Friday Update Feb 27, 2026
Upcoming Double Oak Public Meeting Dates
Town Council Meeting will be on Monday March 2, 2026, at the Town Hall
Town Council/Planning & Zoning Workshop will be on Wednesday March 4, 2026, at 6:00pm at the Town Hall
Town Council/Planning & Zoning Workshop will be on Wednesday March 11, 2026, at 6:00pm at the Town Hall
Economic Development and Small-Town Sustainability
Small towns stay strong because they make disciplined decisions before they are forced to.
Communities like ours are built on character, space, and a commitment to preserving what makes them unique. That identity matters. It is why people move here and why they stay. But protecting character does not happen automatically. It requires financial stability. And financial stability requires planning that looks beyond the next budget cycle.
In primarily residential towns, homeowners carry most of the financial responsibility for municipal services. Police protection, road maintenance, drainage systems, equipment replacement, insurance coverage, and day-to-day operations are largely funded through residential property taxes. That model can work well, but it is concentrated. And when revenue is concentrated, risk is concentrated.
Costs do not pause just because we prefer stability. Public safety expenses continue to rise. Insurance premiums increase. Equipment wears out on schedule whether revenue keeps up or not. Roads and drainage systems age whether the budget is ready or not. These are not optional expenses. They are the basic obligations of operating a safe and responsible town.
At the same time, state-level fiscal policies increasingly shape how local revenue can grow. Appraisal caps, spending limits, and rollback thresholds regardless of anyone’s political perspective have a practical effect: they reduce flexibility. Revenue growth becomes more constrained, even as operating costs continue to move upward. That compression does not always show up immediately, but it accumulates overtime.
When flexibility narrows and costs rise, pressure builds quietly. It appears gradually in the form of deferred maintenance, thinner reserves, slower equipment replacement, and more difficult budget conversations. It can limit a town’s ability to respond quickly to emergencies or unexpected capital needs. Over time, that pressure compounds and reduces options.
Without diversification, the choices become limited. A town can attempt to increase residential tax rates if permitted. It can reduce services. It can postpone infrastructure improvements. Or it can rely on reserves. None of those choices strengthen long-term stability. They are short-term responses to structural imbalance.
This is why economic development must be part of the conversation not as a growth agenda, but as a diversification strategy.
Economic development in small towns does not mean high-rise buildings or density creeping into neighborhoods. It can mean something far more measured: professional offices, limited neighborhood-serving retail, or carefully designed commercial activity located along appropriate transportation corridors. When development is directed toward existing arterial routes rather than interior streets, the impact on neighborhoods can be minimized and managed responsibly.
The key is placement and standards.
Height limits, architectural requirements, traffic engineering, buffering, lighting restrictions, drainage safeguards, and infrastructure obligations exist for a reason. They allow towns to guide outcomes rather than react to them. They ensure that new development contributes to the community rather than burdens it. Good planning does not undermine preservation; it makes preservation sustainable.
Even modest commercial participation can make a meaningful difference. When commercial valuation and sales activity become part of the revenue mix, pressure on homeowners alone is reduced. Responsibility is shared more broadly, including by visitors and regional users rather than concentrated entirely on residents. Over time, even incremental diversification strengthens long-term forecasts, improves reserve stability, and provides breathing room in capital planning.
Across the country, small towns that embraced thoughtful diversification strengthened their financial footing without sacrificing identity. Fredericksburg preserved its charm while leveraging tourism. Georgetown expanded strategically while protecting residential areas. Franklin, Tennessee maintained strict architectural standards while broadening its tax base. None of those communities lost their character. They reinforced it by ensuring they had the revenue to maintain it.
By contrast, towns that avoided all commercial diversification often found themselves gradually squeezed. Residential tax burdens increased. Infrastructure projects were postponed. Public safety investments lagged behind regional standards. Budget debates became more contentious. Avoiding development entirely can feel protective at first, but over time it concentrates pressure rather than relieving it.
The real debate is not development versus preservation. It is concentration versus diversification.
When the majority of revenue comes from one source and that source is subject to state-imposed growth constraints the margin for error narrows. Even modest diversification reduces exposure. It improves long-term projections. It stabilizes capital replacement schedules. It reduces the likelihood of sudden or sharp rate adjustments in the future.
No town can freeze time. Costs will continue to rise. Equipment will continue to age. Infrastructure will continue to require maintenance. Regional growth patterns will continue to evolve. The question is not whether change will occur. It is whether we guide it intentionally and responsibly.
Transportation corridors will continue to attract interest over time because infrastructure already exists there. Surrounding communities will continue to adapt to regional growth pressures. Ignoring that reality does not stop it. It simply reduces our influence over how it unfolds at our boundaries. Proactive planning allows a town to set expectations, define standards, and determine scale before outside forces determine it for us.
Economic development, approached with discipline and clear guardrails, is not about becoming something we are not. It is about protecting what we are from becoming financially fragile.
We can preserve our neighborhoods. We can maintain our small-town feel. We can enforce high standards and thoughtful design. But we must also ensure that the financial foundation supporting those values is durable enough to withstand tightening fiscal constraints and rising long-term costs.
As your Mayor, I believe deeply in protecting what makes this community special. I also believe we owe it to future residents to think ahead, not just react in the moment. These conversations are not always easy, but they are necessary. If we approach them thoughtfully, respectfully, and with a shared commitment to both preservation and sustainability, we can make decisions that protect our character and strengthen our future at the same time.
Sustainability is not accidental. It is built.
Sincerely,
Patrick Johnson
Mayor of Double Oak Texas
Any opinions expressed in this update are my own and do not represent the official views of the Town of Double Oak or the Town Council. I welcome all comments and suggestions. To stay up-to-date with all the exciting news and updates, please visit the Double Oak Town website at www.doubleoak.texas.gov. In addition to contacting Town Hall at 972-539-9464, Double Oak citizens may reach me at patrick.johnson@doubleoak.texas.gov.
Retail Direct Proposed Development Update
As mentioned at the Council meeting on February 17, 2026, the Town has received the Zoning application for the 23 acre property at 407 and Simmons. The application is requesting a zoning change from Ag1/SUP to Planned Development.
The Town has scheduled two public joint workshops for Planning & Zoning and Town Council members to assist with the understanding the overall scope of this development project.
The dates for the workshops are:
Wednesday March 4th at 6:00 pm – Financial Overview
Wednesday March 11 at 6:00 pm – Project Overview
The Workshops will be held at Town Hall Cook-Wilkerson Community Room and both will be broadcast live on the Town’s You Tube channel.
News from The Double Oak Women’s Club
The 2026 Connie Gall Scholarship Application is now available. The Double Oak Women’s Club is dedicated to helping graduating seniors from our community who are continuing his/her education. We award the scholarship(s) to a deserving student, who is pursuing educational opportunities at a college, university, technical or trade institution. We look for students who exhibit a desire to excel in the following areas: Character, Academics, Community Service, and Leadership. Link here for more information.
Save the Date!
Double Oak Women’s Club Hawaiian Luau Casino Night
Saturday, April 11th, 2026 • 7 PM
Double Oak Volunteer Fire Department
Get ready to be whisked away on a tropical breeze! This year’s Casino Night is going full Hawaiian Luau, so grab your brightest Hawaiian shirt, shake out that grass skirt, and prepare for a night of fun, food, and fundraising — all in support of the Connie Gall Scholarship Fund and other vital community service projects.
Tickets – $40 Each
Your ticket includes:
Entry at 7 PM
$3,000 in casino chips
Delicious food & refreshing drinks
A night packed with excitement and chances to win fabulous prizes
New This Year
Bingo!
VIP Package Add‑On (details coming soon!)
How to Purchase Tickets
Contact any DOWC Board Member,
Email communitydowc@gmail.com, or
Call (315) 720‑2610
Passport to Our Past: A Culinary Celebration of Our Heritage!
We’re giving the Double Oak Women’s Club March 17th meeting a fun twist and turning it into a Mini Epcot - style global experience! Instead of celebrating just one country, we’ll be traveling the world together without leaving Double Oak - by honoring the diverse heritages represented within our club. It will be a lively, interactive global happy hour in an authentic and tasty way!
We’re aiming to feature 10–15 countries, each hosted by a small team of members who will create a cozy, immersive country table inspired by their heritage with bite-sized tastes, signature sips, fun facts, and memorabilia that brings each country to life. On March 17th you’ll receive your very own “passport” and rotate through countries in small groups every five minutes—collecting stamps, sampling flavors from around the world, and learning something new about one another country along the way. Dressing in your country’s attire is highly encouraged, and yes—there will be many prizes!
We can’t wait to see where in the world we’ll travel together. Let’s get this journey started by texting Mary Johnson at 972-890-2509 with your name and the country of your heritage. Adventure awaits!
Thank you and have a safe and enjoyable weekend.
Town Hall Administration