Author: FBLID 15

The development of Riverstone required a permit from the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). As part of the USACE permit, the District is required to construct and maintain 25 acres of wetlands areas under strict federal requirements. The 25-acre requirement includes multiple wetland planting beds in the lakes throughout Riverstone. These wetland beds were purposefully created in the lakes to help improve water quality. Wetlands Park on LJ Parkway and the Cypress Bend greenbelt along the Club at Riverstone Trail also include protected wetlands.

There are a variety of “desirable” wetland plant species LID 15 must establish under the USACE permit, but the District is limited to the maintenance that can be performed on “undesirable” or invasive plants. In recent months, the lack of rain has resulted in lower lake levels, allowing more weeds to grow in wetland areas that are typically underwater. During the peak of drought conditions in August and September, maintenance crews were able to cut back the plant material in these beds, particularly in the dry areas most impacted by the drought. Wetland maintenance crews also continue to treat invasive species by hand. As conditions improve in the fall, the District will resume transplanting desirable plants and continue to improve the aesthetics of the wetlands. LID 15 residents are cautioned not to cut or trim any plants in the wetland areas, but they are encouraged to contact LID 15 directly with any maintenance concerns.

Riverstone Lake with Multiple Wetland Plant Beds

On September 18, the LID 15 Board of Directors lowered the District’s 2023 tax rate to $0.30 (per $100 of assessed value). This is a $0.04, or 12%, reduction compared to the 2022 tax rate, and it will lower the average homeowner’s tax bill by $41. Over the past nine years, LID 15 has reduced the total tax rate by more than 60%. During the same period of time, the District has continued to improve flood control infrastructure throughout the community, including a partnership with LID 19 to expand the Steep Bank Creek Pump Station. LID 15 also maintains a fully funded replacement reserve for major assets and a healthy 1-year operating reserve. These decisions by the LID 15 Board of Directors continue to reflect their commitment to the District’s Mission Statement:

“Our Mission, is a COMMITMENT to provide the HIGHEST quality flood plain reclamation, flood protection, detention and outfall drainage for the community in the most cost-effective manner.”

The Fort Bend County Levee Improvement District No. 15 will hold a public hearing on a proposed tax rate for the tax year 2023 on September 18, 2023 at 4:00 pm at The Club at Riverstone, 18353 University Blvd, Sugar Land TX 77479. Your individual taxes may increase at a greater or lesser rate, or even decrease, depending on the tax rate that is adopted and on the change in the taxable value of your property in relation to the change in taxable value of all other property. The change in the taxable value of your property in relation to the change in the taxable value of all other property determines the distribution of the tax burden among all property owners.

Visit Texas.gov/PropertyTaxes to find a link to your local property tax database on which you can easily access information regarding your property taxes, including information about proposed tax rates and scheduled public hearings of each entity that taxes your property.

Notice of Public Hearing on Tax Rate (PDF)