New Braunfels Edition | May 2026

Government

BY AMIRA VAN LEEUWEN

$1.3M spent on right- of-way acquisition New Braunfels City Council approved a $1.3 million expenditure for right-of-way, or ROW, and easements associated with the Common Street Widening Project April 13. Explained To accomplish the project, the city must acquire ROW, drainage easements, utility easements and temporary construction easements from 62 parcels of land. Cobb, Fendley & Associates Inc. is the rm provid- ing ROW acquisition services. The $24.78 million project is part of the city’s voter-approved 2023 bond, Proposi- tion A. Project construction, which consists of expanding the roadway to four lanes, is anticipated to begin in 2028.

$320K allocated for new Tourism Public Improvement District The city of New Braunfels and the New Braunfels Convention and Visitors Bureau, or CVB, are working to bolster year-round tourism. New Braunfels City Council allocated $320,000 for the New Braunfels Tourism Public Improve- ment District, or NBTPID, on April 13 for 2026 and amended its scal year 2026-27 adopted budget to create the TPID Special Revenue Fund. The city also approved a service plan for the dis- trict, which outlines how dollars may be allocated by the NBTPID Board of Directors—which oversees the district. The board of directors is composed of lodging and hotel representatives participating in the TPID. What is it? The TPID adds a 2% rate assessment to hotels with ve or more rooms within city limits that do not get the majority of their revenue from ticket sales or passes to an attraction, according to the approved service plan. The 2% rate will only apply to room night sales. If a room night rental Council OKs river area parking fee exemptions Drivers with disabled parking license plates and placards will no longer be paying for parking near the Comal River. New Braunfels City Council approved an ordinance change on April 13 that adds disabled parking license plates and placard holders to the paid parking exceptions in river areas. Why now? The ordinance change aligns with the exceptions for river area parking and down- town parking by allowing those with a valid disabled license plate or placard to park for free in all city-owned paid parking loca- tions, according to agenda documents. In November 2025, the city approved a change that allows individuals with a valid disabled license plate or placard to park for free.

“Tourism dollars create jobs and benet businesses of all sizes. It also helps us compete for events and conventions

year-round, which keeps our economy more consistent.”

TANYA PENCE, CVB PRESIDENT

transaction is exempt from local hotel occupancy tax, it is also exempt from the application of the TPID assessment. The assessment will not apply to prior hotel contracts for room nights or fully prepaid hotel night reservations that were executed before creation of the NBTPID, the service plan states. The NBTPID is not a tax, and falls primarily on out-of-town visitors, according to previous reporting by Community Impact . CVB President Tanya Pence said the TPID is about strengthening the city’s economy in a sustainable way. “By increasing hotel occupancy, we bring more visitors into the community who support our local restaurants, shops and attractions,” Pence said in an email to Community Impact .

GUADALUPE RIVER

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prohibited area

Prohibited river access areas A lack of ordinance coverage was discovered following the recent increase of people entering the Old Channel from Hinman Island Park and Prince Solms Park.

PRINCE SOLMS PARK

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Ordinance change helps endangered species New Braunfels City Council approved an ordinance change prohibiting public entry to the Comal River Old Channel from city-owned property on second and nal reading April 13. In case you missed it The Edwards Aquifer Habitat Conservation Plan

requires the city to prohibit river access along the protected Comal River Old Channel. The previous ordinance only prohibited entrance to the Old Channel from the Landa Park Golf Course and did not cover access from Landa Park, Hinman Island Park or Prince Solms Park, according to agenda documents. The ordinance change will help protect the fountain darter habitat, according to the ordinance text. Fountain darters are only found in the Comal and upper San Marcos rivers in Texas, according to U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

NEW BRAUNFELS EDITION