The 2019 Comprehensive Plan made the connection unusually clear. At the time, Combine had no off-site sanitary sewer service available, and homes generally depended on on-site sewage facilities, such as septic or aerobic systems.

The plan tied that infrastructure reality directly to residential density, calling for no more than one dwelling unit per acre unless a development could provide off-site sanitary sewer treatment or another sewer system capable of supporting greater density.

A review of current city regulations, utility records, and development documents through October 2026 shows that Combine has modernized parts of its zoning and land-development rules, but there is no indication that a citywide municipal sewer network has replaced the on-site wastewater model.

That means sewer infrastructure remains one of the most important physical limitations on denser development in Combine. It is not, however, the only reason the city remains different from fast-growing neighbors such as Crandall.

The 2019 Plan Drew a Direct Line

Combine’s 2019 Comprehensive Plan described the city as primarily residential and agricultural, with relatively little commercial development.

Water service was provided by Combine Water Supply Corporation, but wastewater was a different matter. The plan stated that on-site sanitary sewerage facilities were regulated and inspected by the county where the property was located and that no off-site sanitary sewer service was available in the city.

The implications appeared again in the plan’s housing and future land-use sections.

The city established a goal of limiting single-family residential development to one home for every acre of gross land unless a development provided an off-site sanitary sewer system capable of supporting greater density.

The housing section was even more direct. It noted that one-acre residential lots were common, that one acre was generally needed for an on-site wastewater facility, and that the city’s zoning regulations also required a one-acre residential minimum.

In other words, Combine’s large-lot development pattern was not merely an aesthetic preference. Wastewater infrastructure was built into the equation.

The One-Acre Standard Remains

One of the clearest signs that the basic development model has not changed is Combine’s current R-1 residential zoning.

The City Council approved another round of zoning and land-development amendments in April 2026 through Ordinance 2026-002. Despite those changes, the current R-1 Single-Family Residential District still requires a minimum lot area of one net acre, or 43,560 square feet of usable land.

The ordinance also requires substantial setbacks and regulates lot configuration, further limiting the number of homes that can be placed on a tract.

That matters because the economics of suburban development depend heavily on lot yield.

A developer purchasing 100 acres in a city allowing quarter-acre lots could potentially create several hundred homes before accounting for streets, drainage, open space, and other infrastructure.

In Combine, a one-net-acre requirement means the same property begins with a theoretical maximum of roughly 100 residential lots before land is lost to roads, drainage, utility easements, detention, and other requirements.

Actual yield would therefore be lower.

That fundamental difference helps explain why Combine has not developed like areas surrounding U.S. Highway 175.

Combine Still Has Water Infrastructure

It is important to distinguish sewer service from water service.

Combine Water Supply Corporation remains an active water utility serving the area. Public Utility Commission records identify the corporation as holding Certificate of Convenience and Necessity No. 10814 to provide water service in portions of Dallas and Kaufman counties.

The corporation continues operating in 2026 and publishes current water rates for customers.

New subdivisions also face city requirements regarding water infrastructure. Combine’s development regulations require new subdivisions to provide water service and generally call for minimum six-inch water lines, subject to Combine Water Supply Corporation and state requirements.

So the city is not without utility infrastructure. The gap is wastewater collection and treatment.

On-Site Wastewater Still Matters

Combine’s municipal code continues to contain extensive provisions for on-site sewerage facilities.

Those regulations address septic tanks, aerobic treatment systems, soil conditions, effluent disposal, maintenance, and other requirements associated with properties that are not connected to a centralized sanitary sewer network.

The code also recognizes that developers in areas remote from organized sewage collection systems must consider wastewater disposal when establishing lot sizes and layouts.

That is a major development consideration.

A conventional suburban neighborhood with hundreds of relatively small lots generally cannot function under the same wastewater model as scattered homes on one-acre properties. Higher density creates larger wastewater volumes and leaves less land available for individual treatment and disposal systems.

Commercial development can face similar questions.

Restaurants, retail centers, offices, schools, entertainment facilities, and other businesses may generate wastewater volumes substantially different from a single residence.

Depending on the use, handling that wastewater without conventional sewer service can require larger sites, engineered systems, additional approvals, or substantially greater development costs.

For some businesses, that can affect whether a project is financially practical.

No Evidence of a Citywide Sewer Conversion

A review of publicly available city records, current ordinances, Combine Water Supply Corporation information, state utility records, and recent development actions did not identify an operating citywide sanitary sewer system in Combine or a publicly adopted project that would convert the entire city to centralized sewer service.

That is an important distinction.

A future developer could potentially pursue a private or project-specific wastewater solution, and regional utility arrangements are possible under Texas law.

The 2019 plan itself anticipated that possibility by allowing higher residential density where adequate off-site sewer treatment could be provided.

But a development-specific solution is very different from having municipal sewer lines already available along major corridors.

Where centralized sewer infrastructure already exists, a developer may be able to extend lines to a project and pay connection and impact costs.

Where no nearby system exists, the developer may instead face the much larger question of who builds, owns, operates, and pays for the wastewater infrastructure.

Sewer Is Not the Only Constraint

It would be too simplistic to say that Combine would immediately become a high-density suburb if sewer lines appeared tomorrow.

The city has made repeated policy decisions supporting low-density development.

Combine’s comprehensive plan describes preservation of community character as a goal. Its future land-use policies favor predominantly single-family housing and call for higher-intensity development to be separated from lower-density neighborhoods.

The city has also continued regulating subdivisions, lot dimensions, setbacks, streets, drainage, trees, zoning, and development agreements.

Those policies matter independently of wastewater.

Even with centralized sewer service, the City Council could choose to retain one-acre zoning.

Conversely, if city leaders eventually wanted denser development, simply changing the zoning ordinance would not solve the infrastructure problem. Adequate wastewater treatment capacity would still have to exist.

That makes land-use policy and sewer infrastructure two separate but closely connected limitations.

Commercial Growth Faces a Different Equation

The sewer question may ultimately become even more important for commercial development than for residential construction.

Combine’s 2019 plan specifically called for expanding and diversifying the city’s commercial and sales-tax base. It encouraged retail development where traffic volumes and accessibility made sense and urged the city to identify desirable businesses.

Those goals remain economically significant because commercial property and sales taxes can help broaden a city’s revenue base.

Yet commercial users can be especially infrastructure-dependent.

A small office, shop, or low-water-use business might operate successfully with an approved on-site wastewater system.

A high-volume restaurant, grocery operation, hotel, medical facility, large retail development, or dense mixed-use project could present a much more difficult wastewater problem.

The result is that Combine can continue adding businesses without municipal sewer, but the universe of practical projects may be narrower.

Growth Is Still Possible

Combine does not have to build a conventional citywide sewer system simply to grow.

Large-lot homes can continue being developed where on-site wastewater systems meet regulatory requirements. Businesses compatible with available utility capacity can still open.

Landowners can subdivide property under existing standards, and specialized wastewater systems may make some larger projects possible.

The more important question is what kind of growth Combine wants.

If the city intends to remain primarily a community of one-acre homes, open land, and relatively limited commercial development, the existing wastewater model can continue supporting that vision.

If Combine eventually wants subdivisions with significantly smaller lots, apartments, major retail centers, hotels, dense mixed-use development, or other urban-scale projects, centralized wastewater infrastructure would become increasingly important.

Seven years after the Comprehensive Plan identified the issue, that fundamental relationship has not disappeared.

Combine can grow without a citywide sewer system.

But the absence of centralized wastewater service continues to help determine how densely it can grow, which projects are practical, and how different Combine remains from the rapidly developing communities around it.

The post Can Combine City Grow Without Citywide Sewer? appeared first on Shop in Seagoville.

Commercial-truck enforcement has become one of the largest identifiable demands on the Combine Police Department, according to the city’s monthly activity reports.

The department reported 317 truck-route violations during 2025. That represented approximately 46.8% of the 678 calls for service recorded for the year.

The trend continued during the first five months of 2026. The May activity report listed 127 truck-route violations and 323 total calls for service through the end of that month. Based on the city’s published year-to-date figures, truck-route violations represented approximately 39.3% of all calls for service.

Those percentages are striking, but they do not answer the question completely.

Combine’s activity reports count incidents. They do not disclose how much time officers spent responding to them. A truck-route violation that ends with a brief warning and one that requires an extended roadside investigation are each counted as one event.

The reports also do not identify how many violations resulted in warnings, citations, vehicle inspections, or other enforcement action. They do not distinguish between resident complaints and violations discovered by officers on patrol.

What the records do establish is that commercial-vehicle enforcement generates a significant and recurring share of the department’s documented workload.

Enforcement Surged After Route Change

Truck-route activity accelerated dramatically during the summer of 2025.

The department reported 135 truck-route violations in July, accounting for approximately 85% of the month’s 158 calls for service. Another 64 violations were recorded in August, representing about 70% of that month’s 91 calls.

For comparison, the department reported eight truck-route violations in January, five in February, three in March, four in April, 15 in May, and five in June.

The July surge followed a significant change to Combine’s truck-route ordinance.

On May 19, 2025, the City Council approved Ordinance 2025-005, removing Combine Road from the city’s list of designated truck routes. The city’s current ordinance identifies only three designated routes:

• FM 1389 within the city limits
• FM 3039 within the city limits
• Davis Road from Haines Road south to the city limits

The city’s revised map specifically marks the entrance to Combine Road from FM 1389 as a prohibited truck route. It also marks Davis Road immediately west of FM 1389 as closed to truck traffic.

For trucks traveling to sand quarries along Combine Road and Haines Road, the map recommends entering from Malloy Bridge Road, continuing to Bilindsay Road, taking Bois d’Arc Road, and then reaching Combine Road from the west.

The map also warns that Jimmy Lane between Bois d’Arc Road and Haines Road is a private road and is not a truck route.

A Dispute Between Road Protection and Commerce

The decision to remove Combine Road from the approved network exposed the tension between protecting local roads and providing access to businesses that depend on heavy trucks.

According to a Texas Fifth Court of Appeals opinion, the Combine Police Department notified the public that enforcement would begin and said the route change was needed to prevent excessive wear and tear at the intersection of Combine Road and FM 1389.

Verdego Materials operates a sand-and-gravel pit near that intersection. The appellate record states that the company’s customers had used FM 1389 and Combine Road almost exclusively to reach the business.

After the ordinance passed, the city installed a no-truck sign near the mine. Some Verdego customers, along with property owner Clayton Wittwer, received warnings from Combine police for driving trucks on Combine Road.

Verdego and Wittwer sued the city. They argued that the disputed portion of Combine Road was outside Combine’s jurisdiction and was instead owned or controlled by Dallas County or the Texas Department of Transportation. They also alleged that enforcement disrupted the company’s business and caused it to lose customers.

A trial court dismissed the claims, and the Fifth Court of Appeals affirmed that dismissal on Aug. 11, 2026.

The appellate ruling did not make a factual determination that Combine owns or controls the disputed section of road. The court upheld the dismissal primarily on jurisdictional grounds, including Verdego’s failure to establish the type of vested property-right injury required for a civil court to consider its challenge to a penal ordinance.

The result left the city’s ordinance in place while avoiding a direct judicial resolution of the underlying road-control dispute.

What Counts as a Commercial Vehicle?

Combine’s ordinance defines a commercial vehicle broadly as a motor vehicle primarily designed or used to transport property or materials. It includes trailers and semitrailers with a gross weight rating of at least 4,000 pounds.

Passenger buses, motor homes, panel-delivery trucks, farm equipment, passenger cars, motorcycles, pickup trucks, and trailers rated below 4,000 pounds are excluded from that definition.

Commercial vehicles without a local destination or point of origin generally must remain on designated truck routes.

There are exceptions. Trucks may leave a designated route to reach a terminal, repair shop, service location, loading area, or unloading area by using the shortest practical route. Drivers relying on that exception are required to carry evidence showing their last stop and immediate destination.

Emergency vehicles, utility vehicles, school buses, garbage trucks, road-maintenance equipment, farm vehicles, delivery vehicles, and disabled commercial vehicles also receive specified exemptions.

Violations of the city’s truck-traffic chapter may result in fines of up to $500 per occurrence.

Police Chief Controls Residential Permits

Commercial-vehicle parking creates another enforcement responsibility for the Police Department.

A commercial vehicle cannot be parked on residentially zoned property without a permit issued by the police chief. The application requires information about the vehicle, its parking location, the roads it will use, anticipated travel times, and the expected number of daily trips.

The ordinance requires the vehicle to be parked out of view. Each permit applies to one vehicle, costs $50, and remains valid for 12 months. It cannot be transferred to another person or vehicle.

The police chief may place conditions on a permit or deny an application containing false, incomplete, or inadequate information. An applicant has 10 days after receiving a denial to appeal to the city manager, whose decision is final.

The city does not publish the number of permits issued, denied, or renewed. It also does not report how much police time is spent reviewing applications or monitoring permit compliance.

Published Numbers Need More Detail

The city’s reports provide a useful starting point, but several limitations prevent residents from determining the complete cost of commercial-vehicle enforcement.

The reports do not disclose officer hours by call type, citation dispositions, fine revenue connected specifically to truck violations, permit totals, or the number of complaints received from residents.

There are also unexplained differences in some year-to-date figures. The 12 monthly reports for 2025 contain 328 truck-route violations when their individual monthly numbers are added together, while the December report lists a year-end total of 317. The difference could reflect corrections or reclassification, but the report does not provide an explanation.

Similar discrepancies appear in the 2026 reports. April listed 98 truck-route violations year to date. May reported 14 new violations but listed the new year-to-date total as 127, an increase of 29 rather than 14. The May report also contains differences in other cumulative categories.

For that reason, the safest conclusion is not that a specific percentage of every officer’s working hours goes to trucks. The available data cannot support that claim.

It can support a narrower conclusion: Commercial-vehicle enforcement is one of Combine’s most frequently documented police responsibilities. In 2025, the department’s official year-end report classified nearly one of every two calls for service as a truck-route violation.

For residents concerned about road damage, noise, traffic, and safety, those numbers show the city is devoting substantial enforcement attention to the issue. For businesses dependent on truck access, they demonstrate how strongly the route restrictions are affecting daily operations.

What remains unknown is how much that enforcement costs, how many violations produce citations, and how much of the department’s actual working time is being consumed.

The post Truck Enforcement Dominates Combine Police Calls appeared first on Shop in Seagoville.

The post Behind Combine’s Low Crime Numbers: A Busy Department appeared first on Shop in Seagoville.

A 142 acre property near FM 3039 and Celia Drive has become the center of one of Combine’s most consequential land use disputes. The fight pits the city’s restrictions on new mining against a company’s push to remove sand from the site.

City records describe the land as the Whiskey River Development. Residents told the Combine City Council the property was once planned as a residential subdivision.

By July 2025 residents described the property differently. They called it a mining pit and raised concerns about neighboring land, public safety and groundwater.

Verdego Materials disputed the city’s position. A company representative argued the business was being targeted while other mining operations continued inside Combine.

The conflict did not end with a permit decision. Combine later sued Whiskey River Development Corp. and Verdego Materials LLC over two parcels along FM 3039.

The case was still active on city agendas as of August 2026.

How the Rules Changed

The dispute developed during a major shift in how Combine regulates excavation and mining.

On January 27, 2025 the City Council unanimously approved Ordinance 2025-002. The ordinance repealed Chapter 151 from the city’s Code of Ordinances. That chapter had been titled “Gravel Pits.” The repeal took effect the same day.

The repealed chapter had set excavation permit requirements and other rules for gravel pits. The ordinance did not use the words “ban” or “prohibition.”

Later city records show officials treated the change as ending approval for new mining inside Combine.

Combine added a separate grading permit process two months later. On March 24, 2025 the council approved a grading permit requirement that came out of a subdivision workshop.

The requirement gave the city engineer authority to review erosion control and drainage plans. It applies to property developments of five acres or more. Council members also set a $600 permit fee.

The city’s grading permit application allows approved applicants to clear brush and begin early site grading. It also allows some excavation and fill work. The material and amount must be approved by the city engineer, and excavation for mining is prohibited.

That distinction became the central question in the case. Was the Whiskey River work legitimate site grading, or was it a sand mining operation?

City Says It Is Mining

Verdego Materials submitted a grading permit application on May 13, 2025. The company sought permission to remove sand from part of the 142 acre property.

The city engineer and city manager denied the application. According to the July 28 council minutes, the amount of material proposed for removal amounted to a mining operation in the city’s view.

The minutes do not disclose the proposed volume of sand. They also do not list the planned depth, truckload estimates or how long the work would last.

Those missing figures make it impossible to independently judge the project’s scale from the public record alone.

Verdego appealed the denial to the City Council. Seven residents signed up to speak when the council heard the appeal on July 28.

The minutes say residents described damage they believed the excavation was causing to nearby properties. They also raised safety concerns.

Residents also submitted a geology report prepared by Dr. Devin Dennie. City minutes describe the report as addressing the effects uncontrolled sand and gravel mining can have on landscapes and groundwater quality.

The minutes do not reproduce the report’s findings. They also do not document site specific groundwater testing.

For that reason, the report should not be read as proof that contamination had already occurred. It was presented as evidence of potential hazards for the council to weigh.

City officials responded that mining operations active at the time had received approval before the January 2025 rule change.

Council Member Patrick Stepp moved to uphold the permit denial. Council Member Julian Castaneda seconded the motion. The council approved it unanimously.

The vote left the city’s original decision in place. Verdego could not use the grading permit to remove the proposed amount of sand.

The Case Moves to Court

The conflict escalated after the July appeal. On August 25, 2025 the council unanimously ratified a lawsuit in Kaufman County’s 489th Judicial District Court.

The case is Cause No. 121712-489. It names the City of Combine as plaintiff.

It names Whiskey River Development Corp. and Verdego Materials LLC as defendants. Two parcels are also named: Parcel IDs 12502 and 73094.

Those two parcels sit along FM 3039. They match the property at the center of the Whiskey River dispute.

By February 2026 the litigation had produced court ordered work at the site. That update came from the mayor and was recorded in the February 23 council minutes.

The minutes state that a court ordered the defendants to drain a pit created through unauthorized mining. The order also required them to fill part of the pit and seal its bottom. The goal was to stop water described as contaminated from reaching an underground stream or aquifer.

The court order itself was not included with the published minutes reviewed for this article. Those details are attributed to the city’s official summary and are not independently confirmed here.

The minutes do not provide lab results, contaminant measurements or the order’s full findings.

Two Different Verdego Cases

The Whiskey River lawsuit should not be confused with a separate case. That case involves Verdego Materials, Clayton Wittwer and the City of Combine.

The second dispute concerned Combine Road. It centered on the city’s removal of part of the road from its truck route system and who controlled that roadway near Verdego’s established mining site.

On August 11, 2026 the Fifth Court of Appeals in Dallas affirmed the dismissal of Verdego’s claims in the truck route case. That ruling did not resolve the grading permit dispute over the 142 acre Whiskey River property.

What the Record Shows and What It Doesn’t

Combine’s records establish a clear sequence of events. They also leave real gaps that matter to residents on both sides.

For Combine, the fight is about more than one permit. It tests how a small city balances development, natural resources and neighboring property rights.

At its center is a hard question with no easy answer. When does ordinary land preparation cross the line into commercial mining?

The post Combine: Sand, Water and Lawsuits appeared first on Shop in Seagoville.

The public meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. at Combine City Hall, 100 Davis Road. The main item on the agenda is a discussion with the city engineer about potential updates to Combine’s 2019 Comprehensive Plan.

Growth and Future Land Use

Commission members are expected to discuss population changes and growth projections as they consider how the city’s long-range planning document should be updated.

Future land use and possible zoning ordinance updates are also on the agenda.

Those discussions can help guide decisions about how different areas of the city develop as Combine continues to change.

Housing, Data Centers and Economic Development

The agenda specifically identifies affordable housing and data centers among the subjects the commission may address with the city engineer.

Economic development and incentives are another part of the planned discussion.

The commission is not scheduled to approve a completed new comprehensive plan Tuesday. Instead, the city engineer will discuss the listed subjects and seek direction from Planning & Zoning on updating the existing plan.

Roads and Future Capital Projects

Transportation planning will also be part of the conversation.

Commission members are scheduled to consider the city’s thoroughfare plan and roadway categories, along with potential projects that could be identified for a Capital Improvement Program.

Planning & Zoning members will also have an opportunity to recommend additional subjects for consideration during the comprehensive-plan update.

Public Comments

Residents who want to speak during citizen comments must sign the form provided by the city before the meeting.

Each speaker is allowed three minutes, with comments heard on a first-come, first-served basis. The agenda allows comments concerning the city or Planning & Zoning except personnel matters.

The posted notice states that matters raised during citizen comments cannot be acted upon until they are placed on a properly posted City Council agenda and considered at that meeting.

Planning & Zoning Commission

The City of Combine currently lists Rebecka Hughes as chairperson. Commission members are Mary Elizabeth Bustamante Cates, Kim Culter, Gerald Holub and Lauren Vazquez.

The city’s Planning & Zoning webpage also provides access to its comprehensive plan, future land-use map, zoning maps and development-related documents.

The post Combine Planning & Zoning Commission to Discuss Comprehensive Plan Updates Tuesday appeared first on Shop in Seagoville.

Under Chapter 90 of the Combine Code of Ordinances, the city establishes requirements covering rabies vaccinations, dogs running at large, animal restraints, animal cruelty, dangerous animals, nuisance behavior and certain prohibited animals.

The ordinance also gives authorized animal control personnel the ability to enforce these regulations, issue citations and capture or remove animals found in violation of the chapter.

Here is a breakdown of the primary animal regulations every Combine resident should know.

Rabies Vaccination Requirements for Dogs and Cats

Combine requires dogs and cats to receive rabies vaccinations beginning at an early age.

• Initial Vaccination: Dogs and cats must be vaccinated against rabies by a licensed veterinarian by the time they reach three months of age and again at 12 months.
• Dallas County Residents: After the initial vaccinations, Combine residents living in Dallas County may use either an annual rabies vaccine or a three-year vaccine, depending on the vaccine administered.
• Kaufman County Residents: Combine residents living in Kaufman County are required under the city ordinance to have their dogs and cats vaccinated against rabies annually.

Owners are responsible for ensuring their vaccination certificate contains the owner’s name and address along with a description of the vaccinated dog or cat.

Animal control may request proof of vaccination. If the certificate is not immediately available, the owner has 30 days to provide it before a citation is issued.

Anyone aware of an animal bite or scratch that could reasonably transmit rabies, or an animal suspected of exposure to rabies, must report the incident to animal control, the appropriate county health authority or law enforcement within 24 hours.

Dogs May Not Run at Large

Combine does not permit dogs to roam freely away from their owner’s property.

A dog is considered “at large” when it is away from its owner’s premises without a leash or other immediate control by someone physically capable of restraining it.

When away from the owner’s property, a dog must be on a leash no longer than 12 feet and under the direct control of its owner or custodian.

Dogs may remain unsecured on their owner’s property only when they are restricted to that property. Once an unsecured dog leaves the property, it is considered at large.

The ordinance provides exceptions for dogs involved in lawful hunting and certain farming or ranching activities, including livestock herding performed by working dogs.

Rules for Restraining Dogs Outdoors

Combine’s ordinance also places restrictions on how dogs can be tethered or otherwise restrained outdoors.

An owner may not leave a dog outside unattended on a restraint that unreasonably limits the animal’s movement. Restrictions also apply during extreme weather, including temperatures below 32 degrees or when a local or state authority has issued a heat advisory.

Among the restraint requirements:

• Collars: Pinch-type, prong-type and choke-type collars may not be used as part of an otherwise prohibited restraint. Collars must also be properly fitted.
• Minimum Restraint Length: A restraint must generally be at least the greater of 10 feet or five times the length of the dog measured from the tip of its nose to the base of its tail.
• Safe Equipment: The restraint cannot be in an unsafe condition or cause injury to the dog.

The ordinance provides exceptions for properly configured running lines, pulley systems and trolley systems. It also allows temporary restraint for a reasonable period necessary to complete a task, provided the period does not exceed three hours within a 24-hour period.

Animal Cruelty and Proper Care

Combine’s animal ordinance establishes minimum standards for humane animal care.

The local cruelty provisions prohibit conduct such as torturing an animal, abandoning an animal, cruelly transporting or confining an animal, causing animals to fight and seriously overworking an animal.

Those responsible for an animal covered by the ordinance must provide necessary food, water, care and shelter sufficient to maintain the animal’s health. Veterinary treatment must also be provided when necessary to prevent suffering.

The ordinance additionally prohibits leaving an animal unattended inside a parked or standing vehicle during extreme heat or cold, or under other circumstances that endanger the animal’s health or safety.

Vicious or Dangerous Animals

Combine has additional restrictions for animals determined to have dangerous or vicious tendencies.

The city’s definition includes animals that have demonstrated tendencies to attack or bite people or other animals, animals that have committed an unprovoked attack, animals that threaten to attack a person, and animals determined by a veterinarian to pose a danger based on reasonable medical probability.

A vicious dog or dog with vicious propensities may not be allowed away from its owner’s property within the city, even when securely leashed. The ordinance imposes the same off-premises restriction on a female dog in heat.

Residents wishing to make a sworn complaint involving an animal believed to be vicious or dangerous must contact the Combine Chief of Police or a representative.

The complaint should include information such as the date, time and location of the incident, a description of the animal, available information about the owner and witnesses, and the circumstances supporting the complaint.

Following an investigation, Dallas County or Kaufman County authorities may become involved depending on where the animal resides.

Barking, Roaming and Other Public Nuisance Animals

Animals do not have to attack someone to violate the city’s animal ordinance.

Combine defines a public nuisance animal broadly enough to include behavior that unreasonably annoys people, threatens the health or safety of people or other animals, or substantially interferes with another person’s ability to enjoy his or her property.

Examples include:

• Animals repeatedly running at large.
• Animals damaging, soiling, defiling or defecating on someone else’s property.
• Continued or repeated barking, howling, whining or similar noises that cause unreasonable annoyance or disturbance to nearby residents.

Where possible, before filing this type of nuisance complaint with the city, the affected resident must provide written notice to the animal’s owner or keeper stating that the behavior has disturbed the resident’s peace on more than one occasion.

A copy of that written notice must then be provided to the city when the complaint is filed.

The ordinance also prohibits an owner from allowing an animal in heat to roam at large.

Dangerous Wild Animals Are Prohibited

Combine prohibits residents from harboring animals classified by the ordinance as dangerous wild animals within the city limits.

The prohibited category includes numerous large or potentially dangerous species, including lions, tigers, cougars, leopards, cheetahs, jaguars, bobcats, lynx, bears, coyotes, hyenas, wolves and several nonhuman primates.

Hybrids of animals included in the city’s dangerous-wild-animal list are also prohibited.

Swine Are Not Permitted Within the City Limits

Chapter 90 contains a separate and straightforward prohibition concerning swine.

The ordinance defines swine as any hog, sow or pig and states that keeping or maintaining one within the corporate limits of Combine is unlawful.

Penalties and Animal Control Enforcement

Combine’s animal regulations carry potentially significant penalties.

A violation of Chapter 90 is classified by the ordinance as a Class C misdemeanor. Upon conviction, a person may be fined up to $2,000, unless a different penalty is established by state law, in addition to applicable court costs and fees.

Each day that a violation continues may constitute a separate offense.

The city’s designated animal control officer or another authorized person may enforce Chapter 90, issue citations to animal owners and capture or remove animals found in violation of the city’s regulations.

Reporting and Contact Information

Residents with questions about Combine’s animal regulations or who need to report a possible violation can contact city officials.

• City of Combine City Hall: (972) 476-1532
• Address: 100 Davis Road, Combine, TX 75159
• Email: city@combinetx.com
• Official Code Reference: City of Combine Code of Ordinances, Chapter 90 — Animals

Understanding the city’s animal regulations can help pet owners avoid violations while protecting neighbors, other animals and the pets themselves.

The post Know Your Combine Ordinances: Animal Control appeared first on Shop in Seagoville.

The proposed budget lists $1,397,353.65 in total revenues and the same amount in total expenses, producing a balanced spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year.

One of the most significant changes disclosed in the budget is an increase in property tax revenue. The city states that the budget will raise $34,032 more in total property taxes than last year’s budget, an increase of 6.41 percent. Of that increase, $12,715.38 is expected to come from new property added to the tax roll.

Property Tax Rate Remains at 35 Cents

Combine is proposing to maintain its property tax rate at $0.35000 per $100 of taxable value, the same adopted rate listed for both the 2025-26 and 2024-25 fiscal years.

However, the city’s proposed rate is higher than its 2026-27 no-new-revenue tax rate of $0.300020 per $100. The proposed voter-approval rate is listed at $0.301744 per $100, while the city’s debt rate is $0.091339 per $100.

The budget document also lists $245,708 in debt obligations secured by property taxes.

Property Taxes Remain Largest Revenue Source

Property taxes are expected to generate $939,347.18, making them by far the city’s largest revenue source.

Sales tax revenue is budgeted at $230,000, while Verizon and AT&T leases and other right-of-way fees are projected to generate a combined $165,006.47.

Other anticipated revenue includes:

• $36,000 from municipal court operations
• $20,000 in interest income
• $7,000 in net building permit revenue

Together, those sources bring projected revenues to $1.397 million.

Payroll Leads City Expenses

The largest major expense category is payroll at $473,555.85.

That total includes $247,412 in Police Department salaries, $79,670 for the city manager and $58,596 for the city secretary. The payroll budget also includes Social Security, Medicare, unemployment taxes, retirement contributions, employee insurance benefits and $6,600 in Police Department certificate pay.

Public works represents the second-largest major expense category at $370,453.83.

A substantial portion of that amount is connected to the city’s 2020 tax note, with $245,000 budgeted toward the note and another $1,359.75 for interest. The budget identifies September 2027 as the final payment date.

The city is also budgeting $85,234.08 for road repair and maintenance, $25,000 for tree and brush removal and $7,000 for code enforcement and animal control expenses.

$161,000 Budgeted for Legal and Professional Services

Combine’s proposed budget allocates $161,000 for legal and professional services, including $150,000 for attorney fees.

The remainder includes $9,000 for auditing and $2,000 for professional codification services.

General administration is budgeted at $108,480.79. Among the larger administrative expenditures are $36,947 for insurance, $15,950 for lawn care, $9,578.79 for Kaufman County appraisal and tax collection fees and $8,914 for office equipment, repairs, hardware, software and information technology.

Fire Department Allocation Tops $137,000

The proposed budget provides $137,725.18 for fire protection-related expenses.

That amount includes a $100,058 city contribution to the Fire Department and $37,667.18 toward a 2022 fire truck that is scheduled to be paid off in 2031.

The Police Department’s non-payroll operating budget totals $85,123. The largest line item is $35,000 for equipment and non-office supplies, followed by $18,000 for gasoline and $10,000 for automobile expenses.

Police salaries and related employee costs are accounted for separately in the citywide payroll section.

Planning and Development Includes Engineering Funds

Combine has budgeted $40,800 for planning and community development, with $40,000 designated for engineering and planning and $800 for the Combine-Crandall Library.

Municipal court expenses are projected at $20,215, including $10,000 for a contract judge, $4,500 for a contract prosecutor and $5,000 for court office equipment and technology expenses.

City Leaders Vote in Favor

The budget document reports that Mayor Tim Ratcliff and all five council members Patrick Stepp, Cecil Hutson, Ken Bender, Josh Caldwell and Del MacLaren are each recorded as voting “FOR.”

The financial plan leaves Combine with projected revenues and expenditures in balance at $1,397,353.65, while maintaining the city’s stated property tax rate at 35 cents per $100 of taxable value.

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The primary focus of the meeting will be the review of tax rates calculated and submitted by the county, after which the council is scheduled to take a record vote on approving the proposed $0.35 tax rate.

The meeting will also include an official announcement regarding public hearings to adopt the Fiscal Year 2026–2027 Budget and Tax Rate. Those public hearings are set to begin at 7:00 p.m. on August 24, 2026.

Meeting Summary & Details

• Event: Combine City Council Special Meeting
• Date & Time: Wednesday, August 12, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.
• Location: Combine City Hall, 100 Davis Road, Combine, TX 75159
• Key Business: Discussion and record vote on the proposed $0.35 tax rate
• Next Steps: Public hearings for the FY 26–27 Tax Rate and Budget scheduled for August 24, 2026, at 7:00 p.m.

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Under Chapter 8 of the Combine Code of Ordinances, the city outlines clear rules regarding property upkeep, public health hazards, noise disruptions, and environmental hazards. Knowing these municipal standards helps property owners avoid potential code enforcement notices, municipal court fines, and city-issued abatement actions.

Here is a breakdown of the primary public nuisance regulations every Combine resident should know.

High Grass, Weeds, and Overgrown Vegetation

Combine maintains strict standards regarding lawn maintenance and vegetation control on all residential, commercial, and vacant properties.

Property owners and tenants are legally required to keep grass, weeds, and uncultivated vegetation trimmed below maximum city height thresholds. Allowing lawns to become overgrown creates habitats for pests, snakes, and mosquitoes while presenting a fire hazard during dry summer months.

• Property Responsibility: Property owners must maintain all land up to their property boundaries, including adjacent rights-of-way, alleyways, and ditch lines.

• Prohibited Growth: Dense brush, unmanaged thickets, and noxious weeds must be cleared regularly to ensure clear lines of sight along municipal roads.

Accumulation of Trash, Rubbish, and Debris

To protect public health and prevent environmental contamination, local ordinances prohibit the open storage or accumulation of waste materials on any public or private lot.

Items prohibited from accumulating outdoors include:

• Household Refuse: Trash, scrap paper, cardboard, food waste, and unsanitary packaging.

• Building & Yard Scrap: Abandoned lumber, bricks, discarded roofing materials, concrete rubble, and fallen tree branches or limbs.

• Disused Household Goods: Old furniture, discarded home appliances, electronics, mattresses, and indoor fixtures stored in open yards, carports, or porches.

Junked and Unregistered Vehicles

An accumulation of unused or damaged vehicles detracts from neighborhood aesthetics and presents public safety concerns. Combine ordinances prohibit keeping junked, wrecked, or inoperable vehicles in public view.

• Vehicle Criteria: Any vehicle that is wrecked, dismantled, inoperable, or lacks a current state registration or inspection sticker cannot remain parked on private property unless fully enclosed within a lawful garage or building.

• Repair Activities: Major automotive repair and overhaul work on unregistered or non-running vehicles in open residential driveways or yards is strictly restricted.

Unreasonable Noise and Disturbance

Combine code regulates excessive, unnatural, or prolonged noise that unreasonably disturbs the peace, quiet, and comfort of nearby residents.

Unlawful noise nuisances include:

• Amplified Sound: Operating loudspeakers, sound amplifiers, or high-volume stereo systems that can be clearly heard across property lines during late-night or early-morning hours.

• Power Equipment & Construction: Operating heavy machinery, power tools, lawnmowers, or construction equipment during designated quiet hours without prior city authorization.

Abatement Procedures and City Enforcement

When code violations are identified, the City of Combine typically issues a formal notice of violation to the property owner or occupant, establishing a specific timeline to remedy the condition.

• City Abatement: If an owner fails to clear overgrown grass, remove junked items, or address public hazards within the designated period, the city may perform the cleanup work directly.

• Liens and Fines: Expenses incurred by the city for abatement services—along with administrative fees and court fines—may be assessed against the property as a municipal tax lien.

Reporting and Contact Information

Residents with questions regarding local property standards or who wish to report potential public nuisance violations can reach city offices directly.

• City of Combine City Hall: (972) 476-2248

• Official Code Reference: City of Combine Code of Ordinances, Chapter 8 (Offenses and Nuisances)

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Both meetings will be held at Combine City Hall, located at 100 Davis Road in Combine.

City Council Budget Workshop Set for Monday

The Combine City Council will conduct its third workshop for the proposed 2026–2027 fiscal year budget at 6 p.m. Monday, July 20.

The agenda includes a discussion and review of the city’s proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The workshop will give council members another opportunity to examine anticipated revenues, expenses and municipal priorities before the budget moves further through the approval process.

Residents may address the council during the citizen comments portion of the meeting. Anyone wishing to speak must complete the city’s non-agenda speaker form before the meeting. Each speaker will be allowed up to three minutes, with participants recognized on a first-come, first-served basis.

The council generally cannot take immediate action on an issue raised during citizen comments unless the matter has been placed on a properly posted City Council agenda.

Planning and Zoning Commission to Review Comprehensive Plan

The Combine Planning and Zoning Commission will meet at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 21, to begin discussing possible updates to the city’s 2019 Comprehensive Plan.

During the meeting, the city engineer is scheduled to seek direction from commission members on several issues expected to influence Combine’s future growth and development. Topics include population changes, growth projections, future land-use policies, zoning ordinance updates, affordable housing, data centers and economic development incentives.

The commission will also discuss the city’s thoroughfare plan, roadway classifications, potential capital improvement projects and additional recommendations offered by Planning and Zoning members.

The Comprehensive Plan serves as a long-range planning guide for decisions involving development, transportation, infrastructure, housing and land use. The July 21 discussion could help establish priorities for how the plan will be revised as Combine continues to grow.

Residents may speak during the citizen comments portion of the Planning and Zoning meeting after completing the city’s speaker form. Comments are limited to three minutes per person and will be heard on a first-come, first-served basis. Commission members may consider those comments when preparing recommendations for the City Council, but formal action cannot be taken on an unposted matter.

The budget workshop begins at 6 p.m. Monday, July 20, and the Planning and Zoning public meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 21. Both meetings will take place at Combine City Hall, 100 Davis Road.

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