Northlake board discusses Cleveland branch sewer extension as key to industrial development; cost estimates rise

Board members and staff discussed plans to extend and upsize the Cleveland branch sewer line along the east side of 35W to serve commercial and industrial development near the Northwest Regional Airport.

Nathan, the staff presenter, said the lack of sewer is the principal impediment to development in the 1171 and Catherine Branch areas and described ongoing work with industrial developers to oversize and extend lines. He told the board that earlier work had estimated the full sewer line at about $8,000,000, but routing changes and extensions required by project alignments have increased costs and "may be closer to 15,000,000." (transcript paraphrase).

Board members pressed staff on access roads and timing; Nathan said TxDOT is responsible for access-road improvements in the corridor and that the town council has been advocating with TxDOT for progress. Nathan also said utilities such as electricity and water exist in some areas but sewer is missing and that prospective tenants typically wait for a clear construction timeline before committing.

Staff said the EDC and CDC have already approved $1,000,000 in participation for the first leg of the project; Nathan said any additional developer reimbursement participation would be proposed with a cap to limit the town’s exposure. The board did not take formal action on the sewer extension during the meeting; staff said more information is expected in the near future as developer agreements and design details evolve.

The discussion noted potential dependencies on TRA alignment changes and cultural-resource considerations encountered during alignment work that have affected routing and costs. No votes or contract awards were recorded on the sewer topic at the meeting.