The details
The proposed 146-acre development, currently called Bell Sharkey, will be located on the northwest corner of East University Avenue and SH 130, an area the city has earmarked for mixed-density neighborhood zoning.
Pulte Group is the developer of the proposed Bell Sharkey MUD, and their concept plan includes:
- 395 single-family homes
- Parkland and open space
- A playground, shade pavilion and picnic tables
- A trailhead with parking
- Two trails, including a regional concrete trail and a 1.5-mile private nature trail
Because of the area’s floodplain and topography, the open space in the center of the neighborhood can not be developed, Assistant City Manager Nick Woolery said. The open space is broken down into:
- 5.17 acres of developable parkland
- 5.66 acres of parkland in the floodplain
- 49.5 acres of undevelopable open space
The development will also include space for a proposed lift station, which pumps wastewater from lower to high elevations, along the San Gabriel River. Georgetown officials requested Pulte Group install an 8-foot masonry wall around the lift station because of its proximity to parkland, Woolery said.
Explained
The purpose of a MUD is to help a development pay for amenities and infrastructure improvements that exceed the minimum city standards, according to city documents. Improvements are funded by a special property tax.
Pulte Group plans to include water and wastewater infrastructure, drainage and street improvements, and parkland and trail enhancements, totaling a $43 million project. The MUD is proposing a tax rate of $0.55 per $100, which is the city’s maximum allowed tax rate for MUDs.
Jonah Special Utility District will provide water service.
Looking ahead
Land development is slated to begin in early 2027, with the first home completed in mid-2028. Full build-out would wrap up in 2033, Dante Monsivais-Ochoa, director of land acquisition at Pulte Group, said at the meeting.
