Collin County approves Whitley Addition final plat after resident urges countywide moratorium on new construction
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Summary
Commissioners approved the final plat for Whitley Addition, Phase 1, 4-0 after resident Heather Leesburg urged a temporary countywide moratorium on new subdivision construction to address roads, drainage and water supply concerns. Commissioners and the county engineering director said state law limits counties' ability to impose moratoriums.
Collin County Commissioners voted 4-0 to approve the final plat for Whitley Addition, Phase 1, after a resident urged the court to impose a temporary, countywide moratorium on new subdivision development.
Heather Leesburg, a Collin County resident who spoke during the public-comment period, asked the court to pause all new subdivision approvals while the county inspects and upgrades infrastructure. “Current infrastructure systems, roads, drainage, water, and building are collapsing under excessive strain,” Leesburg said, arguing the county should adopt a “comprehensive slow growth initiative” including a temporary moratorium to allow time for a water-resource plan and road and drainage repairs.
The court acknowledged the pressures of rapid growth but said state law limits counties’ authority to block development. The county’s engineering director, identified in today’s record as the authority director of engineering, told the court he was not aware of any state statutory provision allowing counties to impose a countywide moratorium on new subdivisions. The presiding judge and other commissioners reiterated that counties must follow state statutes and have limited discretion to say no if a development plan meets minimum state standards.
Commissioners flagged related infrastructure concerns raised by Leesburg. One commissioner noted heavy construction traffic and utility work on county roads cause damage that falls to taxpayers to repair; another said state annexation and municipal zoning changes have shifted development patterns and that limiting construction inside cities could increase pressure on unincorporated areas.
After the discussion, a motion to approve the final plat for Whitley Addition, Phase 1 carried by voice vote, 4 to 0.
The court did not adopt the moratorium Leesburg requested and directed no formal change to county approvals at today’s meeting. Commissioners suggested residents take concerns about broad statutory authority to state legislators, noting the county’s regulatory limits under current Texas law.