The Woodlands' 50th Anniversary Community
BY VANESSA HOLT
Editor's note: This story is part of a monthly series that Community Impact will run through the 50th anniversary of The Woodlands in October 2024 highlighting the community.
The Woodlands Township is the only township in Texas, but its existence came about through a years-long process, legislation and consolidating the administration of several dierent community associations almost 15 years ago. The background In 1999, when The Woodlands community was 25 years old, the path to a new form of governance began when its community associations began working with the city of Houston to prevent the possibility of annexation in the future. Concerns about annexation came in the wake of Houston’s annexation of Kingwood, said Bruce Tough, who served on the township’s rst board of directors, which formed in 2010. Under the new form of government, covenants within The Woodlands Township continued to provide deed restrictions for properties, but in 2010 the responsibility for covenant administration transferred to The Woodlands Township. The covenants are in place through: • The Woodlands Association (villages of Alden Bridge, College Park, Creekside Park, Sterling Ridge and Indian Springs west of Falconwing Drive) • The Woodlands Community Association (villages of Panther Creek, Grogan’s Mill, Cochran’s Crossing and Indian Springs east of Falconwing Drive) • The Woodlands Commercial Owners Association Tough said the associations worked with state Sen. Tommy Williams in 2007 to create a regional participation agreement with neighboring cities through legislation to prevent annexation through 2057. Voters approved three propositions in 2007 to expand the boundaries of the Town Center Improvement District, create a board of directors and authorize a property tax. The Woodlands Township’s government shaped by legislation
Nelda Blair, right, was the rst chair of The Woodlands Township board of directors.
COURTESY BRUCE TOUGH
How we got there 1999: A moratorium is signed between the city of Houston and The Woodlands municipal utility districts preventing annexation of The Woodlands for at least 12 years. Spring 2007: Senate Bill 1012 enables The Woodlands entities to enter into regional participation agreements with the cities of Houston and Conroe. Fall 2007: Three propositions appear on the ballot, organizing the new governing board and authorizing an ad valorem property tax. November 2007: The propositions pass and TCID is renamed The Woodlands Township. May 2008: Five at-large members are elected as representatives to The Woodlands Township. 2009: Transition plans continue and a budget and property tax levy are set in September to replace community association assessments. 2010: The Woodlands Township assumes full responsibility for services provided by the associations.
A moratorium agreement was signed by Gov. George W. Bush in 1999 which prevented annexation.
COURTESY MARY CONNELL
The Woodlands Township transition team worked on moving to a new form of government in 2008.
SOURCES: BRUCE TOUGH, THE WOODLANDS TOWNSHIP COMMUNITY IMPACT
COURTESY MARY CONNELL
“We were told it was impossible, and most of them passed by close to 80%,” said Nelda Blair, who served as chair of the rst township board of directors. How it’s going Additional legislation has helped to dene the township in recent years, including House
Bill 5311, which allowed the township to collect mixed-beverage taxes starting Oct. 1, 2023. The rst year the township was eligible to consider incorporating into a city was 2012, Tough said. In 2021, voters rejected a proposition for incorporation on the November ballot by more than two-thirds of the vote.
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THE WOODLANDS EDITION
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