PRINCETON, Texas — Unprecedented and rapid population growth has led a North Texas city to put a pause on building new housing developments for the next several months.

The Princeton City Council on Monday voted to temporarily cease the creation of new residential housing developments in the community to prevent a shortage of public facilities.

Princeton is located about an hour northeast of Dallas, in Collin County. 

The city determined that its water, wastewater and roadway infrastructure is operating at, near or beyond capacity. The city also identified a need for three additional waste tanks.

Princeton is also adopting the moratorium due to a shortage of police officers as a result of “unprecedented growth” in the community. The Princeton Police Department plans to hire 30 additional police officers to account for the population boom.

According to 2023 census data, Princeton was No. 3 on a list of top 15 fastest-growing cities between 2022 and 2023 with populations of 20,000 or more. The city’s population grew 22.3% during that period, with a population of 28,027 in 2023.

The moratorium will be in place for 120 days after it’s been adopted. After that point, the city can decide whether or not to extend it.

During the moratorium, the city will have time to update its ordinances and regulations in order to better prepare for more growth, according to a memo from assistant city attorney Grant Lowry.