[{"_1":2,"_96":-5,"_97":-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",[32,74,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_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":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6508910,"mediaKeyId","5448921-ec23e284657f5ad9cced418736cc3e16","parentId",5448921,"title","Council gives conditional feedback on Pinnacle ETJ MUD proposal; financial terms remain sticking point","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",3801000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5448921-ec23e284657f5ad9cced418736cc3e16&start=3801&end=3801","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5448921-ec23e284657f5ad9cced418736cc3e16/thumbnail_3801000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6508910/Georgetown/Williamson-County/Texas/Council-gives-conditional-feedback-on-Pinnacle-ETJ-MUD-proposal-financial-terms-remain-sticking-point","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6508910-105165995886ebc0a3ac369a0719c08c/orig.mp4?Expires=1775386157&Signature=K0KSDt7McS7e9ypis-0TVgXRj4gGH6J7CAR09hZ7qV3OPOO2JTDBsStmTukuJQZms-FW74qF3cYbrhV0L9kqQd0DKMmY0Q1QtBB9cASmcflb7mP7KzUeAwrlebf2SKTtPVfN13iP25OGsasSTQxFV3DfXO-MDsnazVOdtmlUKthcYuyoQTXbHrUCK23I8QqmM6F8H8RWdxbFzrmkhkQDcUPH3JZwWXCVQkBzY43tGMCyVICxxvrFUG7MG9rxUM-yZvX26CwhA28Z0UGEq9k3jOxMN4jkuXFzjEQm7ZAyE0ECbeOLPJAFbkCFozT-H~A7LlxszanT~wBAOvEKPFTndA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Georgetown","date","2025-07-22T00:00:00Z","article","City staff and the developer team presented the “Pinnacle” development proposal and requested council feedback on pursuing an ETJ municipal utility district (MUD) for a large tract partly in Georgetown’s extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) and partly in Weir’s ETJ.

Nick (city planning staff) framed the request and asked council whether staff should pursue ETJ MUD negotiations. The nut graf: council members generally praised the land‑use and design concepts — including extensive greenbelts, a proposed Berry Creek regional trail connection and a walkable neighborhood design — but repeatedly identified financial terms as the key conditions for their support, specifically master development fees, wastewater impact fees and the cost structure for any limited services the city might provide under contract.

Developer representatives said the design emphasizes walkability, pocket parks and a large central amenity and that the team envisions product quality comparable to Wolf Ranch on Georgetown’s east side. Seth Merrick, identified as CEO of Grama Civil, and Ryan Blair of TBG Partners described a plan with multiple greenbelt “fingers,” an 11‑acre school site, about 340 acres planned for single‑family development, and regional trail connections to Berry Creek. Merrick said prior entitlements exist for portions of the tract in Weir’s ETJ and the team has discussed moving the tract into Georgetown’s ETJ under SB 2038 processes.

Infrastructure and service issues discussed:

- Utilities: The development currently lies in multiple utility service territories. Staff said Jonah would be the water provider for the tract; electric service would come from PEC/Encore. Wastewater could connect to the city’s future Three Forks wastewater treatment plant, which staff noted sits nearby on the Gibson tract.
- Roads and access: The team described an improved access point to State Highway 971 through a reconfigured County Road 140 alignment; staff said the change would improve safety at an existing awkward intersection.
- Parks and trails: The developer offered to construct a portion of the Berry Creek regional trail and said the plan includes a publicly accessible amenity center and retail frontage along 971.

Council’s primary concerns focused on finance and service provision. Several council members said they prefer annexation and payment of property taxes, but if the development remains in the ETJ they expect adherence to the city’s MUD policy, including payment of the master development fee and the city’s wastewater impact fees. Council members also asked for clarity on whether the developer would accept the city’s master development fee in addition to impact fees and whether any deviation is justified by significant regional infrastructure the developer would build.

The developer’s team asked whether council would consider contracting with the MUD for limited services such as police and street maintenance. Developer representatives and consultants discussed approximate costs: the developer’s consultant estimated street maintenance in the district could equate to roughly 3–5¢ of tax rate equivalent and suggested additional law‑enforcement coverage could be phased from a quarter officer to a full officer at build‑out; a consultant also said a commonly used Williamson County sheriff proxy is about $2.50 per deputy (quoted in the presentation). Council members said any city‑provided limited services must cover full, not partial, costs so existing taxpayers are not subsidizing service for an ETJ neighborhood.

Other items: staff noted the MUD policy’s 95¢ maximum tax rate for ETJ MUDs and a typical 10‑year bond issuance window; the developer asked for a 20‑year issuance exception. Staff and council also discussed fire station land needs, contributions to regional parkland, and the master development fee as mechanisms to address costs borne by city residents if the land remains outside city limits.

Ending: Council asked staff to continue negotiations with the developer but said support will hinge on agreement about master development and impact fees or annexation. Staff will return with more detailed terms if negotiations proceed.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Georgetown - Workshop - Jul 22, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Developers presented a large 'Pinnacle' neighborhood concept and requested council direction on pursuing an ETJ municipal utility district. Council praised the plan but said master development fees, wastewater impact fees and costs for any limited city services must align with city policy or favor annexation.","taxTitle","Georgetown, Williamson County, Texas","taxId",2823,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6508915,"Council hears proposed fiscal and budgetary policy updates, including public‑art and purchasing changes",1572,1537000,3109000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5448921-ec23e284657f5ad9cced418736cc3e16&start=1537&end=3109","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5448921-ec23e284657f5ad9cced418736cc3e16/thumbnail_1537000.jpg","/articles/6508915/Georgetown/Williamson-County/Texas/Council-hears-proposed-fiscal-and-budgetary-policy-updates-including-publicart-and-purchasing-changes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6508915-d217a585145feb57a8e5cab8b94deaef/orig.mp4?Expires=1775386157&Signature=kCHoLMo-W~z4pjR89ziTk1N8lLzou4W~0rb6kEvKH3WPLGbvckZqSk4bI0yxp7mEjZ1-fuSR3xCu~q9sr2TEUC5avmHInJhVERDHNTrauGrMGpjz5AyKDsKsVIG4o5E~9s1MPScptWHJ1kt38qz~ddy~HIp2wkTrfsgoE~oYwXlAYWjifhK0IYDLe~zn-CfOjec-ydRvyrQ98QCJULeR-OIU0Uz9SK74C5DesO5bv3My7uyujuJkhnUbmGXY8JmLOYpjrXDKM-3NgqoKeMu7mLxYFHm2FWleWjqK7TqOeKJcYfFPIffvc4YbczIbfCEfhU7jx0Szwb6Q8cvq5lcZtQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Myra Cantu, a finance staff presenter, outlined proposed revisions to Georgetown’s fiscal and budgetary policy during the workshop, telling the City Council the amendments are intended to clarify language, align policy with state law and adjust thresholds used for procurement and special funds.

Cantu emphasized why the policy matters: financial policy frames budget development, reserve targets, debt and rate philosophies and is reviewed by external auditors and rating agencies. The nut graf: the proposed changes include aligning the city’s public‑art spending guideline with state law, increasing informal purchasing thresholds to match recent state legislation, renaming a reserve fund for flexibility, and adding draft language to govern large donations.

Key proposals Cantu described:

- Public art: revise language to allow the tourism fund to allocate up to 15% of hotel occupancy tax revenue for public art, aligning with state law cited by staff.
- Purchasing thresholds: raise the informal bid threshold in the policy to $100,000 to reflect recent state law changes (staff said the competitive solicitation threshold would begin at $100,001).
- Capital maintenance and replacement: remove an older $50,000 target that staff said no longer reflects current park replacement needs.
- Debt management and a name change for a reserve: rename the “economic stability reserve” to a “revenue stability reserve” to reflect a broader set of revenue sources and allow activation if revenues fall below projections rather than only on negative growth.
- Donations: staff proposed adding draft language requiring city council direction for donations over $500,000 and said the audit and finance subcommittee recommended adding a donations provision; staff proposed developing a standalone donations policy for further detail.

Council discussion focused on the donations proposal, procurement thresholds and whether architectural or capital standards should be relaxed. Council members said they generally supported the policy updates that align with state law and audit recommendations but asked staff for supporting data on historical donation amounts and for a future workshop item to craft a comprehensive donations policy. Cantu said the formal adoption of policy changes will be brought back with the FY26 budget.

Ending: Cantu said staff will return with a formal adoption package within the budget process and will present a standalone donations policy in a future workshop.","Staff presented proposed changes to the city’s fiscal and budgetary policy—aligning public‑art funding with state law, updating purchasing thresholds, renaming a reserve and proposing a donations review process—and council asked for a separate donations policy workshop.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":42,"_43":89,"_45":89,"_46":90,"_48":91,"_50":92,"_52":93,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":94,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":95,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6508919,"Georgetown staff reports major San Gabriel River flood damage; $9.6M preliminary estimate",1203000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5448921-ec23e284657f5ad9cced418736cc3e16&start=1203&end=1203","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5448921-ec23e284657f5ad9cced418736cc3e16/thumbnail_1203000.jpg","/articles/6508919/Georgetown/Williamson-County/Texas/Georgetown-staff-reports-major-San-Gabriel-River-flood-damage-96M-preliminary-estimate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6508919-4c3f1893cb5f96aadb6b837732939719/orig.mp4?Expires=1775386157&Signature=hnDyXiWpuYRwc4esW5cx5dicoBkvCNUWlWHsQ9F8HhWH--fYOUOZTGNLQAYqpK7qgx8ZkOuHXTpFF6rKQOOHH-aMupfCcMeO~9b5sJ31CCCP0IBGuh79uVxcXqdc5C6VjFx4C0qnNb7CA2rX5AogGSJ5A7NDencYA8HG~hzTpWmVa9-dvCEEHkAgOZfP-HdBsbey-9lYNu-NyXS48qTZAtsEviO8BhwhNRKQZqXrwMwLruAd00f35e-HO-5OdSxbConuYhP~lftQcyXMmE9KXO5sFRbwBmwdCI8bqojETTCO5RaXjjWiDVgv0Wd2kY44jtmDQ76lbMgfsPynAZThHg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Christy Rogers, the city of Georgetown’s emergency management coordinator, briefed the City Council on flood impacts from a late-June/early‑July event that produced a 37.36‑foot crest on the San Gabriel River and widespread damage to municipal infrastructure.

Rogers said the river “reached its height about 11:25 in the morning” during the event and described primary impacts to water and wastewater systems, parks facilities and electrical infrastructure. She told council crews found a 12‑inch break in a main water line under the river that drained two water storage tanks and prompted boil‑water notices while crews isolated the break. Two water intake structures on Lake Georgetown remained submerged until the previous Friday, Rogers said, and one control panel on an intake has been sent to a contractor for evaluation.

The nut graf: City staff said debris removal and damage assessment are ongoing, the city has opened federal and county assistance channels, and preliminary local damage estimates total about $9.6 million — a figure staff said will be refined as assessments continue.

Rogers detailed wastewater impacts including aeration tanks and water tanks filled with silt and sand, lift stations and manholes blocked by debris and soot, and an estimated 400 manholes in the floodway requiring assessment or recovery. She said crews are using metal detectors to locate manhole covers that are buried.

Parks and recreation losses included damage at San Gabriel Park and Blue Hole Park: trails washed away, pavilions and playground surfacing lost, a section of a dug bridge was lost and several trail segments and recreational courts were damaged or destroyed. Electric crews reported 11 light poles at Bridal Veil requiring full replacement and additional damage to poles and conductors at Blue Hole Park; the city is still inventorying possible impacts to meters along the floodway.

Debris management: Rogers said contractors have removed 124 truckloads, equal to about 3,740 cubic yards of debris, and that removal contractors have worked in San Gabriel Park since roughly July 15. She compared the flood (localized to the riverfront) with previous winter storms, noting winter storm Uri produced roughly 30,000 cubic yards of debris but the recent event was smaller and more localized.

Assistance and finances: Rogers said Williamson County applied for and received an individual assistance declaration from the federal government; FEMA opened a Disaster Recovery Center at the Williamson County EMS North Campus with hours she said run through Aug. 10. The county issued a temporary disaster exemption through the Williamson County central appraisal district and the WILCO CARES fund will accept applications this week, Rogers said. Staff reported the public assistance declaration was amended July 16 to include Williamson County and approved categories A through G. She said staff will submit the city’s public assistance request and project paperwork by Aug. 15 and that the FEMA process typically reimburses 75% of approved project costs with a 25% local cost share.

On emergency spending, Rogers said the city transferred $300,000 in emergency appropriations from the general fund to the public works department to begin debris removal and monitoring contracts and that staff are reviewing available cash balances across funds to temporarily cover expenses while tracking costs to comply with FEMA public assistance documentation requirements. Rogers gave the meeting a preliminary damage total of about $9,600,000 and said the number will be refined as contractors provide quotes and assessments are completed.

Community support and volunteers: Rogers said the county and local partners operated a Multi‑Agency Resource Center (MARC) that served about 100 families with food, water, medical services, document replacement and short‑term housing assistance. The city is using the Crisis Cleanup platform to coordinate individual requests and volunteer matching. Rogers said staff were planning volunteer cleanup days and would announce details the following week.

Outlook and next steps: Rogers said debris removal in San Gabriel Park was ongoing and contractors estimated roughly three weeks to complete work in that park; Blue Hole cleanup had not yet started. Rogers said staff will continue damage assessments of water, wastewater, electric and park infrastructure and will assemble documentation and cost estimates needed for FEMA public assistance projects.

Ending: Council members thanked staff for rapid response and praised early field assessments. Rogers closed by saying staff will continue to collect damage documentation, refine cost estimates and proceed with the public assistance process.","City staff described widespread damage to water, wastewater, electric and park infrastructure after a July flood on the San Gabriel River, outlined debris and assistance efforts, and said the city will pursue FEMA public assistance.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council gives conditional feedback on Pinnacle ETJ MUD proposal; financial terms remain sticking point

Council hears proposed fiscal and budgetary policy updates, including public‑art and purchasing changes

Georgetown staff reports major San Gabriel River flood damage; $9.6M preliminary estimate