Granite Shoals Pulls a Proposed 400-Lot Gated Ranch Into Its ETJ

Granite Shoals has expanded its extraterritorial jurisdiction so that a proposed 912-acre gated community falls inside it. The project is called Granite Springs Ranch. Its developer wants the city's water, and the city now has more say over how the land is divided.

According to DailyTrib, the expansion was approved Oct. 17. The property at 3501 County Road 120, off Fairland Road, is now entirely within Granite Shoals' ETJ. Before, it sat partly inside the ETJ and partly outside.

The developer has proposed 400 estate-style home lots.

Why the boundary matters

An ETJ is unincorporated land outside city limits where a city has limited regulatory power, including over some subdivision development. People who live in an ETJ cannot vote in city elections and do not pay city property taxes. They generally do not get city services such as fire protection or trash pickup, but they still pay county and school district taxes.

Bringing the whole tract into the ETJ puts it under the city's subdivision ordinance. It also keeps two options open for the city: annexing the land later or negotiating a development agreement.

"In the future, if the city wishes to annex this property or enter into a development agreement with this property, about how it's developed, they would have to be in your ETJ in order to do either of those things," City Attorney Joshua Katz said at the meeting, according to DailyTrib.

What the developer is proposing

The Marble Falls Messenger reviewed the developer's letter and development overview. The developer is Lone Star Land Partners LLC, which calls itself "an acreage developer." The site is just off RR 1431 between Granite Shoals and Kingsland, across from the City of Highland Haven. The plans include:

• Lots of 1 to 5 acres that cannot be subdivided further.

• Gated entrances and a private park with a walking trail.

• Homes of at least 2,000 square feet with a two-car garage.

• No more than three structures per lot: a main house, a guest home and a barn or workshop.

• Exteriors with at least 50% masonry, or 25% for farmhouse-style homes.

• Paved roads, underground electric power, private septic systems and dark-sky-friendly standards.

"No sidewalks, curb or street lighting will be installed," the overview says.

The developer also proposed posting a construction bond for the roads so it could final-plat and sell lots before the roads are built.

Lake LBJ at Kingsland in April 2011. The proposed development would be off RR 1431 between Granite Shoals and Kingsland. Photo: Billy Hathorn / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0.

Water and fire flow

The biggest open question is water. According to City Manager Sarah Novo, Lone Star Land Partners has asked the city to assess whether it can supply water to the development.

The developer's letter raised a fire-safety concern. "We believe that the 8-inch main will not likely be able to provide fire flow," it says. It offers to install 10 fire hydrants if the city accepts passive flow. As an alternative, it proposes two 30,000-gallon storage tanks for the fire department.

DailyTrib reported that the developer would have to meet the city's utility requirements to connect, possibly through an agreement to extend water lines. Under that kind of agreement, the developer generally pays for the extension and builds it to city standards. Voluntary annexation is another path. It would bring city taxes and rules, and could make the property eligible for more city services.

The overview says the standards, infrastructure and utility plans "remain subject to final planning, engineering, approvals and recorded governing documents." Lone Star Land Partners lists 12 earlier projects with nearly 1,500 homes in Burnet and Blanco counties, including Mustang Ridge in Marble Falls (60 lots) and The Ranches at Canyon Creek in Burnet County (203 lots).

"As the proposal advances, related items will be placed on City Council agendas for public input and council consideration," Novo told DailyTrib. "We encourage residents to stay engaged and share their perspectives throughout the process."

Our view

Large lots, dark skies and no streetlights fit the Highland Lakes better than packed rooftops. Still, 400 homes is a lot to add to one water system. The developer's own letter says the existing main may not carry enough water to fight a fire.

Before Granite Shoals signs anything, the council should get answers in writing. Who pays for the water lines? How will homes be protected from fire? Will the roads be finished?

Residents should take Novo at her word and show up when this reaches the agenda. Other Texas cities are working through the same questions, including Huntsville's ETJ expansion and College Station's 1,266-acre neighborhood vote.