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Sugar Land City Council called a $350 million bond election for Nov. 5 to address public safety, streets, mobility and sidewalks, drainage, municipal facilities, and the planned animal shelter.

City Council’s vote during a special meeting on Aug. 15 provides voters a choice to consider funding up to $350 million for proposed capital projects over the next five to seven years, which equates to approximately $300 million in project costs in 2024 dollars. If voters approve the projects, the bonds will require a tax rate increase of no more than 5 cents, spread out over the next five to seven years. This equates to an incremental monthly cost to the average homeowner of approximately $5 each year – or about $20 per month by 2030, excluding property revaluation. All projects are anticipated to be completed or under construction in the next five to seven years.

Bond projects were identified through years of public feedback including the most recent Citizen Satisfaction Survey, sentiment surveys and community meetings - as well as various master plans and City Council input. 

Comprehensive community engagement and education will be conducted prior to the election. This will take place at community meetings, HOA meetings and special events. For more information including a complete project listing, visit www.sugarlandtx.gov/SLBond2024.

Sugar Land City Council recently identified an opportunity for residents to consider projects for a future bond election.

A bond election will provide residents a choice to consider funding up to $350 million for proposed capital projects over the next 5-7 years, which equates to approximately $300 million in project costs in 2024 dollars.

Potential projects include resident priorities that focus on public safety, streets, traffic and sidewalks, drainage, municipal facilities, and an expanded scope for the planned animal shelter. 

Residents identified the potential projects through years of public feedback including the most recent Citizen Satisfaction Survey, as well as sentiment surveys, community meetings, various master plans and City Council input. 

Projects would be funded with a potential tax rate increase of no more than 5 cents, which is equivalent to an incremental monthly cost to the average resident of less than $5 per month annually – or approximately $20 per month by 2030.

The bond propositions and costs to be included in a November election are expected to be finalized at a future meeting when formal action is expected to be taken to call the election. 

“This workshop was a crucial step in our ongoing efforts to respond to our residents. We are committed to being responsive to our community as evidenced by the extensive work we’ve done to complete drainage, mobility and parks projects approved by voters in 2019 and 2013,” said Sugar Land Mayor Joe R. Zimmerman. “This election will give our residents the choice to consider future projects that we’ve been told are important.”

According to Sugar Land’s last Citizen Satisfaction Survey, 95 percent of residents love calling Sugar Land home. Sugar Land continues to maintain one of the state’s lowest tax rates while also providing the high level of services expected of citizens, including capital projects that address key citizen priorities.

Comprehensive community engagement and education will be conducted prior to the election. This will take place at community meetings, HOA meetings, and special events.

 For more information about the proposed projects, opportunities to provide feedback and to sign up to receive notifications visit www.sugarlandtx.gov/SLBond2024.

 Sugar Land City Council recently approved a $3.2 million construction contract for the widening of University Boulevard.

The voter-approved project will include a new southbound and northbound lane from New Territory Boulevard to just south of Lexington Boulevard and intersection improvements along the corridor. 

The improvements will include additional turn lane capacity at Lexington Boulevard, a double left turn at Wescott Avenue and median improvements at Branford Place and the Houston Museum of Natural Science at Sugar Land to address community concerns, improve safety and enhance the flow of traffic.

Construction is expected to begin in June and be completed by the spring of 2025.

University Boulevard is an important north-south regional corridor that accommodates mobility for residents, access to important recreational amenities and supports tourism and economic development efforts that help maintain a low tax rate while funding the high level of services citizens expect. The intersection with U.S. Highway 59 has become critical to mobility within this corridor as growth continues in the surrounding areas, including the University of Houston-Sugar Land campus expansion, Smart Financial Center at Sugar Land, Brazos River Park, The Crown Festival Park and commercial development north and south of U.S. Highway 59.

The project was included in four general obligation bond propositions totaling $90.76 million decisively approved by Sugar Land voters on Nov. 5, 2019.  The projects included in the propositions cover drainage, facilities, mobility and safety and were selected based on extensive planning through various master plans, City Council input and the results of citizen satisfaction surveys that indicated drainage, public safety and traffic/mobility are the top three priorities for residents.

Sugar Land voters approved more than $10.26 million in 2019 for street projects focusing on improvements to mobility and reinvestment into the city’s street network, including $1.7 million for the design and construction to widen University Boulevard. County voters approved an additional $1.6 million in Fort Bend County mobility bonds in 2013, 2017 and 2020 to fund the University Boulevard project.

“This University Boulevard corridor has seen tremendous growth in traffic during the past 15 years,” said City Engineer Jessie Li. “Our residents have been clear on the continued need to invest in mobility projects. We’ve worked hard to deliver on our promise from the 2019 GO Bond election.”

Staff will notify affected residents and adjacent property owners through HOA meetings and newsletters, the city’s website, door hangers, one-on-one communications, social media and portable roadway signs. 

For more, visit www.sugarlandtx.gov/gobond.