Houston Code of Ordinances ch. 47, art. IX, div. 5 — ACCELERATED PROJECTS | Houston Code of Ordinances (Supp. No. 93, Update 2: codified through Ordinance No. 2026-0732, adopted Aug. 19, 2026) — City of Houston

Houston Code of Ordinances § 47-351 Accelerated projects authorized.

Sec. 47-351. - Accelerated projects authorized. (a) In areas served by the system where existing wastewater capacity is insufficient to meet current demand for additional service and such demand is sufficient to support the immediate acquisition or construction of improvements to increase the wastewater capacity of the system, the director is authorized and directed to define accelerated projects, and to provide for the financing thereof by soliciting prepaid capital recovery charges. (b) In each such case the director shall determine, and publish a notice which states: (1) A description of the area which will be served by the accelerated project. (2) The total estimated cost of the accelerated project. (3) The estimated minimum amount (the "city's minimum share"), in dollars, of the total cost of the accelerated project which will be financed by funds other than those received as prepaid capital recovery charges. (4) The minimum amount (the "minimum subscription amount"), in dollars, of subscriptions which must be received before the city will commit to proceed with the accelerated project (such minimum amount shall not exceed a sum equal to 85 percent of the excess of the total estimated cost of the accelerated project over the city's minimum share). (5) The maximum amount, in dollars, of subscriptions which will be accepted with regard to the accelerated project. (6) The time period during which subscriptions will be accepted for the accelerated project (the "subscription period"). (7) The estimated date on which the accelerated project will become operational. (Code 1968, § 49-751; Ord. No. 83-650, § 1, 5-3-83)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 47-352 Subscriptions to accelerated projects.

Sec. 47-352. - Subscriptions to accelerated projects. (a) In order to subscribe to an accelerated project a subscriber must file a reservation application for a proposed development located within the service area of the facilities constituting the accelerated project and, if the application is approved, must, within the time period prescribed, pay or provide security for the payment of the capital recovery charges applicable to the proposed development. The director shall accept subscriptions on a first-come first-served basis in accordance with the date upon which each reservation application is received; provided, however, that subscriptions received for proposed developments which are currently served by private interim wastewater treatment plants will be given precedence over all other subscriptions regardless of the date of application. The director shall accept reservation applications which do not specify a proposed development. The aggregate total of such non-site specific reservation applications may not exceed 15 percent of the minimum subscription amount for the accelerated project. (b) At the close of the subscription period, the director shall calculate the total dollar amount of subscriptions received and: (1) If such amount equals or exceeds the minimum subscription amount; or (2) If the director otherwise determines that the accelerated project should proceed and receives the approval of the city council; then the director shall issue to each subscriber a wastewater capacity reservation in the amount of wastewater capacity for which application was made, conditioned upon the completion and acceptance of the accelerated project (or conditioned upon the occurrence of such other event in connection with the accelerated project as the director determines will reasonably assure that adequate facilities will be available prior to the initiation of utility service to the proposed developments). (c) If, at the close of the subscription period, the director determines that less than the minimum subscription amount was received from subscribers and that the accelerated project should be cancelled, then the director shall notify each subscriber to the accelerated project of such cancellation and shall, within 60 days of the close of the subscription period, refund to each subscriber the amount of the capital recovery charges that subscriber has paid, plus interest earned by the city on such fund, if any, or release any security provided by that subscriber in connection with the subscription. (d) The director shall accept as security for the payment of capital recovery charges, under this section, letters of credit which are: (1) In the form or forms prescribed by the city attorney; (2) Issued by a financial institution which meets the qualifications prescribed by the director of the department of finance; and (3) For the full amount of the applicable capital recovery charges. In addition to letters of credit, the director may accept other forms of security for the payment of capital recovery charges under this section if the city determines that such forms of security will adequately protect the interests of the city and if such forms of security are specifically identified in the published notice for the accelerated project for which they are to be accepted. (Code 1968, § 49-752; Ord. No. 83-650, § 1, 5-3-83; Ord. No. 08-52, § 93, 1-16-08, eff. 1-26-08)

Houston Code of Ordinances § 47-353 Establishment of project priorities.

Sec. 47-353. - Establishment of project priorities. Before proceeding with the design and initiation of accelerated projects, the director shall review the current status of the system and its individual facilities, formulate a recommended priority list to be followed in the selection of accelerated projects and submit that list to city council for its approval. In formulating the list the director shall consider: (a) The current unfulfilled demand for service in each area. (b) The amenability of existing facilities to expansion and the feasibility of constructing or otherwise acquiring new facilities. (c) The time required to prepare necessary engineering plans. (d) The availability of funds to finance the portion of the project which must be financed by revenue bonds, state or federal grant funds or other available funds. (Code 1968, § 49-753; Ord. No. 83-650, § 1, 5-3-83)