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City hosts 2019 Water Summit on Oct. 29
The City of Georgetown is hosting the 2019 Water Summit on Oct. 29 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Public Safety Operations and Training Center, 3500 D.B. Wood Road.
During the summit, representatives from the City’s water utility, Texas Water Development Board, and other area water experts will meet with residents and community leaders to discuss water resources, infrastructure planning, and water utility rates.
Other topics will include conservation and drought management, and attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback.
Doors open at 5 p.m. and presentations start at 6 p.m. Light refreshments will be served, and seating is limited. Interested individuals are asked to RSVP at 2019watersummit.eventbrite.com.
City hosts Halloween events in October
The City of Georgetown Parks and Recreation Department is hosting several Halloween-themed events this October.
25th Annual Halloween Festival
The Halloween Festival is on Thursday, Oct. 24, from 5-7:30 p.m. at the Georgetown Community Center, 445 E. Morrow St. The Halloween Festival, now in its 25th year, will feature a free Trick-or-Treat Village, along with carnival-style games, food, entertainment, touch-a-truck, and a costume contest. Hayrides will no longer be held during the festival.
Be sure to plan ahead. Some activities include a fee, and parking is limited throughout San Gabriel Park.
For more information, visit parks.georgetown.org/halloween-festival.
Adults with Disabilities Dance
The City of Georgetown Parks and Recreation Department is hosting a dance for adults age 18 and older with disabilities on Friday, Oct. 25, from 6-8 p.m. at the Georgetown Community Center, 445 E. Morrow St. The theme is Haunted Mansion and costumes are encouraged.
Admission is $5 for participants and includes a meal. Advanced registration is recommended. Only cash or check will be accepted at the door. There is no charge for family members or caregivers, and they must remain present at all times.
For more information and to register, call (512) 930-3596 or visit parks.georgetown.org/adults-with-disabilities-dances.
Father Daughter Dance
Friends of Georgetown Parks and Recreation is hosting the annual Father Daughter Dance on Saturday, Oct. 26, from 7-9 p.m. at the Georgetown Community Center, 445 E. Morrow St. Girls ages 4 and older are invited to attend with their father or another acceptable escort, such as a granddad, uncle or older brother. The theme is “Halloween Costume Ball” and attendees are encouraged to wear a costume. This event features refreshments and light snacks. Professional portrait packages will be available for purchase. Tickets are $15 per person through Oct. 25, and $20 per person at the door. Visit parks.georgetown.org/fatherdaughter-dance for more information and to purchase tickets.
Open house on Bicycle Master Plan Oct. 23
The City of Georgetown will hold a public open house on the draft Bicycle Master Plan from 6 to 8 p.m. on Oct. 23 at the Georgetown Public Library, 402 W. Eighth St. The open house is a come-and-go format at which attendees can view the proposed bicycle network and talk with City staff. The draft Bicycle Master Plan presents a blueprint for future transportation projects or educational efforts to support a safe and well-connected bicycle network in Georgetown.
The draft plan includes findings from surveys conducted in 2016, open house meetings and a survey in 2018, an assessment of current bicycle infrastructure and zoning factors, a proposed bicycle system plan, and a set of top 10 priority projects.
A number of City boards and commissions are reviewing and providing feedback on the draft plan, which is scheduled for adoption by ordinance by City Council in November and December.
The full draft Bicycle Master Plan document is posted on the City website at transportation.georgetown.org/bike-plan. Comments or questions about the draft Bicycle Master Plan can be emailed to bikeplan@georgetown.org.
Recycling options available for multifamily residents, customers outside city limits
One of the most frequently asked questions the City receives is where can people who live outside the city limits or in apartment complexes recycle? Georgetown water or electric utility customers, including those without curbside solid waste or recycling pick up or living in multifamily complexes, can drop-off recyclable materials at no charge at the Georgetown Transfer Station, 250 W.L. Walden Drive.
The transfer station is open Monday through Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m.-3 p.m.
Recyclable materials include:
- Glass bottles (all colors accepted)
- Aluminum cans
- Steel cans
- Cardboard cylinders from paper towels, toilet paper
- Empty prescription medicine containers and caps (medications can be disposed of at the medication kiosk located in the Public Safety Operations and Training Center at 3500 DB Wood Road)
- Plastics No. 1-No. 7 (except Styrofoam No. 6; flatten beverage containers, caps can be left on the container)
- Hard plastics (from product packaging with any paper or twist ties removed)
- Newspapers and inserts
- Magazines
- Books with covers removed
- White paper
- Junk mail
- Pasteboard (cereal, tissue boxes)
- Telephone books
- Aluminum foil, pie plates (clean and balled)
- Corrugated cardboard
- Asceptic and gable top cartons (such as milk or juice cartons)
- Plastic bags and plastic film, cellophane (ONLY within the yellow Bag-the-Bag stuffer bag)
For more information about recycling options in Georgetown, visit recycle.georgetown.org or contact Environmental Services Coordinator Teresa Chapman at teresa.chapman@georgetown.org.
Chisholm Trail Special Utility District dissolved
The Chisholm Trail Special Utility District has dissolved as a governmental entity. At a public hearing on Sept. 30, the district board members voted unanimously to dissolve and adopted an order of dissolution. The district was officially and formally dissolved this week.
Facing challenges with water availability and financing, the district approached the City of Georgetown in 2011 about the possibility of merging the two water systems. After two years of feasibility studies, public meetings, and hearings, the board voted unanimously in 2013 to consolidate the two water systems.
The merger was approved by the Public Utility Commission of Texas in 2014 and the assets and liabilities of the district were transferred to the City of Georgetown water utility. At that time, Chisholm Trail SUD water customers became City of Georgetown water customers, and Chisholm Trail employees became Georgetown employees.
The merger and transfer of service area was approved unanimously by the PUC in 2015 and subsequently affirmed in a series of legal challenges. Senate Bill 248, passed by the Texas Legislature in 2017, allowed Chisholm Trail SUD to dissolve after Aug. 31, 2019, whether or not third-party legal actions were resolved.
Due to the deadline to cancel an election, which was in August, candidates for the Chisholm Trail SUD board will be on the Nov. 5 ballot for residents who live in the former service area of the district. Votes will be tabulated and reported in the election. However, candidates in the election will not be seated or serve on the Chisholm Trail SUD board since the district no longer exists as a legal entity.
Proposed Annexation of 80.79 Acres of City-Owned Right-of-Way (Southwest Bypass)
The City of Georgetown is annexing City-owned right-of-way into the City Limits. The Public Hearings will be held on October 22, 2019 at 3 pm and 6 pm. City Council meetings are located at the City Council Chambers, 510 W. 9th Street.
The area being annexed is approximately an 80.79-acre tract of land situated in the Joseph Thompson, John Powell, and Lewis P. Dyches Surveys, generally located between IH-35 and FM 2243, to be known as the Southwest Bypass.
After holding the required public hearings, the City Council will consider an ordinance for the annexation.
For additional information, please contact Nat Waggoner in the Planning Department, 512-930-3584 or email to nat.waggoner@georgetown.org
Proposed Voluntary Annexation of 1.123 Acres (Maravilla Offsite Road)
The City of Georgetown is considering a voluntary annexation of property into the city limits. A Public Hearing will be held at the October 22, 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 a 1.123-acre tract of land situated in the J.B. Pulsifer Survey, Abstract No. 498, generally located at 34 Skyline Drive, to be known as Maravilla Offsite Road.
After holding the required public hearings, the City Council will consider an ordinance for the annexation.
For additional information, please contact Ethan Harwell in the Planning Department, 512-930-3692 or email at ethan.harwell@georgetown.org.
Downtown Parking Garage Survey
The City of Georgetown is planning to build a public parking garage at the southeast corner of Main and Sixth streets on the site of an existing City parking lot. The site was selected to address the limited public parking and growing retail development on the northeast side of downtown, to provide an alternative to on-street parking on residential streets in this area, and to fit the $5 million budget for the project.
Based on demand identified in the parking study conducted in 2015, the City plans to build a 200-space parking garage, which is a net increase of 150 additional spaces, at the Main and Sixth street location. Construction on the project is set to start in 2020.
The City is seeking input through a public survey on the design and appearance of the downtown parking garage. The survey also seeks input on preferences for project elements such as landscaping, public art, and the facade materials for the garage. The online survey is open through Oct. 30.
Go to here to take the survey.
Results of this survey will be used to guide decisions about the design and appearance of the downtown public parking garage.
Plan and practice your escape this Fire Prevention Month
This October for Fire Prevention Month, Georgetown Fire Department encourages residents to “Plan and Practice Your Escape.” The fire department will be hosting a series of events throughout the month, including programs at all Georgetown ISD elementary schools, as well as area daycares, preschools, and private and charter schools.
Today’s home fires burn faster than ever. In a typical home fire, you may have as little as one to two minutes to escape safely from the time the smoke alarm sounds. Knowing how to use that time wisely takes planning and practice.
Georgetown Fire is teaming up with the National Fire Protection Association, the official sponsor of Fire Prevention Week for more than 90 years, to promote “Not Every Hero Wears a Cape. Plan and Practice Your Escape,” which works to educate the public about the small but important actions they can take to keep themselves and those around them safe.
There are simple steps people can take to help quickly and safely escape a fire:
- Have a fire escape plan for your home.
- Practice your escape plan.
- Make sure you have working smoke detectors.
For more information about Fire Prevention Month and home escape planning, visit fire.georgetown.org or contact Georgetown Fire at (512) 930-3473.
Outdoor warning sirens testing expanded to include growl testing
The City’s outdoor warning sirens testing schedule is expanding.
The City’s 23 sirens are tested on the first Saturday of the month at 11 a.m. with two back-to-back, 90 second audible tests.
In addition, the City will begin doing what is known as a “growl test” on each of the following Saturdays. A growl test is similar to the monthly test except the sound only lasts 30 seconds or so. Testing each Saturday allows the City to ensure the sirens are working and helps prevent the sirens from seizing or failing.
No testing will be conducted during severe weather or if there is a threat of severe weather to avoid confusion.
The outdoor warning sirens are used to warn people who are outside to seek shelter. They are activated to warn of severe weather or other emergencies such as a hazardous chemical incident.
The outdoor warning sirens are only one method of alerting the public about an emergency. Residents are encouraged to use multiple means of warning, such as a NOAA weather radio and to register their phones to receive emergency alerts at WarnCentralTexas.org. You may register multiple mobile phones or landlines to receive alerts.
