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Editor's note: This article has been updated to correct a spelling mistake.
Georgetown City Council members discussed a proposed 362-acre residential development seeking development approvals during an April 8 workshop meeting.
The project received several concerns from city officials, ranging from its wastewater plans to architectural proposal.
Two-minute impact
Home construction company PulteGroup is looking to build a development called Atkinson Ranch near Williams Drive and Indian Springs Road, according to the April 8 presentation.
PulteGroup expressed intent with city staff to develop a portion of land with lot sizes similar to their Sun City Del Webb development—an age-restricted 55-plus retirement community in north Georgetown.
The project would bring about 546 single-family units and 259 multifamily units to the area, per city documents.
A current concept plan shows the development would include:
The subdivision could be age-targeted or age-restricted, but a final decision has not yet been reached, said Anaiah Johnson, PulteGroup land planning and entitlement manager.
Sorting out details
The site is adjacent to city limits and outside of Georgetown Electric Utility but within the city's water service area, Assistant City Manager Nick Woolery said.
PulteGroup officials are seeking approval from City Council members for the creation of an extraterritorial jurisdiction municipal utility district to help offset construction costs, Johnson said.
He said the only way to get the amount of MUD receivables—or costs owed from construction—to make the project come to fruition would be through a rate higher than the city’s.
MUDs assist in closing a financial gap when a development is seeking to exceed minimum city standards and provide a robust program of amenities, according to the presentation.
Additionally, MUDs can receive approval when substantial off-site infrastructure improvements are required which would serve both the MUD and surrounding properties.
Woolery said all but one of the city’s ETJ MUDs connect to the city’s wastewater system.
“A lot of them require some pretty significant improvements to tie into the system,” Woolery said. “A lot of times, that's a MUD cost that they need to be able to make that connection.”
Why it matters
The project will require road connections and off-site and on-site water and sewer infrastructure requirements, Johnson said. Capital expenditure estimates for infrastructure are close to $85 million, he said.
The city is working on a future Northlands wastewater plant, but PulteGroup staff was told it won’t be operational until 2029, an official with PulteGroup said during the meeting.
Given that developers anticipate beginning construction in 2027, officials intend to go to the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality to create a package plant on-site and spray effluent onto the floodplain area, the official said.
What officials are saying
Several city officials expressed concerns about the project's wastewater plans and its deviated MUD policy compared to the city’s outlined expectations.
“That's a lot of money to spend, basically, on a package plant that has a couple year solution,” City Manager David Morgan said. “Our goal is to come up with a plan for them to be able to tie into our wastewater system. We think that's a better and safer way to go long term.”
Morgan said staff is working on the sizing and timing of the future Northlands plant, which could also service Heirloom Georgetown. Council member Shawn Hood said he wouldn’t want to see an off-site sewer treatment system adjacent to the floodplain area.
Hood said he approved of the land plan, as long as the primary entrance into the development connects to the proposed traffic signal. Before waiving development standards entirely, as PulteGroup officials proposed, Hood said he’d like to understand PulteGroup’s vision for the subdivision better.
Council members suggested Atkinson Ranch should be more in-line with several standards outlined in the city's MUD policy.
Major takeaways
PulteGroup can continue conversations with city staff to incorporate council feedback into their development plan.
In 2023, the Legislature passed Senate Bill 2038, which allows residents of an ETJ to leave the city’s authority through a petition or election, according to previous Community Impact reporting. The bill allows ETJ properties to remove themselves from some regulations.
Mayor Pro Tem Kevin Pitts said if it wasn’t for SB 2038, he likely wouldn’t be supportive of the Atkinson Ranch project at all. Even if the development returns with council’s proposed changes, Pitts said he’s uncertain about the project.
“I see a lot of issues, and I’m on the edge,” Pitts said.
