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Texas legislative session 20217/6/2023 ![]() It is a property rights issue when your upstream neighbor dumps their wastewater into the stream that runs through your property. SB 2038 also voids our ability manage environmental standards, and to protect the fresh water source for Georgetown and beyond. All of the people living in this dense housing will use our city streets, paid for by Georgetown residents, without paying one cent toward the construction or maintenance of our streets. This bill further undermines our ability to plan for transportation needs. This bill and the related legislation look frighteningly similar to legislation working its way through California, Washington, and Minnesota that essentially eliminates single-family zoning throughout those states. The legislature is trying to force us to accept almost 10 times that amount of density in our community without any standards or community input on location. The average density in Georgetown is about 3-5 units per acre. This bill takes away that ability and would allow batch plants, quarries, and poorly constructed manufactured and multi-family projects at a density of almost 32 units per acre. This is possible because we have standards and requirements that developers who wish to build within our community and ETJ must uphold, and quality developers expect other property owners to develop at similar standards to ensure one development doesn’t negatively impact other developments. The City of Georgetown is known for our small-town charm – our beautiful square and welcoming citizens. This bill, by allowing areas to unilaterally relieve themselves of the regulatory standards under the ETJ, removes our ability to enforce our standards at even the most basic level. Giving property owners the unilateral ability to “opt-out” of the ETJ, without the consent of other property owners nearby, and develop without heed to our master plans and standards that were developed with community input, will only lead to haphazard and inconsistent development while silencing the voices that matter most – the citizens of Georgetown and ETJ property owners who do not want to be surrounded by unfettered, low quality development that lowers property values. However, Senate Bill 2038 largely strips us of our ability to do so and provides a perverse incentive for cities to stop building infrastructure. ![]() We, the city of Georgetown and you the community members, have devoted time, energy, and your tax dollars to planning for not only the growth of the city but the development of its ETJ so as to benefit all residents, including property owners in the ETJ. And when one property owner’s actions negatively impact adjacent property owners’ values, then we cannot merely use the phrase “property rights” to justify bad legislation. As a strong advocate for private property rights, I understand the sentiment and intention behind the legislation however, the underlying consequences of the bill are dire and, quite frankly, irresponsible. The bill would allow property owners to petition for release from our ETJ, which has been presented as a property rights issue. Senate Bill 2038 was passed through both chambers and now awaits the Governor’s signature. The Devastating Impacts of Unchecked DevelopmentĪs the 88th Texas Legislative Session nears its apex and record numbers of bills fly through both chambers, I need to make you aware of a piece of legislation that, in conjunction with numerous statutes and policies enacted by the state over the last few years, will dramatically and irreversibly impact the way we plan for sustainable and quality growth here in Georgetown. The meeting will start with the election canvass, followed by a swearing in of Mayor Josh Schroeder, District 2 Councilmember Shawn Hood, and District 6 Councilmember Jake French.Ĭity Council will then discuss various bills being considered during the current Texas Legislative session that will have an adverse affect on the City. Tuesday, May 16, in council chambers, 510 W. ![]() The special-called meeting will start at 11:30 a.m. The Georgetown City Council will have a special-called meeting to discuss bills currently working their way through the Texas Legislature, to canvass the election, and to swear in the newly reelected members. ![]()
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