Sustainable Intergovernmental Agreements: A Case Study of Civil Infrastructure Design and Regional Cooperation

The small-town character of Terrell, Texas and other rural communities in the northern region of the state is being threatened by expansion from the large Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area. In response to this threat, the Texas Legislature approved a bill in 2007 which established two special utility districts within the extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) of the City of Terrell, forming the largest rural planned development community in the state. This legislation allowed Terrell to use a city-design model to plan proactively for communities in its ETJ before they are constructed, through the establishment of comprehensive regional and intergovernmental agreements. The recent adoption of complex intergovernmental agreements and land development planning initiatives in Terrell has stimulated the entire area to enact similar partnership agreements between developers and cities. This case study illustrates how local city authorities, challenged to preserve quality of place, can manage the growth around them and attract new investment while minimizing problems and negative consequences. Cooperation among elected officials, the city council and city management staff was an important part of the success of the Terrell plan. Another key element was the ability to link fiscal structures and taxing entities, which reduced the competition between fringe development and core city growth. This multijurisdictional partnership approach can be used to manage all aspects of land development.

• Record URL:
  • http://pwm.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/12/1/370
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/34383369
• Authors:
  • Edwards, Torry L
• Publication Date: 2007-7

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: References;
• Pagination: pp 370-377
• Serial:
  • Public Works Management & Policy
  • Volume: 12
  • Issue Number: 1
  • Publisher: Sage Publications, Incorporated
  • ISSN: 1087-724X
  • EISSN: 1552-7549
  • Serial URL: http://pwm.sagepub.com/

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Case studies; Communities; Cooperation; Infrastructure; Intergovernmental partnerships; Intergovernmental relations; Land use planning; Partnerships; Planning and design; Regional development; Regional government; Regional planning; Rural areas; Rural development; Small towns; Sustainable development
• Uncontrolled Terms: Planned communities
• Geographic Terms: Terrell (Texas)
• Subject Areas: Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Society; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01076425
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 21 2007 1:53PM