and the town center will be within the city limits of Grand Prairie but that major infrastructure — regional thoroughfares, sewer mains and other utility work — must be financed before development can proceed.
Toya and the city’s team described a financing approach that combines a municipal management district and a tax increment reinvestment zone (TIRZ). Grand Prairie officials said the city would participate in the TIRZ; Providence asked the county to participate at a 70 percent level comparable to the city’s participation. Presenters said participation by the county would accelerate infrastructure construction and the creation of new taxable value that will eventually flow to county, city and other taxing jurisdictions.
Legal counsel and the developer’s financial advisors described the structure: the developer will construct regional infrastructure and then be reimbursed from future tax increments captured and remitted under the municipal/ TIRZ structure; the plan is self‑supporting because it uses only new taxable value generated within the project area. Steve Robinson, counsel to the developers, said the freshwater supply district currently covering some existing Goodland parcels in Ellis County will remain in place until its bonds are retired; most Johnson County parcels are already planned to be inside Grand Prairie city limits and would be served by the city when annexed.
Commissioners asked detailed questions about water supply, conservation and how commercial and data‑center demand would be met. Presenters said Grand Prairie is building water infrastructure now — including a 3 million‑gallon water tower — and is coordinating with regional water providers to meet long‑term demand. District counsel and Grand Prairie representatives said water supply planning and nonpotable solutions are part of project planning but acknowledged permitting and regional water constraints will require ongoing coordination with the Prairie Lands Groundwater Conservation District and other state agencies.
No vote was taken. County leaders said they will discuss the proposal further; the court placed the matter on the court’s executive‑session agenda for more detailed economic‑development negotiation but did not take action at the meeting.
