Commissioners approve amendment to Panatoni Twinwood tax abatement for spec buildings

WALLER COUNTY, Texas — The Commissioners Court voted Wednesday to amend an existing tax abatement agreement for the Twinwood industrial development, a project the presenter identified as Panatoni, to allow incentives on spec buildings delayed by COVID.

Vince (speaker 10) told the court the county’s spec-building abatement program places incentives on completed buildings before occupancy to make them more competitive in the Houston region. “We're just amending it,” he said, adding the developer already has prospects evaluating the buildings.

Court members asked procedural questions about how spec-building abatements have performed in the past and whether tenants or future buyers would be added to amended agreements. Staff explained the county can amend agreements when a prospect emerges and noted the program had supported about 12,000,000 square feet of development under the program.

David Pena, identified in the meeting as present with the developer, was available to answer project-specific questions. After brief discussion, the court took the item up and the motion carried.

The transcript shows no separate financial terms discussed on the record beyond the amendment request; staff indicated the amendment is permitted by existing program rules and intended to help the county retain prospective commercial tenants.