Katy plans to add more land to the west of city
Officials want to extend utilities to tracts to make them more attractive for development, add to tax base
Close on the heels of annexing more than 400 acres late last month, the Katy City Council has cleared the way toward annexing two additional tracts of land to the west. Meeting June 9, council unanimously approved the annexation plans.
In Phase I, the city is expected to annex the tract of land laying south of Highway 90 and north of Interstate 10 between Pederson Road and the current city limits, city officials said.
Phase II is to include the land between Pederson Road and Brooklyn Drive/ FM 2855, north of Interstate 10 and south of Highway 90, records show.
“We wanted to include Pederson Road in Phase I so we could get out there and make some muchneeded road repairs,” said Katy Mayor Fabol Hughes. “Pederson Road is in terrible shape.”
According to city administrator Byron Hebert, the city will extend water and sewer pipes to Phase I, which would make the land more attractive to commercialization.
“We need to improve Pederson Road for another north/south thoroughfare,” Hebert said. “If you notice, our 2000 comprehensive plan talked about moving the city westward. We should have already been working on it. By 2010 we should have been moving west.”
The annexation would involve approximately 350 acres, according to maps from the city.
“We need more commercial growth to balance our residential growth.” Hughes said. “It helps to keep our taxes low. You need a good balance of residential and commercial.”
“We already provide Fire and EMS service to those area, according to our contract with the Waller County fire district, and we’ve got the water capacity and the sewer capacity,” Hebert noted.
“I think the annexation is a very positive note,” said Lance LaCour, president and CEO of the Katy Economic Development Council. “As far as growth on that land, lack of city utilities has been a limiting factor. But when you have the infrastructure in place, it attracts users and developers.”