For a city like Jersey Village, “growth” doesn’t necessarily mean expanding our borders through annexation like it does for the City of Houston. Rather, it means making the best use of the land currently inside our city limits and continuing to promote our city so our community is attractive to families looking to purchase a home or to companies looking to open a new location in our city.
During my time on the Jersey Village City Council, I have been a staunch advocate for citizens who have demanded greater efforts from city government to attract higher quality businesses to Jersey Village.
Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone
In 2017, the Jersey Village City Council voted unanimously to create a Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ) in the area known as “Jersey Village Crossing”, which is located along Jones Road, just south of U.S. Highway 290. When used effectively, a TIRZ is a very potent tool to stimulate development in an area that has been relatively underdeveloped compared to surrounding areas. To learn more about this tool for economic development and what it means for Jersey Village, click here to read my article titled “Common Misconceptions about Tax Increment Reinvestment Zones.”
Comprehensive Plan
In February 2016, after careful discussion by a committee made up largely of every day citizens, working side-by-side with consultants, the city council formally adopted the Jersey Village Comprehensive Plan. You can read the plan for yourself by clicking here. I have also written on my blog about the Comprehensive Plan. This Comprehensive Plan provides a long-term outlook for future land use, development of our parks and recreational spaces, economic development and transportation. It is a document designed to provide our city government and community with a road map for what Jersey Village should look like years from now.
The Jersey Village City Council should follow the Comprehensive Plan closely as it makes future decisions on a range of issues. I pledge to work toward implementing the Comprehensive Plan on a schedule that is fiscally responsible and ensures that Jersey Village continues to be the best community in the State of Texas.
Flooding
Most importantly, however, the Jersey Village City Council must always examine any future development in our city with an eye toward the ever-present risk of flooding. While it is difficult to control the effect of development outside of our city, we can certainly enact measures designed to reduce the risk of flooding caused by development within our city. Click here to read more about city council’s progress in implementing the long-term flood recovery plan.