Johnson County adopts resolution of intent to pursue commercial PACE financing; public hearing set for July 27

Johnson County Commissioners voted unanimously June 22 to adopt a resolution of intent to establish a commercial PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) financing program and scheduled a public hearing on the full program and contract with the Texas PACE Authority for July 27. The resolution expresses the county's intent only; state law requires a subsequent public hearing and adoption step before the program could be authorized.

Steven Minnick of the Texas PACE Authority told the court the program would be voluntary and privately administered at no cost to the county, explaining that owners of existing commercial properties could use PACE financing for energy- or water-efficiency upgrades if an engineer verifies the project savings will cover debt service. "We will administer the program at no cost to the county whatsoever," Minnick said, adding that PACE loans are market transactions between a property owner and a willing lender and that projects must demonstrate they at least pay for themselves. Judge Barker and several commissioners pressed staff to circulate the proposed resolution and the implementation agreement in advance so commissioners and the public can review explicit limits—particularly the provision that PACE financing cannot be used for new construction or for generation serving the grid.

The court received assurances from staff that the proposed program documents will limit eligibility to existing commercial properties, exclude residential and governmental properties, and prohibit grid-scale generation projects; the judge said staff will circulate the backup materials this week ahead of the July public hearing. Motion to approve the resolution was made and seconded by members of the court and carried unanimously.