Horseshoe Bay city council members probably won’t be surprised Tuesday, Dec. 10, when they open a report from the city’s Land Use Development Advisory Committee (LUDAC).
The report, the result of seven months of surveys and analysis, doesn’t depart much from what an area resident might expect.
The committee got survey responses from more than 1,000 people including full-time and part-time residents and property owners in the city’s extra-territorial jurisdiction – the area of land outside the city limits where the city has some control over what’s built.
Among the respondents’ major concerns, in no particular order, are keeping architectural standards high, keeping property values up (although property taxes, based on property values, are a continual complaint), resolving a quarrel between the Horseshoe Bay Property Owners Association and the Horseshoe Bay resort over how dues are spent, controlling growth and traffic and providing quality internet availability.
Those surveyed said they don’t want to see big box stores, large apartment complexes or drive-thru restaurants. They said Horseshoe Bay has enough banks but could use some schools – private, not public.
Asked what they’d like to see in the future on the south side of Texas 71, 320 (33.06 percent) gave restaurants and entertainment top billing with another 354 (36.57 percent) putting them in second place.
Parks, green space and recreational facilities were a close runner-up, chosen by 328 (34.02 percent) as a top choice and in second place by 210 (21.72 percent).
Despite the expressed dislike for big box stores, 135 (19.33 percent) of the respondents made “major retail/ grocery stores” their first choice with 158 (16.51 percent) putting it in second place.
Only three people (0.31 percent) and one person (0.10 percent) voted for open storage space in first and second place, respectively, and four (0.42 percent) both first and second places were enthusiastic about light industry.
Committee members wrote in the executive summary for the council that Horseshoe Bay is a unique community.
“From our interviews and research, it was determined that managed and controlled development is needed to preserve the Horseshoe Bay lifestyle,” the report said.
“Residents are well aware of the recent trends and voiced their unease in several key areas. Water and traffic were flagged as high concerns among residents looking into the future,” the report continued.
The report is not an action item on the agenda and the council won’t take any action on it. It will be folded into the city’s master development plan, which is being put together and which is intended to guide the city for the next several years.
