2001-014 Resolutioni
RESOLUTION NO. 01-014
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
SOUTHLAKE, TEXAS, SUPPORTING THE PRINCIPLE OF A
LOCALLY CONTROLLED, LEVEL PLAYING FIELD FOR ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
WHEREAS, the economy of Texas, and especially the Dallas -Fort Worth Metroplex,
has flourished in recent times due to the aggressive and sensible economic development efforts
of a myriad of locally inspired leaders that reflects the diversity and values of each
independent community; and
WHEREAS, the continued strength and growth of the Texas economy is contingent
upon the support of the Texas Legislature in maintaining a fair and level playing field upon
which cities across Texas may equally compete for new business development; and
WHEREAS, any effort by a governmental entity to seek legislative relief in order to
avoid compliance with fair business attraction practices should be summarily dispatched by the
Texas Legislature and vigorously opposed by all Texas cities competing for new business
opportunities for their citizens; and
WHEREAS, DFW is attempting to put more than 5,000 acres of publicly held land on
the commercial marketplace which is not subject to the same taxing limitations or zoning
regulations as any other private development; and
WHEREAS, this will not only create an unfair economic development attraction
mechanism favoring the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth to the detriment of their own existing
private property owners, but will also seriously impede surrounding cities' ability to market
new commercial projects in their own cities;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF SOUTHLAKE, TEXAS:
SECTION 1.
That it is fundamentally wrong for the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, through the
land holdings of DFW Airport, to compete with privately owned properties for commercial
developments that must pay taxes at the full market value and be subject to local zoning
oversight, and.
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Resolution No. 01-014
Page 2
SECTION 2.
That the ability to publicly develop projects subject only to leasehold improvement
taxes and exempt from all local municipal development and zoning controls is fundamentally
inconsistent with fair and equitable business practices and sound business judgment, and
SECTION 3.
That the cities of Texas should unite in opposing DFW Airport's attempt to persuade
the Texas Legislature to create for DFW Airport alone an economic development incentive
measure that no Texas city may compete against and no Texas developer may match, and
SECTION 4.
That the use of publicly held airport land for the development of office, retail and
industrial uses that compete with private property owners is inconsistent with the principles of
a free market economy, and
SECTION 5.
That the Texas Legislature is hereby urged to reject any attempts by DFW Airport to
acquire unfair economic incentive advantages which will flood the market with vast amounts of
land with permanently reduced taxes and zoning exemptions, thereby damaging the value and
marketability of existing developable land and available lease space in North Texas.
PASSED AND APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
SOUTHLAKE ON THIS _DAY OF, 2001.
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ATTEST: _ } ? • _
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S ndra L. LeGrand
City Secretary
Mayor Rick Stacy
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
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City Attorney