History of Woodland Incorporation Debate

⏮ Throwback Thursday 🔙 👈memory lane⬇️🚶‍♂️

Mar 24, 2022

Welcome to Throwback Thursday where we will be taking a little walk down memory lane. This is in direct response to questions regarding the previous Substack discussion thread from 3/15/22: 🥇The Woodlands Ranks #1 place to live again 2022

I have received many questions from people new to the topic of Incorporation of The Woodlands. Specifically, WHO is pushing this agenda and if the community is ranked #1 for the 2nd straight year, WHY would there still be a push to sell the community on this effort?

What is incorporation? In short, The Woodlands is a special purpose “Unique” township that acts and operates much like a “City” without having to take on all the overhead and infrastructure. This model requires coordination, communication and teamwork between several key stakeholders which has been the foundation of the success over the past 45+ years. The most compelling reason to become a City is to not be annexed by another city like Houston. The agreements already in place with Houston/Conroe remain in effect, without considering immediate incorporation, already preserving our protection from annexation until 2057. Even still, once that expires (or if the agreements did not hold up for some reason), the law would still prohibit Houston/Conroe from annexing us without our consent by vote. There is no ambiguity, only double protection from annexation. Either way, Houston/Conroe cannot annex us. The point: The threat of annexation as a reason to incorporate is abolished.

If this already failed, why are we still talking about it?

My observation is there are many who don't understand the history, nor understand WHY there is an agenda by a minority who would like to put this to a vote again as early as November. This topic has been over exhausted, but there is an increase of new residents coming everyday (After the November election). I have seen an increase in social media posts asking about the #1 ranking and WHY the push to change something proven to be successful, unique, and nationally recognized as one of the top places to live no matter what the “Label” City or Unique Special Purpose Township!

What was the board’s stance?

Video Clip: 43 seconds | Full video Link: 43:53

“I would not hold an election in May with a low turnout. I would not hold an election in a period where few people actually participate. I would anticipate that any election being called would be a high anticipated turnout where the majority or largest representation of our voters are weighing in. That would typically be a November Governor’s cycle or a November Presidential cycle.
“It’s an important decision. I think that, from my personal opinion, it would not be put out there on a ballot that didn’t have high voter participation. Chairman Bunch

"There is no urgency to vote this November, so I respectfully say this is not the right time to place incorporation on the ballot," Snyder said in comments presented before the vote.

August 13, 2021 (3 days before the deadline)- The Woodlands Township board of directors on Aug. 13 decided to add the incorporation propositions to the ballot Nov. 2 to let voters determine whether the special-purpose district will incorporate into a city. IMPACT FULL ARTICLE

Video: 1 minute 4 seconds