City Council OKs selling part of Rebel Park to adjacent landowners

In January, Lakeway City Council approved of selling a portion of Rebel Park that is generally submerged by Lake Travis and in Rebel Cove to adjacent landowners for $70,000, subject to voter approval.

Lakeway City Manager Steve Jones said the six adjacent landowners to Rebel Cove want to purchase the city-owned land that is usually underwater so they can build boat docks that go into Lake Travis when the water level goes below 665 feet above sea level.

The purchase agreement unanimously approved by City Council allows the other landowners adjacent to Rebel Park to still use the cove.

Greg Clay, one of the six adjacent landowners to Rebel Cove wanting to purchase the parkland, said Rebel Cove and Rebel Park are usually only used by people who live nearby.

"The concept is to sell that unusable land to raise funds for the City of Lakeway," Clay said.

The purchase agreement could be brought to voters in May as part of the general election. If no incumbents are challenged and a general election does not happen, the landowners have agreed to fund a special election.

City Council authorizes bonds for new library

On Feb. 7, Lakeway City Council authorized the issuance of bonds to build a new Lake Travis library facility.

The council vote that happened during a specially called meeting is expected to allow construction to start on the library in March. Lake Travis Library Director Morgan McMillian said construction is expected to take 245 days and be finished by the end of the year.

McMillian said the new library, which will be built at a total cost of $2.19 million, is necessary to serve its growing number of patrons.

The 11,000-square-foot library in Lakeway's Tuscan Village will serve almost 21,000 people in the Lake Travis area and have more chairs and tables, a bigger teen section and more space for special programming than the current 3,330-square-foot library at 2300 Lohmans Spur.

"We really need to have this better facility to serve our patrons," McMillian said.

Voters last year approved of $1.25 million in bonds to help fund the new library. The library district has been holding a fundraising campaign and collecting sales tax revenue to help round out the library's funding.

Lakeway City Council approved a resolution authorizing an interlocal agreement between the city and the Lake Travis Community Library District. Under the agreement, the library district will make all bond payments.