The Parking Garage Fiasco

The City leadership is once again suffering from a self inflicted wound. Many Georgetown residents are upset with the process and lack of transparency used in selecting a site for a new 4 story parking garage near the historic downtown square.

There have been editorials and letters to the Wilco Sun over the last several weeks showing the unhappiness citizens are experiencing with the secrecy surrounding the entire garage project.

At the January 14, Council meeting over 25 people signed up to speak about the garage. Here is a link to the video of the council meeting. The parking garage issue is Item V. The entire video is 1.5 hours long.

One citizen captured many of the issues in the following 6 minute video.

The general lack of transparency is identified as well as the immaturity of the budget estimates which have doubled in just a couple of months.

The average cost of parking structures is $21,500 per parking space according to the engineering design firm under contract to the city. Yet, the cost for this proposed garage, so far, is $74,100 per space.

Does everyone see the problem here? Expect more controversy in the future if there are no changes to include citizens in the process of site selection and building cost, size and look.

Growth Continues

The City Council has approved a development agreement with the owners of Parkside on the River, a development within the City's ETJ West of I35, South of SH29 and North of Leander Road. Here is a location map:

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Since the development lies outside the city limits, the City has limited ability to control development. So as a means of exerting some control, the City has signed a development agreement to provide city services in return for adherence to City requirements.

1. Quality Development. The development meets or exceeds the intent of the development, infrastructure, and design standards of City codes;

2. Extraordinary Benefits. The development provides extraordinary public benefits that advance the vision and goals of the Comprehensive Plan, such as, but not limited to, extension, financial contribution, and/or enhancement of master planned infrastructure, diversity of housing, and enhanced parks, trails, open space, and recreational amenities that are available to the public;

3. Enhance Public Service and Safety. The development enhances public services and optimizes service delivery through its design, dedication of sites, connectivity, and other features.

4. City Exclusive Provider. The development further promotes the City as the exclusive provider of water, sewer, solid waste, and electric utilities;

5. Fiscally Responsible. The development is financially feasible, doesn’t impair the City’s ability to provide municipal services, and would not impose a financial burden on the citizens of Georgetown in the event of annexation;

6. Finance Plan. The developer(s) contributes financially to cover a portion of infrastructure expenses without reimbursement by the MUD or the City and as reflected in conditions placed on the issuance of bonds by the district;

7. Annexation. The development will not impair the City’s future annexation of the MUD or adjacent property or impose costs not mutually agreed upon.

The Water Oak development on SH29 connects with the Parkside development as shown in the next two illustrations.

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Both Water Oak and Parkside are in MUD #25 and the City will provide water and electric services through contracts with the MUD.

Finally, the following chart shows the kinds of development envisioned for the site.

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2500  new single family homes with multi-family dwellings and commercial development along Leander Road.

Do You Know What is In the Gerogetown 2030 Plan?

The City of Georgetown is hosting a public meeting to share and review proposed changes to the future land use map on Oct. 30 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Georgetown Public Library, 402 W. Eighth St.

Here are the people who are deciding the future of Georgetown. They are the "2030 Comprehensive Plan Update Steering Committee".

In attendance: Mayor Dale Ross; Ercel Brashear; Lou Snead; Linda McCalla; Danelle Houck; Suzy Pukys; Hugh Brown; Josh Schroeder; Tommy Gonzalez; PJ Stevens; Wendy Cash. Linda McCalla joined the meeting at approximately 6:45pm. 

Lou Snead left the meeting at approximately 7pm. 

Staff present: Sofia Nelson; Nat Waggoner; Susan Watkins; Andreina Davila; Wayne Reed; David Morgan; Michael Patroski; Ethan Harwell; Chelsea Irby; Wayne Reed.

Are there members that are committed to slow, balanced growth without a financial interest on this committee? That is left as an exercise for the reader to determine.

Here is the proposed land use map. It is hard to appreciate on the small screen and those interested should really go to the library to see a large scale map.

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There will be financial analyses for the various scenarios that have been considered presented at the November 12, Council Workshop.

It should be pointed out that land use maps and zoning ordinances are used to control land use at the expense of land owners. It is a method of picking "winners and losers". If your land lies in a high value use area, then your land is much more valuable than the poor smuck who's land lies in a low value use area.

It is also interesting that the map also covers areas that are not in the City. Can the City control use of land not within the jurisdiction of the City? Inquiring minds would like to know. 

Local War Veteran Fights for Property Rights

John Yearwood is a decorated military veteran. He runs a small business and lives on a farm in the Georgetown ETJ that has been in the family since 1871. 

Over the years, John and his family have used their farmland to benefit the community. The Yearwoods have allowed local church youth groups and the high school 4-H club to use the property for camping. In 2018, Mr. Yearwood built a shooting range for the high school 4-H club to practice gun-sports. The Yearwoods do not charge the groups to use the property.

These community outreach projects are in jeopardy, however, because the best part of the land for camping is also home to the Bone Cave Harvestman. (BCH). Under the Endangered Species Act, it is a federal crime to do anything to harm the BCH or its habitat. So the Yearwoods are left to choose between thousands of dollars in permits or thousands more in civil and criminal penalties or to abandon the use of the property.

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is trying to use its authority under the Interstate Commerce Clause to regulate interactions with a small arachnid (the BCH) that doesn’t cross state lines or affect commerce.  This federal overreach costs cities and landowners millions of dollars a year and prevents families from using their land for harmless things like camping and recreation. 

Texas Public Policy Foundation filed a lawsuit on behalf of Mr. Yearwood to protect his constitutional right to use his property without federal interference. Should this lawsuit be successful, the protection of the Bone Cave harvester would go back to state and local governments — which, incidentally, already have protections for cave species. More importantly, a dangerous 5th Circuit precedent that could be used for virtually unchecked federal authority would be taken off the books. In the end, the federal government should not have a say as to whether children camp on Mr. Yearwood’s property.

Read more here.

Another Candidate for Mayor!

Josh Schroeder has announced his candidacy for Mayor of Georgetown.

As Mayor, he wants to help steer Georgetown’s future.

“Some folks want us to remain a small town. Some want us to be a big giant city. Some want to remain a distinct city apart from oth­er suburbs that surround us.”

Mr. Schroeder is an attor­ney at Georgetown-based Sneed, Vine and Perry, a for­mer chair of both the Plan­ning and Zoning Commis­sion and the Zoning Board of Adjustment for the city, and current chair of the Historic and Architectural Review Commission.

He also is a member of the city’s 2030 Plan Steer­ing Committee. The plan will be a road map to guide Georgetown’s growth and future development deci­sions.

Mr. Schroeder plans to focus on land use and devel­opment, his passion, because they tie in with oth­er issues such as transportation, public safety and the budget.

As former chair of the Planning and Zoning Commission, he said he was faced with develop­ment application concerns from developers, res­idents and city staff.

Mr. Schroeder said it was all about balancing the different needs of the com­munity.“I feel like we were able to do that when I was on P&Z in a way that even if commissioners didn’t agree on a particular application, we had a civil debate and good back and forth with staff without being antagonistic,” he said. He added that he hopes to bring that skill to the dais as mayor and keep everyone moving forward to­gether.

Jonathan Dade is the other announced candidate for Mayor and his announcement will be covered in another post.

The 2020 election is May 2.

The Progressives are Here in Georgetown

The people who want to control every aspect of your life, I call them Progressives, are here in Georgetown and have taken over the Planning Department. Check out the presentation to the City Council scheduled for later today. Here are a few excerpts.

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Notice the second box labeled "Land Use Policy". The proposed policy is to promote higher density! High density brings many more problems than it solves.

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Goal 1.B. shows the explicit objective of increasing density, including at infill locations.

Just think about what increased density will bring to Georgetown. More traffic in the dense areas; calls for public transportation to alleviate traffic; more crime, as experienced in high density cities; and calls for more "affordable housing", code words for taxpayer subsidized. The list goes on and on.

And here is a new objective or goal.

Since when is it city government responsibility to "recruit new employers"? That sounds like a Chamber of Commerce function.

This is clearly an expansion of City power and responsibility beyond its core functions!

If you don't like this high density future for your city, contact your city councilperson and tell them to reject these policies. Preserving the small town atmosphere of Georgetown is inconsistent with these Land Use policies.