Guadalupe County is moving forward with the beginning stages of a strategic plan that will help steer continued rapid growth in the region. The first Guiding Guadalupe County public meeting will take place June 20 at the Seguin Coliseum Event Center, 950 S. Austin St., Seguin. The second meeting will be held June 27 at the city of Schertz Civic Center, 1400 Schertz Parkway, Schertz. Both meetings will run from 6:30-8:30 p.m. The plan, which will serve as a long-term tool for guiding needs and policy priorities, will be the first of its kind in the county’s history. It comes on the heels of New Braunfels’ community comprehensive plan update, which is scheduled to wrap up this summer. “Our communities share workforce and transportation infrastructure daily,” Chris Looney, planning and community development director for the city of New Braunfels, said in a statement. “Anything we can do to develop options for mobility is worth the effort and partnerships. We look forward to collaborating with Guadalupe County on projects and plan implementation in the future.” Looney added the city of San Antonio is also working to implement its recently adopted master plan. Guadalupe County has partnered with Gap Strategies on the endeavor. According to www.guidingguadalupe.com, which provides more information on the project, the consulting team is composed of city planners, economic development specialists and policy experts. In addition to the town hall meetings, Gap Strategies is encouraging residents to fill out an online survey to gather information on transportation and other county priorities. Gap Strategies will also consult with county department heads and other stakeholders before completing the plan in early August. The plan will include:
  • Demographic and economic projections
  • Regional transportation and economic assessment
  • Overview of county services and needs
  • Community input and priorities
From 2016-17, Guadalupe County jumped up 39 spots on the nation’s fastest-growing counties list, landing at No. 36. It shares a border with Comal and Hays counties, which are two of the nation’s top five fastest-growing counties.