“I’m pleased to share that the City of Fair Oaks Ranch is moving forward with a proposed resolution to one of the most longstanding and challenging land use issues our community has faced—the development of the 345-acre parcel known as The Reserve,” Huizenga said.
What’s happening?
According to a May 6 news release, the new development will be called the Post Oak Subdivision and will feature an updated, lower-density development that aligns with the city’s values and vision for responsible growth. The area will be developed by Bitterblue, Inc.
Huizenga said the amended development agreement reduces the originally planned 645 homes to 278 custom lots. In the original development agreement from 2013, homes were on lots averaging around half an acre, while the new lots will have one-acre minimums, which is aligned with development standards from Kendall County.
Since the development is within the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction, or ETJ, the property will need to be annexed and zoned according to city zoning standards.
Huizenga said there is no wastewater package included, the lots will have septic systems. Water will be provided by the city.
Mayor Greg Maxton said some residents have raised concerns about the density of the property in prior development iterations, and whether the city would be capable of providing water.
For long-term water planning, projections for the property were more than 600 homes, meaning the city already planned to provide water upon the full construction of the residential community. With the reduction to 278 lots, the city has adequately prepared for the additional water hookups, Huizenga said.
Maxton said nobody wants new development in the city, but Texas is a property rights state that allows property owners to sell to whoever they would like. The new developer has proposed a project that better aligns with the values of the city, Maxton said.
“The new developer has really come in and proposed something that is within the character of what we want as part of the future of Fair Oaks Ranch,” he said.
Diving deeper
One of the considerations with the development is the creation of the city’s first Public Improvement District, which is a voluntary additional tax on the residents of the developed community that will be used to support the construction.
This system allows the city to sign off on bonds for the development, which will be fully paid back by the developers. Huizenga said the developer is proposing up to $60 million in onsite infrastructure. The city will not be responsible for any bonds or debt accrued by the developer.
“The city is required to authorize the issuance of bonds, but the city is not required to pay the bonds,” Huizenga said.
Other projects
Through bond funds approved by voters, the city is working on the reconstruction of Ammann Road from Ralph Fair Road to the Kendall County Line.
Since the development is located off Ammann Road, Huizenga said there are plans to soften one of the sharp curves on the roadway.
Rather than have the southern sharp curve near Rolling Acres Trail, the road will cut through a small portion of the development property to provide a smoother corner.
“The property owner is dedicating the right of way for the city to soften that curve, and they’re also contributing to our full Ammann Road construction project,” Huizenga said.
Phase 1 of the development is expected to be underway by the time the Ammann Road reconstruction project begins.
“We don’t want to construct a brand new multimillion dollar road and then have a bunch of equipment going on during this project,” Huizenga said.
How we got here
Over a decade, the project has been in a stagnation as city staff and officials try to work with potential developers on a new vision for the project.
Previous iterations of the development resulted in a number of legal challenges, one of which was the city’s failure to annex the development because the then developer was not meeting certain conditions of the development agreement, Huizenga said. A later dispute arose because the developer refused to join the city water service territory.
In 2017, the city Unified Development Code and Comprehensive Plan were updated to provide new standards for development. Since the original development agreement was approved in 2013, it was not held to updated standards. Huizenga said the amended agreement allows the city to ensure the development fits the overall character of Fair Oaks Ranch.
Over that time period, the property switched ownership multiple times resulting in different names for the development, including The Reserve, Fair Oaks Meadows and finally Post Oak.
Get involved
Since this property has evolved from the original development agreement, city staff will host an open house on May 13, encouraging residents to learn more about the development process and how the new agreement came to be.
The following week, on May 20, the city council will consider multiple resolutions and agenda items attached to this project, including the amendment to the development agreement, and the petitions for the PID and property annexation.
Prior to being approved, public hearings must be held. Public hearings for the PID and annexation are scheduled for June 19, and the second reading and final approval of these items are tentatively scheduled for July 3.
To keep residents up to date on the development, a webpage was created with the development agreements and other information for the community.
Meetings will be held in the Public Safety Training Room of the Police Station, located at 7286 Dietz Elkhorn, Fair Oaks Ranch.
