Sugar Land annexation has big impact

A vote taken by the city of Sugar Land Tuesday to annex a small strip of unpopulated land will have big implications for the unincorporated communities of Greatwood and Riverpark.

The City Council voted to bring 20.8 acres into its city limits, all of which is Texas Department of Transportation right-of-way along U.S. 59. The land includes frontage roads surrounding the U.S. 59/Crabb River Road interchange.

This annexation will not bring any residents or businesses into Sugar Land. Instead, it will allow the city to later annex parts of Greatwood and Riverpark, by making Sugar Land's city limits contiguous to the two master-planned developments on opposite sides of U.S. 59 just west of the Brazos River.

The city of Sugar Land in November voted to enter a formal agreement with the municipal utility districts that comprise Greatwood, laying out a series of actions that would be taken and conditions that would be met prior to the city of about 70,000 taking in the suburban enclave.

No date has been given for the complete annexation of Greatwood, but Sugar Land is planning next for a limited-purpose annexation of commercial areas of Greatwood. As outlined in the 2007 agreement, this annexation would allow the city to charge a sales tax and enforce its building ordinances.

A portion of sales tax proceeds would be diverted to a fund specifically for Greatwood to pay off its operating debts.

This item was discussed at a Council workshop Tuesday where no formal action was taken.

The complete annexation of Riverpark, including single-family homes and a large shopping center anchored by H.E.B., is expected to happen in the next two years, well before Greatwood's complete annexation.