During a recent city council meeting, officials approved the replat of Tortuga Sands Beach, a 41-acre tract in the City of Freeport's extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ), which will be divided into 16 lots. The proposal, which received prior approval from the planning and zoning committee on August 27, 2024, was presented by a representative from the building department. The council noted that the replat meets subdivision standards and carries no financial impact for the city.

Public comments were invited, with one resident inquiring about potential tax revenue from the new lots. The response clarified that while the property is within the ETJ, the city would not receive taxes from any developments on these lots unless they were annexed into the city. Additionally, it was confirmed that the city would not be providing utility services to the area, meaning future developments would need to rely on septic systems.

Following the discussion, Councilman Matamoros made a motion to approve the replat, which was seconded by Councilman Raso. The motion passed unanimously.

In a subsequent agenda item, the council discussed the adoption of the fiscal year 2024-2025 budget. City Manager Yisel presented the proposed budget, which had been made available to the public and discussed in prior meetings. The council is required to adopt the budget by October 15 to ensure timely filing with the county tax assessor collector, facilitating the issuance of property tax bills. The meeting underscored the council's commitment to fiscal responsibility and community engagement in local governance.