The 1,300 linear feet of sidewalk would have been along the north side of Dietz Elkhorn Road between the Vantage Apartments and Elkhorn Ridge/Square Gate.
City Council denied the project due to concerns about the number of residents who would use the sidewalk, and whether the cost would lead to a community benefit.
What they’re saying
Mayor Greg Maxton explained that one of the primary reasons the sidewalk was to serve as a connection between the Vantage Apartments and Van Raub Elementary School.
At the start of the 2024-25 school year, the attendance zone for Van Raub Elementary was changed to no longer include the Vantage Apartments, which has reduced the number of people walking that path, Maxton said.
According to Boerne ISD attendance zone changes, incoming fifth grade students and their siblings were allowed to be grandfathered in for one school year, meaning it is likely that some students continue to walk in the proposed project area, but those students may not attend the campus during the upcoming school year.
Council member Keith Rhoden said his concern was the number of residents that would find a use out of the sidewalk construction relative to the cost to the city.
“It seems like maybe circumstances have changed since we looked at this initially in 2023,” he said.
The overview
In the fiscal year 2024-25 budget, $388,232 was set aside for the project. In addition, several developers in the vicinity of the proposed sidewalk agreed to provide a financial contribution in support of the project.
On Nov. 16, 2023, the City Council approved a resolution to accept a $42,000 donation from SA Front Gate LLC, Elkhorn Ridge Development SA LLC and Elkhorn Ridge SA LLC. This contribution was a combined donation and a requirement for tree compensation.
Other donations for the project included a $10,000 donation from ROW at Dietz Elkhorn LLC, and a donation up to $10,000 from Vantage at Fair Oaks LLC. To date, the $42,000 donation has been received, and the other two are still pending.
To support the effort, the city received 16 bids Feb. 5, and the lowest bid was from Bueno Pro Services LLC for an amount of $264,298.71. With a 5% contingency, the total project cost was around $277,513. The donations would have reduced the cost to the city.
Should the city not pursue the project in the future, any funds received as a donation for the project would need to be returned since the funds were donated specifically for the sidewalk improvements. City Manager Scott Huizenga said this would account for around $20,000.
