At a May 1 meeting, City Council approved a motion directing city staff to assist ATX Capital in voluntarily annexing the property into the city. The motion also calls for Hutto to provide wastewater services to the development and work with Jonah Water Special Utility District to develop a water solution by the end of 2026.
How it happened
The development team first came before Hutto City Council on March 27 to request water service from the city. Legacy Park is in Hutto's ETJ and Jonah Water's certificate of convenience and necessity, so requires annexation into the city to receive its water services.
City Council members expressed split opinions on expanding Hutto's CCN, the geographical area in which the city is required to provide water service.
The update
At the May 1 meeting, Amanda Brown with HD Brown consulting presented an update on the development on behalf of ATX Capital.
“We’re currently in the ETJ and want to annex into the city of Hutto and city of Hutto’s CCN as well," Brown said. "If we’re unable to do that, we do have a Plan B.”
The team's "Plan B" includes obtaining water service through Jonah Water, obtaining wastewater services through a package plant, and modifying the land use to focus on light industrial rather than retail and residential uses.
“Our preference is Hutto, but just to give you an idea of what those comparisons are," Brown said. "If we remain in the ETJ, the city of Hutto will have no development regulatory authority at all.”
The site plan, if annexed into Hutto, would include the following:
- 50,000 square feet of general retail
- 15,000 square feet of neighborhood retail
- 626 multifamily units
- 550,000 square feet of light industrial
- Designated land for a future Limmer Loop connection
If the developers obtain water from Jonah Water instead, the site will forgo the residential component to conserve water and instead focus on developing as a light industrial site.
"It will be developed one way or another,” Brown said.
What's next
The city can't agree to provide water services until Jonah Water releases the property from its CCN, according to City Engineer Matt Rector. In the meantime, City Council agreed to continue working with the developers to find a solution.
City staff will help voluntarily annex Legacy Park into city limits and provide wastewater services. The city must also coordinate with Jonah Water to find a "water solution" by the end of 2026.
“It’s a step in the right direction of our development,” Canavati Q. said.
