In this January 23, 2015 article titled “HCC buys land for campus in Missouri City”, the Houston Chronicle reported an unnamed municipal utility district working with Houston Community College on the project to relocate the HCC Missouri City campus to a new site adjacent to Missouri City city hall on Texas Parkway.
According to officials, much of the time involved in planning to this point has revolved around meeting the needs of each partner in the transaction, while remaining in compliance with state law and the expectations of their respective constituents.
Under the terms of the tentative agreement, HCC will sell the Sienna Plantation campus to Fort Bend County and the vacant land adjacent to it will be sold to a private developer. A benefactor will provide HCC with a difference between the property’s appraised value and its negotiated sale price.
The city and county as well as a municipal utility district will provide in-kind services at the new location to allow HCC to move with no financial loss.
During the February 16th City Council meeting, Missouri City’s Economic Development Director Joe Esch named Blue Ridge West MUD as the entity working with HCC to access utilities on the new site.
Scroll to item 11b at the 1:11:22 mark—“…they’re (HCC) working with the drainage, the city and Blue Ridge MUD to access utilities…”
In 2007, the Texas Legislature granted the Blue Ridge West MUD powers & authorities many folks in the Texas Parkway area of Missouri City may not be aware of:
- A director is not required to reside in the district, but must reside in the State of Texas
- The district has the power of eminent domain and may vote on & issue bonds of any kind
- The board president or secretary MAY give notice of an election.
- The board is not required to hold a hearing on the adoption of a plan of taxation.
I sought comment from a representative of the Blue Ridge West MUD prior to writing this post and received no response.
Exit question: where have I heard the name Blue Ridge West MUD before?
Oh yeah.