Marble Falls City Council recently approved the first list of items deemed necessary to support construction of a new city wastewater treatment plant.
“I am excited a little bit,” Mayor Dave Rhodes said during the May 6 meeting in City Hall at 800 Third Street.
Construction of the new plant could begin as soon as May 19 with total completion of the project set for September 2028, MGC Contractors Projects Director Aron Soto told council members.
“We can go faster than that,” Rhodes predicted.
According to documents released by city officials, the initial list includes blowers, filters, foul air fans, pumps and other “long lead equipment” as well as a new lift station and water force main, all valued to cost about $20.5 million at the “guaranteed maximum price.”
MGC plans to present two more lists to the council during future weeks, officials said.
The new plant is planned for construction
Council in Marble Falls, west of U.S. 281 behind the Walmart store.
Total funds of more than $45 million for the whole project will be provided by low-interest loans, interest-free loans and grants from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Clear Water Revolving Fund, the Texas Flood Infrastructure Fund, the Texas Water Development Board and city certificates of obligation valued at more than $27 million, officials said.
Also during the meeting, the council voted to approve a professional services agreement with Luck Design Team to complete design and engineering for a new inclusive playground, parking lot expansion, restroom upgrades and trail connection improvements at Westside Park.
To pay for the design and engineering tasks, the city plans to disburse funds of more than $174,000 from bond proceeds collected earlier this year.
During discussion before the council voted, Parks and Recreation Director Lacey Dingman told council member Bryan Walker there was no need to release requests for qualifications or requests for proposals related to the chores.
“They would not be necessary for a professional services agreement,” Dingman said. “We have had a good experience with them (Luck Design). We feel confident moving forward with them.”
Rhodes backed Dingman.
“It (design and engineering) will get done,” Rhodes said.
Turning to another matter, the council voted 5-2 to approve rezoning 57 acres west of U.S. 281 and north of Ridge Rock Road from an Existing Neighborhood Zone to a Planned Development District.
Developers plan to create 55 single-family units, 117 multi-family units, 278 town homes, two parks maintained by a home owner’s association and one public park there, Development Services Director Scarlet Moreno told the council.
“The proposed rezoning is compatible with the (Marble Falls) future land use map,” Moreno said.
The city Planning and Zoning Commission approved the rezone during their most recent meeting, she added.
Also, several days before the council meeting, city officials notified one dozen property owners closest to the area of the possible zone change, Moreno recalled.
The notice prompted only one response from one property owner and it was a favorable response, she added.
“I do not have an issue with this,” council member Craig Magerkurth said.
“Neither do I,” Rhodes said.
Rhodes, Magerkurth and council members Karlee Hubble, Griff Morris and Richard Westerman voted to approve the rezone. Walker and Haltom dissented.
“I would rather see a softer unit count closer to the adjacent property,” Walker said.
Haltom declined comment.
During his update, City Engineer Jeff Prato told council members plans are now underway to complete the Nature Heights extension project during 2027.
“The sooner the better,” Morris said. “We have been working on that for 30 years.”
“We have a good plan,” Prato responded. “There is nothing restricting us at this point.”
During his update, Police Chief Glenn Hanson mentioned the police department hopes to add one patrol officer to the city traffic unit during the near future.
Also, two potential new police officers are due to complete field training soon and another potential officer is expected to complete basic cadet academy training.
“We feel pretty good about where we are,” Hanson told the council.
During the consent agenda, the council approved more than $296,000 for Playwell Group and more than $127,900 for Playworks to install playground equipment at the Thunder Rock Sports Complex; also an interlocal agreement between Burnet County and the city to let county manpower and equipment apply seal coating to streets within city boundaries.
