Lakeway City Council cleared the way for Travis County officials to set a time, date and location for a public hearing to consider creation of Travis County Emergency Services District No. 16. It is an addition to Lake Travis’ southern bank from Lakeway to near the community of Spicewood some officials say is needed and others question based on additional taxes to property owners, among other aspects of the proposal.

The motion council made stipulated creation of the new district will be contingent upon voter approval. It also made clear if ESD 16 were installed it would be authorized to assess homeowners up to $0.10 per $100 valuation as a taxing entity.

Mayor Sandy Cox said she has only heard negative feedback from residents about the possible new ESD, and council members agreed homeowners must have the right to vote on being included in its new boundaries.

Cox also suggested when the county hosts public meetings on the topic it have a list of addresses affected available.

The approval with modifications came Jan. 22 following a tabled December discussion during which Council Member Ron Massa stated the people living in the area for the proposed ESD already pay taxes for emergency service to ESD No. 8 and questioned whether an additional tax would be a positive thing.

During the Dec. 17 Lakeway City Council meeting, Pedernales Fire Chief Troy Wentzel said ESD No. 16 constitutes the formation of a district that will provide an additional level of service and therefore would be an additional taxing entity. He added the taxes would pay for personnel and training, and right now he is running below the national standard at three firefighters per truck. The national standard is four, he said.

A memo from the Pedernales Professional Firefighters Association to Lakeway City Council states Travis County Commissioners Court will hold a public hearing in January or February based on a petition to create the district.

“Because a portion of the District is within the City of Lakeway’s city limits and extraterritorial jurisdiction … the city must consent to the inclusion of this area within the District in order for it to be included within the District,” the memo states.

Kyle Swarts, Pedernales Professional Firefighters Association president, said during the Dec. 17 meeting the city of Briarcliff, which also had to give consent on the ESD, did so in 2018.