Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton won a temporary restraining order Thursday blocking a municipal utility district from taking actions at its board meeting scheduled for Friday.
The order halts Double R Municipal Utility District No. 2A of Hunt and Collin Counties from directing its operations, accepting or appointing new directors, or considering agenda items for the March 20 meeting, except in limited cases tied to ongoing litigation, Paxton announced in a news release.
The restraining order stems from a lawsuit Paxton filed against the district and its officers. It accuses them of taking over an inactive municipal utility district last September and expanding it to support the development of the East Plano Islamic Center project, called EPIC City.
Municipal utility districts can levy taxes on Texans but must follow specific legal rules. Developers appear to have used the inactive district to bypass state processes required to form a new one, according to the release.
Friday’s meeting could have advanced plans stemming from the September gathering, prompting Paxton to seek the order. It pauses substantive steps by the district until a temporary injunction hearing is set later this month.
“This TRO is a win for the rule of law. Allowing Double R MUD to meet in this way would have only furthered its illegal scheme to support EPIC City,” Paxton said. “My office will continue to work tirelessly to stop the illegal EPIC City scheme, and anyone who has broken the law will be held accountable.”
The full temporary restraining order is available here.
