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Proposed Voluntary Annexation of 30.14 Acres (Rockride Lane Subdivision)
The City of Georgetown is considering a voluntary annexation of property into the city limits. A Public Hearing will be held at the November 26, 2019 meeting at 6:00pm. City Council meetings are located at the City Council Chambers, 510 W. 9th Street.
The area being considered for voluntary annexation is approximately 30.14 acres in the William Addison Survey, Abstract No. 21 and 1.182 acres of Rockride Lane, a right-of-way of varying width of record described to the State of Texas, generally located at 2488 Rockride Lane, to be known as Rockride Lane Subdivision.
After holding the required public hearing, the City Council will consider an ordinance for the annexation.
For additional information, please contact Michael Patroski in the Planning Department, 512-930-3580 or email at michael.patroski@georgetown.org.
Collectible Christmas Ornament, greeting cards on sale Nov. 1
A limited-edition collectible brass Christmas ornament featuring the Georgetown Public Library at 402 W. Eighth St. will go on sale during First Friday on Nov. 1. The 13th annual ornament sale is a project of the Georgetown Main Street Program. A limited number of the ornaments will be available.
The library opened in its Eighth Street location in January 2007. The two-story, 49,500-square-foot facility was approved by voters in 2004, and is the library’s fourth location.
The Main Street Program is also introducing holiday greeting cards this year featuring art by residents and Georgetown ISD students highlighting “The Most Beautiful Town Square in Texas.”
Ornaments and greeting card packs may be purchased at the Visitors Center, 103 W. Seventh St. The cost of the ornament is $20, and greeting cards are $12 for a pack of 10. Payments by cash, check, or credit are accepted.
All proceeds from the ornament and greeting card sales help fund Main Street projects and the Façade Fund Grant Program.
Youth Fishing Derby on Nov. 10
Catch a fish and win a prize. Georgetown Parks and Recreation will host its annual Youth Fishing Derby on Sunday, Nov. 10. This family-friendly event takes place at Garey Park, 6450 RM 2243, from 1-4 p.m.
Admission into the derby is $3 per person, and spectators are invited to watch at no charge. Garey Park admission fees will be waived during the event. Please limit one fishing pole per person. Participation is open to children age 12 and younger. All children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Any fish caught will win a prize. Prizes are first-come, first-served, and only registered participants wearing a wristband are eligible to win.
Advanced registration is encouraged as event capacity is limited.
Fishing permits are required in Garey Park for anglers age 17 and older. All fish are catch and release.
For more information and to register, visit parks.georgetown.org/fishing-derby.
Low-cost shot clinic for pets Nov. 16
The Georgetown Animal Shelter will conduct its final low-cost vaccination clinic of the year on Saturday, Nov. 16, 8:30-11 a.m. The walk-in clinic is for cats and dogs. Help protect your pet from diseases they can pick up outside.
Pets may also get a FREE microchip with the purchase of any vaccine. No appointments. Cash or check only. The shelter is located at 110 Walden Dr., Georgetown, next to the McMaster Athletic Fields.
Dog Vaccines:
Rabies $5
DHPP Combo $10 (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parafluenza, Parvo)
Bordetella $5 (Kennel cough)
Cat Vaccines:
Rabies $5
FVRCP Combo $10 (Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus, Panleukopenia)
All dogs must be on a leash and cats should be in a carrier. Payment is by cash or check only. Debit or credit cards are not accepted.
For more information, call (512) 930-3592, email animalsvc@georgetown.org, or visit pets.georgetown.org.
U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Day event on Nov. 17
The U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree will make a stop in Georgetown on Nov. 17 on its way to Washington, D.C., from Carson National Forest in New Mexico. The tree will be parked on Main Street between Seventh and Eighth streets from 4-5 p.m.
To celebrate, the City is hosting U.S. Capitol Tree Day in Georgetown on the Square from 2-5 p.m.
During the event, visitors will be able to meet Santa Claus and his two reindeer with his antique sleigh, participate in children’s crafts, and purchase U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree merchandise and Georgetown collectible ornaments.
The 60-foot tree will be making stops for community celebrations throughout its journey from New Mexico to the U.S. Capitol from Nov. 11-25. The journey will culminate with the official tree lighting on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol building in early December.
For more information about the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree, visit uscapitolchristmastree.com.
Drought conditions persist as water use eases
Even with recent rains and cooler weather, most of Williamson County remains in extreme or severe drought according to the U.S. Drought Monitor map for Texas released Thursday. However, cooler weather in recent weeks has resulted in a reduction in outdoor watering and water demand has eased.
As a result, the City is lifting its Stage 1 restrictions associated with the Drought Contingency Plan, which prohibited irrigation during the hottest afternoon hours of the day. The City continues to encourage watering in the early morning or late evening hours to avoid water waste from evaporation, especially on warmer days.
Customers are still asked to follow the year-round, two-day-per-week irrigation schedule. The two-day schedule spreads watering over six days each week in order to balance demand on the water system. Irrigation is not permitted on Mondays. Mondays are a maintenance and recovery day for the water system.
Additionally, the City encourages water conservation throughout the year. The City has enough untreated water to serve customers through 2043; however, through conservation, the City’s water supply can last past 2050.
Monitoring and managing your water use can help prevent surprises on your bill. The City has free programs, such as Aqua Alerts and GUARD, and rebates to help you track and reduce how much water you use.
During the summer, more than 75 percent of treated water is used for lawn irrigation. Most people water their lawns too much. Deep and infrequent watering results in healthy root growth for your lawn. For most households, the single biggest step you can take is to program your irrigation system correctly.
Improperly set irrigation systems waste water which leads to high bills. If you have an underground irrigation system, the City offers a $75 rebate to help offset the cost of having your irrigation controller inspected by a licensed irrigator and set to our recommended specifications. You will also learn how to maintain those settings.
To review your irrigation schedule or learn more about conservation and rebate programs, visit gus.georgetown.org/water.
About the water utility
The City of Georgetown serves about 42,000 water accounts representing approximately 106,000 customers in a 440-square-mile service area that includes the City of Georgetown and parts of Williamson, Bell, and Burnet counties.
City hosts riverbank cleanup event Nov. 1
[Update: Start time changed to 10 a.m.]
The City of Georgetown is hosting a riverbank cleanup event in San Gabriel Park on Nov. 1 from 10 a.m.-noon.
During the event, trash bags and gloves will be provided. Participants are asked to wear appropriate clothing such as long pants, hats, and sunglasses, as well as comfortable closed toe shoes.
Individuals interested in volunteering can email tiffany.spicer@georgetown.org to sign up. The cleanup event may be canceled in case of bad weather. Follow the City’s social media page for updates.
Early voting starts Oct. 21
Early in-person voting starts Monday, Oct. 21, for the Nov. 5 election. Early voting is Oct. 21-26 and Oct. 28-Nov. 1. During the early voting period, voters may cast ballots at any early voting location in Williamson County. Polling places, dates, and times, as well as voter ID requirements and sample ballots can be found at wilco.org/elections.
For voters in the City of Georgetown, the Nov. 5 ballot includes the Williamson County Proposition A bond for road projects and Proposition B bond for parks and recreation projects. The road projects in Proposition A include these projects in Georgetown:
- Southwest Bypass extension from Hwy. 29 to Wolf Ranch Parkway would construct a roadway and include intersection improvements at Hwy. 29.
- SE Inner Loop extension from Hwy. 29 to Sam Houston Avenue would construct a roadway with a bridge over SH 130.
- Four projects in Sun City include: 1) CR 245 from north of RM 2338 to Ronald Reagan Boulevard involving reconstructing and widening to four lanes, 2) Ronald Reagan at Silver Spur Boulevard turn lanes involving constructing intersection improvements, 3) Ronald Reagan at Sun City Boulevard turn lanes involving construction of intersection improvements, and, 4) Hwy. 195 northbound off ramp at Ronald Reagan involving construction of exit ramp.
Voters in Georgetown’s City Council District 1 can cast ballots to determine who will fill the vacancy created when Anna Eby resigned from the council on Aug. 2. The winner of the election will complete the remainder of the term ending in May 2021. Candidates running for District 1 include Mary Calixtro, Alex Fuller and Stevie Nicole Jones.
Georgetown City Council members typically serve three-year terms representing one of seven single-member districts. To see maps of council districts, go to maps.georgetown.org/council-district-maps.
On Election Day on Nov. 5, voters may cast ballots at any vote center location in Williamson County. Polling places, dates, and times during Early Voting and on Election Day are listed at wilco.org/elections.
City hosts public meeting on future land use map on Oct. 30
The City of Georgetown is hosting a public meeting to share and review proposed changes to the future land use map on Oct. 30 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Georgetown Public Library, 402 W. Eighth St.
During the meeting, attendees will be able to review and provide feedback on the proposed map. Drafting the future land use map is one of the final steps in completing the update to the 2030 Comprehensive Plan. The 2030 Plan is a guide for growth and development decisions in the City and is created based on input and feedback from the community.
Representatives from the planning department will also host a live question and answer session on the City of Georgetown Facebook page at noon on Oct. 30.
Feedback from the Oct. 30 meeting will be consolidated and presented to the 2030 Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee, the Planning & Zoning Commission, and City Council. The update to the 2030 Plan is anticipated to be formally adopted by City Council in early 2020.
Previous Engagement Efforts
The public process to update the 2030 Plan began when the planning department hosted the first citywide engagement day, On the Table, on Oct. 2, 2018.
During On the Table, more than 1,400 people participated in conversations to envision Georgetown’s future. An additional 1,460 people took the first public survey related to the 2030 Plan update. The major themes that emerged included: maintaining the family-oriented, small-town feel, continuing to encourage high-quality development, enhancing citizen participation and engagement, focusing on housing and affordability, enhancing economic development opportunities, maintaining and expanding existing parks and recreation amenities, and improving and diversify the transportation network.
To better understand community needs related to housing and affordability, a second survey was conducted in March. The survey was taken by 566 people who emphasized property taxes, the cost to maintain their home, and public safety as top issues affecting people’s ability to remain in their home. Additionally, the inability to age in place was highlighted as a barrier to remaining at home.
A third survey on gateways and corridors was conducted in April and May. The survey was taken by 337 people who reported characteristics of their favorite and least favorite corridors and identified good and bad examples of design elements along corridors.
Data from all three surveys and On the Table has guided the drafting of the future land use map. Representatives from the planning department are also available to speak to those interested in learning more about the 2030 Plan.
For more information, including a summary of all public feedback, previous presentations to City Council, an FAQ for the 2030 Comprehensive Plan, and to schedule an in-person presentation on the 2030 Plan, visit 2030.georgetown.org.
City hosts Economic Development Symposium on Nov. 1
The City of Georgetown is hosting the fourth annual Economic Development Symposium on Nov. 1 from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Sheraton Austin Georgetown Hotel and Conference Center, 1101 Woodlawn Ave.
The symposium will feature a lunch and keynote presentation by Revathi Greenwood, Americas head of research for Cushman and Wakefield. Greenwood will present a 2020 Commercial Real Estate Forecast.
The City of Georgetown Economic Development Department invites a nationally recognized expert to share insightful analysis on a topic of importance to business owners, real estate professionals, and community leaders each fall for its annual economic development symposium.
Past events have highlighted the impact of the presidential election on the economy, how changing retail-customer behaviors ripple through the economy, and workforce trends.
In addition to the keynote speaker, Georgetown City leaders will provide a look back at the year’s important announcements and events and give a sneak peek of those to come.
