[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6620364,"mediaKeyId","2809017-e1fd36d0e3b085d70c9cc2f3ef57a9f0","parentId",2809017,"title","Georgetown officials urge residents to contact state lawmakers over ETJ losses, package plants and housing bills","audioSeconds",1464,"startMs",2836000,"endMs",4300000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2809017-e1fd36d0e3b085d70c9cc2f3ef57a9f0&start=2836&end=4300","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2809017-e1fd36d0e3b085d70c9cc2f3ef57a9f0/thumbnail_2836000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6620364/Georgetown/Williamson-County/Texas/Georgetown-officials-urge-residents-to-contact-state-lawmakers-over-ETJ-losses-package-plants-and-housing-bills","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6620364-f37ae2de05909e5520068500c171bf68/orig.mp4?Expires=1770503639&Signature=nKWjq8YsM2C2u3bF8XvkEOfT6KHg6RFQYPInIWtP4sdAyy3SkH-FzpeeazhjOvzJ8hVs9ig5dwwkkPkGK0BDGXf995uhizHV9cKV7x5Ax5ZMyYE~G~IeJrBPDgOhxR0am7VZv0348SOXqKaBmUWHv~DJk1Gu6xxoWiYyAtnxfkYCAFp7jC2H1VUovR~lisWVj16~UGxWvg6q3rVdwNZKDi3LiNpE9zTvfcLndZ25z42~MHWlk7l5q24RLVLqtenTzxxiEfK76vqjoSVLZ6rRdlMDYMTPjagRQG3om0tBmd33E1kBQRUNbe92g7VOKh7miyiKHo6y9T-MMdU-Tt3FwQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Georgetown","date","2025-03-27T00:00:00Z","article","Mayor Josh Schroeder used the town hall to urge residents to follow and weigh in on legislation in Austin that officials say reduces local control over development and utility regulation.

\"There has been this growing trend at the state to remove control from cities,\" Schroeder said, describing measures that shift decision-making from local governments to the state. He told the audience the city is tracking more than 1,000 bills that could affect Georgetown.

Nut graf: City leaders highlighted specific statutory changes and active bills that they say threaten local control: a 2023 law allowing property owners to petition out of a city's extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ), pending bills that would restrict local impact fees, and private wastewater \"package plants\" that can seek permitting through the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality with limited local oversight.

Schroeder cited Senate Bill 2038 (2023) as enabling owners to petition properties out of the ETJ within 45 days, which removes the city's regulatory control over land use and can make it easier for private wastewater systems and high-density projects to proceed without local review. \"That can then develop a project ... to build a very tall apartment complex and have on-site discharge of their water right next to an elementary school,\" Schroeder said, describing a scenario the city opposes.

The mayor urged residents to sign up for the city's legislative updates, contact state elected officials and use QR-code resources the city provided to track the municipal legislative agenda. He said local voices can matter: the city has secured bracketing or exemptions on some bills after constituent outreach, he said.

Ending: Schroeder asked residents to monitor the city's legislative agenda, sign up for alerts and contact statewide officials — including the lieutenant governor and governor — if they want to influence outcomes at the Capitol.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Georgetown - State of the City - Mar 27, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Mayor Josh Schroeder warned that recent state laws and pending bills limit local control over development, pointing to Senate Bill 2038'related deannexations from the extraterritorial jurisdiction, package-plant permitting and impact-fee threats as priorities for residents to monitor at the Legislature.","taxTitle","Georgetown, Williamson County, Texas","taxId",2823,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6620367,"Georgetown outlines water plan, South Lake treatment plant schedule and goals to ease watering limits",482,1394000,1876000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2809017-e1fd36d0e3b085d70c9cc2f3ef57a9f0&start=1394&end=1876","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2809017-e1fd36d0e3b085d70c9cc2f3ef57a9f0/thumbnail_1394000.jpg","/articles/6620367/Georgetown/Williamson-County/Texas/Georgetown-outlines-water-plan-South-Lake-treatment-plant-schedule-and-goals-to-ease-watering-limits","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6620367-e85a6a7020ee87eb14a18b617589e9d5/orig.mp4?Expires=1770503639&Signature=BltKGYyfPtInyH20W8pP6vbdGJ9ehJwAT6vQCmBXrWU~BCMGZ2lTCvXb0FfE5cdWx14XLiXbQp-hdMPEFCwEH1ow0g9LGHeJX0pa7i1I7KAbUreRqD9NOMHoW-iUgdSaH64YT35Cx12IGC86uTwa2tvaHL7Duf0n00qAfkSKrHbIsFF3n79p96yd7Jz3gTjuTniBG8k2MmuNAHwSxDlTD2BuJgTIWkPigTPZIhSIgLJPpOfcgWwFBjxOEJ0Rbud6LhoExhcFdR47e-xeeiJIvY-JFTXuoWrUSOfJrP9Z5871toKUQ~MFM9kFMkYxNms5TZZfhsJ4DpnKuba8SsNEsA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City Manager David Morgan told residents that Georgetown’s water territory spans about 400 square miles, far beyond the city’s roughly 63-square-mile corporate limits, and that the city is pursuing multiple strategies to meet growing demand.

\"Our water territory is 400 square miles,\" Morgan said, noting the utility serves customers into Burnet and Bell counties and that Liberty Hill High School is among the westernmost water customers. He said over 85% of current water supply is surface water obtained through the Brazos River Authority and, to a smaller degree, Lake Travis, with a limited share from groundwater through the Edwards Aquifer.

Nut graf: Officials said the city has adopted conservation as the first strategy while pursuing resource diversification — including Carrizo-Wilcox groundwater contracts, wastewater reuse, aquifer storage and recovery — and that the South Lake Treatment Plant will add significant capacity expected to change summer watering restrictions.

Morgan said the integrated resource plan identified a need for roughly 100,000 acre-feet of additional water over the long term. He said the South Lake Treatment Plant’s first phase is on track to come online in June, adding about 22,000,000 gallons per day of treatment capacity; a second phase planned for the following summer would add another 22,000,000 gpd for a total of about 44,000,000 gpd. Morgan said the combined project is “around $290,000,000” when all components are included.

The city manager said the municipality is automating enforcement of watering limits by using automated-meter data to detect irrigation patterns and that the city’s goal is to move from once-a-week watering to two days per week if capacity improvements proceed as planned.

Morgan also discussed wastewater planning: a major distribution line is under construction along Berry Creek, and the city is scoping two new wastewater treatment plants — one on the east side and another on the far northwest side — to manage growth.

Ending: Morgan urged residents to check irrigation controls, plant appropriate native vegetation, use available rebates for controller checks, and sign up for newsletters and the ClearGov portal to receive project updates.","City Manager David Morgan described the city's integrated water resources plan, the upcoming South Lake Treatment Plant phases that will add treatment capacity, and conservation and enforcement measures tied to automated meters.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6620372,"Georgetown details bond-funded road, park and facility projects; Gary estate donation to expand park plans",464,552000,1016000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2809017-e1fd36d0e3b085d70c9cc2f3ef57a9f0&start=552&end=1016","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2809017-e1fd36d0e3b085d70c9cc2f3ef57a9f0/thumbnail_552000.jpg","/articles/6620372/Georgetown/Williamson-County/Texas/Georgetown-details-bond-funded-road-park-and-facility-projects-Gary-estate-donation-to-expand-park-plans","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6620372-48fdbd390ee5a40c63b49da17e74581b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770503639&Signature=HibuvMC5tjQ-4CCffMQCct-X2YTNndJ~7La~EI70dsSVAaDuBfphyxEqfyefjG4joyL34VHLeCtiEuhOsv-GPrOHULXYtTRpmtEX6obpxTsN0rOUy5HCdoMfYZj0ZjR6GXPP6OC9bZf01pevIBW~oec7TYhTuGmpifha5VSmzPKrDz68TU0ewBM2oH8V9uDUeeASrJP8MARwYIk5bcb11lrURA23jTom4xZQJ3IqMEtgH-6xM8lhsqJyjIwWNvS7PIblGuCUyCNa1OyZ~jBMQb2A8JKKfn4qPpoZlziL4pWukkGa3rvJHZ8Duob2c7Jp8r3938HkP0gfvy87lggmeg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City Manager David Morgan told residents the city is advancing multiple capital projects funded through the 2023 bond program and other sources, including road widenings, intersection signal projects, sidewalk work and park renovations.

Morgan said some projects are under design, some are under construction and some have received debt-plan approval from the Texas Attorney General to move forward. \"We actually just received the debt plan approval through the attorney general,\" Morgan said, adding that the animal-shelter expansion is now able to proceed.

Nut graf: Officials laid out a wide set of capital commitments — road widening, new signals, sidewalk construction, park phases and facility partnerships — and stressed that many projects will be phased over several years depending on funding and construction schedules.

Morgan described near-term road projects such as the Rockride lane widening and Shell Road widening, plus intersection signal installs slated for mid to late 2025. He said some arterial expansions are funded through the Georgetown Transportation Enhancement Corporation (GTEC) using sales tax revenues, including a project to relocate water lines west of I-35 to accommodate a future six-lane roadway.

On parks, Morgan highlighted completed work: Phase 3 of San Gabriel Park (festival area, skate park, splash pad) and a new park at Crystal Knoll. He said Phase 2 of Gary Park — featuring mountain-bike trails, equestrian improvements, disc golf, a pump track and renovations to the Gary House for events — is enabled by a roughly $20,000,000 donation from the Gary estate.

Officials also described partnerships: a YMCA partnership under design with construction expected to begin this year, a customer-service center with construction anticipated in 2026, and a planned recreation-center design start in 2026.

Ending: Morgan urged residents to use the city's capital-project portal (ClearGov) and QR-code resources to track timelines, subscribe for updates and provide input as projects move from design into construction.","City Manager David Morgan and Mayor Josh Schroeder outlined status of 2023 bond projects, road widenings, park renovations and a $20 million donation from the Gary estate for Gary Park improvements.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6620377,"Georgetown leaders highlight coordinated downtown master plans, parking garage and Blue Hole design at town hall",0,3118000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2809017-e1fd36d0e3b085d70c9cc2f3ef57a9f0&start=3118&end=3118","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2809017-e1fd36d0e3b085d70c9cc2f3ef57a9f0/thumbnail_3118000.jpg","/articles/6620377/Georgetown/Williamson-County/Texas/Georgetown-leaders-highlight-coordinated-downtown-master-plans-parking-garage-and-Blue-Hole-design-at-town-hall","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6620377-9e0c134cb321178be7541a7b94333d4c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770503639&Signature=UjBln38hERnE6aAfznbJNKefTkHdjuceqVjqVqlS7OGmsx9AFf5MmJvyYWfLG0cvytz0kT5j2BKr9PTeFomWcgPkghArKsis5RqN2NAvpeLIeYN6rIIad7wtyStJDPuBxL1xFg3uxFGB-GABLsfHkdo3ZDB3iZeqMmkVRlCTAOXB4kH4gYfmM~inMrs6iOT58JrlxlatZ-gNR4io9zTqgwBku45Zh9ZFqNCrznjoPL2xsU3KzLP-SF6Tg3vLLp36jMUr501mL2tD9u5BUQrNEyhNT2RUQeDOB2vRlJgVZnnQoIimCerbvkT8RvZAw3K9tnG-zix2gFkaP6up2JeAvw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mayor Josh Schroeder said at a city town-hall meeting that Georgetown has completed a series of coordinated planning efforts intended to keep downtown’s historic square walkable while accommodating growth. \"If we had done any of those in a silo, the plans would not sync up,\" Schroeder said, describing the Austin Avenue corridor study, the downtown master plan and the comprehensive plan as community-driven efforts.

The plans aim to reconcile traffic flows, pedestrian character and gateways into downtown, Schroeder said, pointing to renderings for intersection improvements, gateways and a proposed roundabout at St. Gabriel Boulevard. The mayor said the city is taking a “measured” approach to changes so work does not undermine the historic character that draws residents and visitors.

Nut graf: City officials told residents the synchronized planning work — which involved extensive public input, study tours and staff effort — is intended to preserve the downtown environment while permitting targeted investments such as a first public parking garage, wayfinding signs and new public spaces that support tourism and local businesses.

The mayor said the city’s first parking garage is under construction and will provide free parking for the public when complete. Schroeder framed parking as a public amenity that enables downtown businesses to maximize property use. He also highlighted a planned Water and Works event space adjacent to the downtown square and other concepts in the downtown master plan, including a Ninth Street Art Walk and Rock Street Promenade.

City Manager David Morgan and Schroeder both described a public process for Blue Hole Park, with two design alternatives out for review. Morgan said the city plans to finalize a concept in September and develop a funding strategy for a major renovation as part of downtown master-plan implementation.

Officials emphasized the role of public input and the community in shaping each plan. Schroeder repeatedly credited residents: “This is what we as a community did,” he said. Staff noted the plans will be implemented across a multi-year horizon and that not all elements will be completed immediately.

Ending: Officials invited continued public feedback on the Blue Hole and other downtown designs and encouraged residents to use the city's online project portal and QR resources to follow timelines and provide input.","Mayor Josh Schroeder and City Manager David Morgan told residents the city coordinated multiple planning efforts — including an Austin Avenue corridor study, downtown master plan, wayfinding and Blue Hole redesign — to preserve and manage growth while adding amenities such as a public parking garage.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Georgetown officials urge residents to contact state lawmakers over ETJ losses, package plants and housing bills

Georgetown outlines water plan, South Lake treatment plant schedule and goals to ease watering limits

Georgetown details bond-funded road, park and facility projects; Gary estate donation to expand park plans

Georgetown leaders highlight coordinated downtown master plans, parking garage and Blue Hole design at town hall