Collin County accepts petition and sets July public hearing on proposed Emergency Services District

Collin County Commissioners Court on Wednesday accepted a petition to form Collin County Emergency Services District No. 1 and set a public hearing for July 21 to finalize the district's boundaries and consider placing the measure on the November ballot.

The county accepted a petition verified as containing at least 100 signatures of property owners in the proposed district and directed staff to notify municipalities. If voters approve the district on Nov. 4, 2025, county staff said a district budget would not be adopted until October 2026 and the first ad valorem tax revenue would be available in January 2027, creating a gap year during which the county said it will work with municipal and volunteer fire partners to maintain service.

The petition was introduced after public comments from unincorporated-area residents warning of increasing response times and rising insurance costs. Kevin Rohrer, a resident of Farmersville, said unincorporated homeowners face higher tax burdens and urged a hybrid solution in which the county helps buffer the new district's…