The Woodlands Township Board of Directors has a new holiday on its calendar: Township Independence Day.
Chairman Brad Bailey proclaimed Sept. 2 as The Woodlands Township Independence Day at the board's Oct. 15 meeting, marking the date Houston City Council approved the Third Amendment to the Regional Participation Agreement (RPA). That amendment permanently eliminates Houston's ability to annex The Woodlands.
The township board had unanimously approved the deal on Aug. 26 at a special meeting. The vote was 7-0. Houston City Council followed with a 13-1 vote on Sept. 2, according to Hello Woodlands.
The agreement ends a payment structure dating to 2007, when the township began sending one-sixteenth of 1% of its sales tax revenue to Houston in exchange for annexation protection through 2057.
Under the new terms, the township will pay Houston a total of $50 million by the end of 2029. That sum includes roughly $22.6 million already held in the Regional Participation Fund and $27.4 million in additional payments spread over three years. Of the additional payments, $19.5 million will come from township cash reserves, according to the township's Boardroom Briefing.
The payoff for residents starts in 2030. Sales tax revenue that had been flowing to Houston will stay in The Woodlands, an estimated $4.5 million per year over the next 30 years based on conservative projections, the township said.
"The sooner we do this, the sooner we can stop paying the city of Houston and keep that money for ourselves," Vice Chairman Craig Eissler told Community Impact on Aug. 27, the day after the board's unanimous vote.
Not everyone in Houston celebrated the deal. City Controller Chris Hollins estimated Houston could lose up to $173 million by 2057 under the new terms, the TWHS Caledonian reported, citing Houston Public Media. Houston Council Member Joe Panzarella cast the lone vote against the agreement.
The proclamation also referenced George Mitchell's original vision for The Woodlands and the generations of residents and leaders who worked to preserve the community's governance structure, according to the Boardroom Briefing.
Other Oct. 15 board action
The board unanimously accepted a quarterly law enforcement report from the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office (MCSO), Harris County Precinct 4 Constable's Office and Montgomery County Precinct 3 Constable's Office. MCSO reported 171 arrests and 1,219 traffic stops year to date by its Crime Reduction Unit. A coordinated retail theft operation led to 23 arrests and the recovery of more than $5,000 in stolen merchandise.
Montgomery County Precinct 3 highlighted child exploitation investigations. Its Child Exploitation Unit investigated 235 cases and filed 217 felony charges during the quarter.
Development Standards Committee (DSC) Chairman Arthur Bredehoft reported that approval processing times in some categories dropped from 15 days to six days. The committee is exploring artificial intelligence tools to simplify applications. Two DSC vacancies are open, with applications accepted through Oct. 30.
The board also approved the First Amendment to the Interlocal Cooperation Agreement for fire protection services with the City of Shenandoah and advance funding for 2027 parks and recreation capital improvement projects and two Ford F-250 staff vehicles for The Woodlands Fire Department.
