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Parmer County approves designation and amended tax abatements for Parmer-Lazbuddie wind project
Summary
Parmer County Commissioners Court designated the Parmer-Lazbuddie Wind Reinvestment Zone #2 and approved amended 20-year tax abatement agreements for Lazbuddie Wind Energy LLC and Lazbuddie Wind Energy II LLC, with two commissioners abstaining due to property interests; a consultant cited a $57 million impact to taxing entities and a 10-job commitment.
Parmer County Commissioners on Oct. 15 approved a resolution designating the Parmer-Lazbuddie Wind Reinvestment Zone #2 under Chapter 312 of the Texas Tax Code and voted to approve amended and restated tax abatement agreements for Lazbuddie Wind Energy LLC and Lazbuddie Wind Energy II LLC.
The court unanimously approved the zone designation after a motion by Commissioner Kirk Frye and a second by Commissioner Casey Russell. The separate amended abatement agreements were approved by majority votes. Commissioner Casey Russell abstained on the Lazbuddie Wind Energy LLC agreement because he owns property in the area; Commissioner Kirk Frye abstained on the Lazbuddie Wind Energy II LLC agreement for the same reason.
Gerald Boyd, described in the meeting as a consultant to Invenergy, summarized the terms the county was asked to accept: commitments to hire 10 new full-time jobs in Parmer County, efforts to purchase as much project material locally as feasible, an executed road-and-use agreement, and a 20-year commitment to the projects. Boyd also cited an estimated $57 million to the county’s taxing entities tied to the project, as presented to the court.
The public hearing that preceded the regular session included opposition to the abatement. James Clark spoke in opposition, although the minutes do not record specific grounds for his objection nor indicate a formal challenge to the resolutions during the meeting.
The county’s minutes note prior related actions: a Lazbuddie reinvestment zone was approved in 2019 and a Lazbuddie Energy II zone was approved in 2022; the current actions amend and renew existing abatement agreements pursuant to Chapter 312 of the Texas Tax Code. The record references attachments for the agreements and resolution but does not list an effective date beyond the general statement that the resolution provides one.
Next steps were not specified at the meeting beyond the approvals and the attached documents; the minutes instruct readers to see the attached agreements for additional details.
