BY JARRETT WHITENER
Public hearing dates set for tax rate, $181 million budget in Boerne Boerne City Council on Aug. 12 set the public hearing dates for the fiscal year 2025-26 budget and the tax rate to support city finances. Breaking it down Finance Director Sarah Buckelew said the annual budget is around $181 million , and Capital Improvement Projects, or CIPs, make up around 32% of expenditures. Planned CIPs cost around $57 million , with 39% of those projects funded through bond debt approved by voters in 2022. The general fund, which covers daily opera- tions and expenses, makes up $43 million of the budget, while city utilities are expected to cost around $88 million . City utilities revenue comes from rate payers rather than property taxes. The $181 million budget is divided into three categories, including general funds, special revenue funds and utility funds. Special reve- nue funds add up to around $50 million in the proposed budget. Fair Oaks Ranch funds $7.93M in projects Fair Oaks Ranch City Council on Aug. 7 awarded the bid for the sale of $7.93 million in certificate of obligation bonds, which will be used to fund utility projects. A closer look The sales make two of three issuances, following $3.7 million issued in 2024. In total, $18 million was projected for water and wastewater projects. On June 5, Director of Finance Summer Flemming said the city may issue more bonds in fiscal year 2026-27. Bonds will be repaid from Water and Wastewater Debt Service Fees. According to agenda documents, the estimated Water Debt Service Fee would go from $23.85 in FY 2024-25 to $23.89 in FY 2025-26, and the Wastewater Debt Service Fee would go from $17.03 to $16.91.
Boerne park project moves forward Boerne’s new park is moving forward following City Council approval of changes to the construction contract on Aug. 12. The overview The guaranteed maximum cost of the first phase will be $16.5 million , according to agenda documents. Originally, the entire project’s estimated cost was around $13 mil- lion , funded through 2022 bonds. Around $3 million in funding will be provided through grants and the Capital Improvement Fund. City Manager Ben Thatcher said the original cost increased due to inflation. Boerne Communications Director Chris Shadrock said construction is slated for September.
Budget breakdown
General Fund: $43M Utility Funds: $88M Special Revenue Funds: $50M
$181M total budget
SOURCE: CITY OF BOERNE/ COMMUNITY IMPACT
Post Oak development agreement sees reduction in lot density The lot density of the Post Oak development in Fair Oaks Ranch has been reduced following city council approval of an amended development agreement on Aug. 7. The details During the meeting, City Manager Scott Huizenga shared the details of the amendment to the devel- opment agreement, or DA, which was approved in May. Under the amended agreement, the total density was reduced from 278 to 227 lots. “Part of what necessitated this reduction of lots was the drainage standards,” Huizenga said. “This amended DA adds a section that requires the developer to follow the current UDC standards for drainage.” The Post Oak development has been planned in Zooming in To support the budget, City Council will need to approve the tax rate for property owners. City staff said the proposed rate is the same as the previous fiscal year at $0.4716 per $100 valuation. While the tax rate is planned to remain at the same level, taxes paid to the city will depend on property appraisal values. Buckelew said the average home value within the city increased from $460,000 to $485,000. A property valued at $485,000 would pay around $2,287 in annual city taxes. The final public hearing and adoption is planned for Sept. 9.
SISTERDALE CUTOFF
Northside Community Park
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ADLER ST.
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Reduced lot density Under the new development agreement, the total number of lots has decreased from 278 to 227.
Old agreement
New agreement
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Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4
Phase 1
SOURCE: CITY OF FAIR OAKS RANCH/COMMUNITY IMPACT
the community since 2013, formerly known as The Reserve. In the original agreement, the develop- ment included around 635 lots. Approval of the updated agreement reduced the lot sizes down to 278, making each lot a minimum of one acre.
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BOERNE - FAIR OAKS RANCH EDITION
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