Hood County development panel votes to seek power to pause industrial projects while it rewrites rules

The Hood County Development Commission voted on Jan. 2 to recommend that county rules be amended so the commissioners court can impose a temporary moratorium on industrial development types not yet addressed by local regulations. The commission said the pause is needed while it updates a strategic plan and rewrites permit regulations tied to Local Government Code chapter 2.31, Subchapter K.

The motion, made by Matt Long (Development Commission, Precinct 2), asked the commission to amend Section 1 of the county’s development-permit regulations to provide authority for a temporary moratorium on development uses “undefined by the regulations” until the strategic plan and regulations can be revised. The commission seconded the motion and voted to make the recommendation to the commissioners court. The commission’s recommendation is advisory; any moratorium would require a public notice and a vote of the commissioners court to take effect.

Blakely Fernandez, who presented legal and drafting guidance to the panel, said…