County court backs plan to let Burleson handle floodplain permitting for first phase of Tallgrass development

The Johnson County Commissioners on May 11 voted to express intent to sign an interlocal agreement that would give the City of Burleson floodplain permitting authority for the roughly 200-acre first phase of the Tallgrass municipal management district.

Tony McElwain, Burleson’s development services director, said the 200-acre parcel represents the first phase and is “residential,” and that the overall project could include thousands of housing units and mixed use. “The 200 acres, that we're talking about is the 1st phase of development being proposed by the developer and it's consist of residential development,” he said. Burleson officials said retention and other stormwater measures are planned and that the city intends to treat Tallgrass as part of the city from the start as annexation triggers occur.

Commissioners pressed Burleson officials on emergency services and funding for police and fire before annexation. One commissioner highlighted a structural constraint: “Johnson County does not receive sales tax,” noting the county lacks a local sales-tax revenue stream that cities sometimes use to expand public safety staffing. Burleson representatives and the developer said they are negotiating service arrangements with emergency services districts and described plans for a future fire station and related service agreements.

The court’s support was conditional: commissioners asked that the county have review and notification opportunities as Burleson processes permits, and asked that the city sign the agreement first and return an executed copy for the county’s future consent agenda. The motion to endorse that approach carried unanimously. The City of Burleson said it is scheduled to consider the agreement at its next council meeting and will return an executed copy to the county.