CITY& COUNTY
News from New Braunfels & Comal County
QUOTEOFNOTE “I’VE GOT IT, NOONE WANTS TO SEEMORE GROWTH. … I HAVE AN OBLIGATION TODOMY RESEARCHANDDUE DILIGENCE INALL CITY MATTERS, INCLUDING THIS ONE. IN THIS CASE, MYOPINION IS IT IS RESPONSIBLEWITHIN MYDEFINITIONOF RESPONSIBLE GROWTH.” COUNCIL MEMBER LAWRENCE SPRADLEY, REGARDING THE GOODWIN LANE DEVELOPMENT NUMBER TOKNOW acres were rezoned in the city to allow mixed-use development as part of the River Mill project. 28.87 CITY HIGHLIGHTS NEWBRAUNFELS New Braunfels Utilities is working to develop a One Water plan that would serve as a framework for methods to maintain local water resources. Once complete, NBU hopes to collaborate with the city of New Braunfels and other area entities to develop conservation and sustainability strategies. NEWBRAUNFELS The ling period for the May 7 elections in New Braunfels will be open until Feb. 18 at 5 p.m. New Braunfels City Council seats in districts 1 and 2 are up for election this year and are currently held by Shane Hines and Justin Meadows, respectively. COMAL COUNTY Service providers and nonpro t organizations are invited to apply for funds collected by New Braunfels City Council Meets Feb. 7 and 21 at 6 p.m. at 550 Landa St., New Braunfels 830-221-4000 • www.nbtexas.org Comal County Commissioners Court Meets Feb. 3, 10, 17 and 24 at 8:30 a.m. at 100 Main Plaza, New Braunfels 830-221-1100 • www.co.comal.tx.us MEETINGSWE COVER Comal County through the family protection fee through March 1. The county charges $15 in each divorce case led to be used by organizations that provide intervention, family strengthening, mental health, legal and marriage preservation services.
Townhome project on Goodwin Lane approved
BY LAUREN CANTERBERRY & ERIC WEILBACHER
GROWTH ON GOODWIN LANE A new multifamily housing development was approved for Goodwin Lane and is expected to be completed in 2024.
NEWBRAUNFELS City Council members approved the second and nal reading of a rezoning proposal for 27 acres on Goodwin Lane following a lengthy public discussion during the regular Jan. 24 council meeting. The property was rezoned from a light industrial district and agricultural district to a neighborhood district with a special-use permit to build a 320-unit townhome-style housing development. “[The developer’s] intent is to develop multiple clusters of townhouses on one lot,” said Christopher Looney, planning and development services director for the city, during a Dec. 13 council meeting. “This is a new style of development—something innovative, still low-density, but it’s something new, and therefore our zoning ordinance doesn’t have a category for it.” Steve Drenner of the Drenner Group out of Austin spoke on behalf of the developer of the project, the Keystone National Group. The property is designed to be primarily a rental community, he said. It will incorporate open space and amenities throughout the neighborhood, and each unit will have an attached garage. “It is a new product type. It’s a missing middle, if you will, in the residential market—not just in New Braunfels in particular, but it embraces the concepts I think that t New Braunfels well,” Drenner said. The earliest completion date would be the fall of 2024, he said. Mike Nielsen, a representative of Keystone, said rent
1102
306
N
320 LIVING UNITS
128
128
64
one bedroom
two bedrooms
three bedrooms
Estimated monthly rent: $1,300 $1,700
SOURCE: CITY OF NEW BRAUNFELS COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
would likely be between $1,300-$1,700 per month, though it is too early in development to know the exact costs. During the meeting, several residents of surrounding communities voiced concerns about the continued growth of the area and how new housing developments would a ect area roads. Goodwin Lane is scheduled to undergo improvements in the coming years, according to the city.
City looks to rede ne reviewprocesses
PLAYGROUND UPGRADES The Fischer Park playground will receive updated equipment in the coming months.
NEW EQUIPMENT INCLUDES
• corkscrew slide • integrated shade • wheelchair transfer station • serenity spots
• nature play rock climber • orb rocker • musical chimes
BY LAUREN CANTERBERRY
NEWBRAUNFELS During a Dec. 13 meeting, city council members approved the second reading of an ordinance that will kick-start the city’s e orts to re-evaluate and rede ne which city processes rise to the level of council action. “The [council] agendas are getting heavier because we’re a bigger city, and so council asked us back in the summer to take a look at some of these things,” said Christopher Looney, planning and development services director for the city. “It has been noted that some of these processes do not necessarily rise to the level requiring City Council scrutiny.” While some city processes such as rezoning requests are required by law to come before council, other permit- ting and waiver requests and appeals could be handled by city sta , boards or commissions, Looney said.
FUNDING
$154,247 general fund budget
$113,000 2013/2019 bond funds
$267,247 total amount
SOURCE: CITY OF NEW BRAUNFELS COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
Park improvement projects move forward NEWBRAUNFELS Two parks in New Braunfels are slated to receive improvements following the approval of two consent agenda items during a Jan. 24 City Council meeting. Fischer Construction Company at 12% contingency of $35,711. The total contract with Fischer Con- struction will not exceed $33,299. A timeline for the project has not yet been announced. City Council also approved the purchase of new playground equipment at Fischer Park. City sta selected FundAbounds BY LAUREN CANTERBERRY
will construct a parking lot and trail within Mission Hill Park, which is located along Independence Drive just north of ElanWestpointe. Council approved the proposal for $297,588 and the city recommended
to provide the equipment at a cost of $267,247. The purchase will include a new corkscrew slide, integrated shade, a nature play rock climber and a wheelchair transfer station.
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NEW BRAUNFELS EDITION • FEBRUARY 2022
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