Developer Welfare In Denton County

Ever wonder what a fresh water supply district does, and why in the world we have so many in Denton County? Me too. Heck, you probably don't even know you live in one.


I have been spending quite some time doing some digging around. I live in Paloma Creek off US 380, which is surrounded by Little Elm. Although I am surrounded by the LE, I am not an LE resident. I live in Denton County Fresh Water Supply District 11-A. Sounds like a mouthful, but it is more of a headache. Thanks to its creation, I pay $1 per $100 in value in tax for the water district in lieu of a city tax. That is generally about 3 to 4 times greater than a city tax. I also pay the county tax, and the Denton ISD tax on top of it. 


These districts seem to have been originally authorized by the state legislature as a way to promote tourism and/or to promote a way to get water to rural residents, depending on what type of district you live in. And there are many. There is a CDD (county development district), MUD (municipal utility district), FWSD (fresh water supply district), WCID (water control and improvement district), SUD (special utility district), etc. The list goes on. You can find a full list throughout the state on the TCEQ website if it has to do with water in particular. Some of the local FWSD's in name only-- because they are legally WCID's-- are Providence Village, Savannah, Paloma Creek, Artesia, Lantana, Castle Hills, and the list goes on.


Developers found a way to form these districts as a way to create large developments, and to create water and sewer services without creating septic systems. And in doing so, the district is able to sell bonds and the cost falls back on the homeowners in the district in the form of the tax. Typically these bonds do not get paid down until 25 to 30 years or more from the time of sale. And cities like Little Elm, are chomping at the bit to annex. However, we get stuck without certain services in the meantime unless we pay extra. Case in point, our policing. Just read the Denton Record Chronicle in recent weeks.


I intend to spend more time on the how and why of these districts, but I found a series of articles by the Dallas Morning News almost a decade ago, that explains their creation. Some of it is rather shady in how they were created, in my opinion. Such as, a developer throwing a trailer on some land, and giving it to a 20something year old redneck who then votes to create the district and serve on its board. My TX State Senator Jane Nelson even seemed to think so at the time. I do not know her opinion now, but intend to find out. But if you want to listen to an almost 5 hour long committee hearing in 2002, it is out there. But it is better to read the articles to get an idea. And to add to the fun, if you look at the satellite photos on Google Maps, or Bing Maps using the bird's eye view , the Paloma Creek  properties are shown prior to and during early development. So using our internet way back machine, we can now see what it was like years ago. When you ask the developer and your local board of directors what happened in the past, their memory is foggy. But pictures don't lie. 


There is a lot of he said she said and "the guy before me did it" in the whole questioning of why things are the way they are. It is hard to find the truth, but some of the background is out there. And it is way past time to dig it back up. Get ready Denton County. The truth is out there.