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Hutto council cancels Lakeside Estates Phase 3 sidewalks after repeated access refusals; will reallocate funds but continue to seek permissions
Summary
Council voted 7-0 to stop active work on Lakeside Estates Phase 3 sidewalks after staff failed to secure rights-of-entry from a majority of affected property owners; city will reallocate the $3 million bond dollars but continue to collect access authorizations so the project can resume if approvals are obtained.
HUTTO, Texas — The Hutto City Council voted unanimously Thursday to suspend active construction on Phase 3 of the Lakeside Estates sidewalk project and reallocate the $3 million currently budgeted for the work after staff reported they could not secure the necessary rights-of-entry from most property owners.
Assistant City Manager and staff briefed council that of roughly 62 parcels affected by the Phase 3 work, only about 30 property owners had signed access agreements, three had refused and roughly 29 had not responded to multiple outreach efforts including personal door knocks, letters with prepaid envelopes, and follow-up communications.
“I don't want to force it on people,” Mayor Mike Schneider said during the discussion. “We either cancel the project, we keep trying to reach out, or we use eminent domain — and I would never want to force us to do anything.”
Why it matters: The project had $3 million budgeted from the series 22 general obligation bonds to extend sidewalks for Lakeside Estates. With little construction accomplished and a high non‑response rate by property owners, staff said holding the money in place while attempting further outreach would delay other city priorities. Council voted to reallocate the funds if property owner access remains unavailable.
Council action: A motion to cancel Phase 3 and reallocate the funds passed 7-0; the motion included an amendment that staff should continue outreach and accept access authorizations if owners later consent, at which point the project could be reinstated.
What staff tried: City staff reported repeated attempts — initial letters in August, additional mailings and door hangers in February, multiple door knocks, outreach to the HOA and changes to the right-of-entry form to make it less legalistic — yet contact and permissions remained insufficient to proceed without risking community opposition.
Next steps: The city will reallocate the $3 million to other capital needs while continuing outreach to Lakeside Estates owners; if a majority of owners later provide rights-of-entry, staff will reinitiate the Phase 3 construction package without returning to council for a new appropriation.
Ending: Council framed the vote as a balance between respecting private property rights and delivering infrastructure; the council asked staff to keep trying and to bring the project back promptly if property owners provide the needed permissions.
