New residential housing development projects are still on hold in the city of Princeton after the city council voted unanimously to extend the city’s housing moratorium.
Princeton, which is about ten miles east of McKinney, is the third-fastest-growing city in the nation according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The population in 2010 was 6,807. In June 2023, Princeton’s population was 28,027. Current estimates put the population at over 37,000 residents, according to the city.
The city first issued the temporary moratorium in September, citing stress on infrastructure and city services due to rapid population growth. It was set to expire Jan. 21, but the city council voted to extend the moratorium for 180 days at Monday's meeting.
Princeton city manager Michael Mashburn said at Monday's council meeting that pausing housing development will create sensible growth and help city staff plan ahead during the extension.
“We're lacking just some very basic amenities in Princeton, and those are going to come with a 40,000 person city,” Mashburn said. “So I think we start with that baseline, then we build up from there.”
The city council could extend the moratorium again in the future.
The moratorium only applies to new residential developments, not commercial projects. And housing projects that were approved before the moratorium can still go forward.
Princeton resident Teresa McGuinness told the city council there shouldn't be exceptions.
“If you’re gonna do a moratorium, then do it,” she said. “If you’re going to stop residential building until everything catches up, then do it.”
City staff said stopping developments that were already approved before the moratorium was put in place is against state law. McGuinness said the city should reach out to the state and find a work-around to make the moratorium more effective.
Extending the moratorium requires proof of reasonable progress on addressing the problems growth is causing. Princeton’s public works department director, Tommy Mapp, told the city council on Monday he’s working on plans to update the city’s water and wastewater plans and is looking into road conditions.
The city has also approved funds to hire six more police personnel. And police chief John Waters said he’s looking into grants and policing methods to boost staffing at the police department. According to the city’s original ordinance for the moratorium, Princeton needs to hire at least 33 more police officers to meet demand for services and prevent staff burnout.
Mark Moyle, who was the Princeton police chief from Feb. 2019 to Nov. 2022, said he sounded the alarm about understaffing and burnout in the city’s police department numerous times. But he alleged in a lawsuit he filed against Princeton’s former mayor Brianna Chacón, the city and former city manager Derek Borg, Moyle’s requests to hire more officers were ignored and went unaddressed.
Moyle is seeking compensation for lost pay and punitive damages in federal court. He's also requesting an order that requires the defendants to take affirmative steps to prevent future violations of the Texas Open Meetings Act. Attorneys for the defendants have denied Moyle’s claims.
Chacón’s attorneys wrote in a response to Moyle’s amended complaint that, as a government official, she is entitled to a qualified immunity defense and that she acted without malice or intent to deprive Moyle of his rights.
“Her actions were lawful and proper and within and pursuant to the scope of her discretionary authority,” the response said.
The attorneys for Princeton, who are also representing Chacón, say Moyle’s claims against the city are barred by governmental immunity.
Got a tip? Email Caroline Love at clove@kera.org.
Caroline Love is a Report For Americacorps member for KERA News.
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