Developer seeks ETJ access for 163-acre Rose Ranch; council gives tentative OK to negotiate water/sewer terms

Representatives for Century Communities and LJA Engineering presented Rose Ranch, a proposed 163.2-acre single-family development located south of Bridal Road and west of Mennonite Road (FM 2977) in Fort Bend County and currently within Municipal Utility District (MUD) 66. The project team said the plan includes a mix of 40-, 50-, and 60-foot lots, with 184 lots at 50x120 (about 41.7%), 127 lots at 60x120 (about 28.8%), and the remainder at 40x120. The developer said they plan to extend water lines (including a 16-inch line) and provide parkland dedication of about 8.4 acres.

The developer asked the council for direction to seek re-inclusion into the city's extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) so the parties could negotiate water and sewer agreements. Council and staff discussed service arrangements (the area receives fire service through an ESD agreement with the city), road and drainage design (developer agreed to 36-foot local streets and to work on culverts and detention), and the limits of municipal leverage if the project remained in county jurisdiction. Several council members expressed concern about 40-foot lots and parking but acknowledged design mitigations (36-foot streets) and welcomed the prospect of new utility customers.

Council did not take a formal vote to annex or approve the development; instead staff and council indicated tentative support for granting the applicant ETJ access to allow negotiations for water and sewer agreements and to ensure the project meets city design standards if it proceeds to annexation in the future.