The city of Weslaco wants developers to pay more of the cost for growth and infrastructure that's tied to new construction.

"City on the grow" is Weslaco's motto. From new homes to commercial projects, development is happening across the city.

The city recently updated its rules for developers to include new drainage requirements. Those changes are also part of a proposed Unified Development Ordinance. It would combine all development rules into one guidebook.

"It's going to shape how the city grows responsibly, it's going to lay out the procedures, who the authority boards are, it's just a really good guide for all incoming developers and for our growth," Weslaco Planning and Code Enforcement Director Rebekha De La Fuente said.

De La Fuente said the plan may not make new development easier, but it will make the process clearer.

"We have 15 different ordinances across our muicipal code and it's really hard for developers to pinpoint ok, I need this one and then I need this one, I need landscaping, I need parking, and I need drainage and I need zoning. By creating a UDO, we're all putting it in one spot," De La Fuente said.

She said the plan also includes one-time impact fees for all new development.

"This is going to pay for what impact they're having in our water and our wastewater systems," De La Fuente said. "This means less likelihood of increasing taxes or water rates, because that's why taxes rise. We have to do infrastructure work and we have to do improvements and if that's being put back on the developer where it should be, it's not on our citizens."

De La Fuente said the proposed UDO also adds more housing options, like townhomes, something not currently included in city ordinances.

"And all this provides a different variety of lot sizes, because not everybody can have a five- or six-bedroom house," De La Fuente said.

The city will hold two public hearings and a virtual information session next month.

The public hearings will be held on August 18 and September 2 at Weslaco City Hall and the virtual session will be held on June 11.

To register for the virtual meeting, click here.

For more information about the UDO, click here.