College Station City Council Grants An Impact Fee Appeal

College Station, Texas – In a recent city council meeting, local developer Caldwell Companies successfully appealed against additional impact fees as part of their ongoing multifamily housing and commercial project. The project, which has been in progress since 2015, is located across FM 60 from Easterwood Airport, along Turkey Creek Road.

Developer’s Successful Appeal

The developer had initially planned to pay the city of College Station an amount of $213,000 in impact fees. However, Caldwell Companies managed to successfully appeal to the city council against an additional $257,000 in fees under a new rate schedule. The city council’s deliberation on the matter culminated in a five to one vote after an extended discussion that involved city staff, council members, and Caldwell representatives.

Mayor’s Stance and the Final Vote

The final vote came on the heels of a motion from Mayor John Nichols to veto the appeal. Surprisingly, the motion did not receive any support and eventually fell through due to a lack of a second. Mayor Nichols was the only member who voted against the appeal.

Brazos County Updates

In related news, on May 8, property owners in Brazos County were unable to conduct business at the tax office due to a change in computer software. The update did not allow for the access of any property tax records. Tax Assessor-Collector, Kristy Roe, advised property owners requiring assistance to contact the tax office on either May 7 or May 9, as the interruption only affected property tax services, and not motor vehicle services.

US Delegation Meeting

Elsewhere, a delegation from the Bryan/College Station chamber of commerce was in Washington D.C. for its annual meeting with federal lawmakers. The group kicked off their visit on May 6 with a briefing from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and spent May 7 in meetings where congressional leaders provided updates. On May 8, the delegation planned to visit offices of Texas members of the U.S. House and Senate to discuss the local chamber’s legislative priorities.

College Station ISD Software Purchase

Finally, College Station ISD employees, students and their parents will soon have access to new computing programs. The recent board meeting of College Station ISD approved the purchase of new computer software, reducing the number of portals required to access online resources from six to one. This move is expected to improve both functionality and online security, optimizing computing time for teachers and students alike. The cost of $51,000 for this system is being covered by federal pandemic grant funds.