Category: Innovation (Page 1 of 2)

New and smart ideas for managing growth

After 18 Months, the Future of Downtown is Set…I Hope We Were Smart About It!

June 6, 2024 /

Back in December 2022, I mentioned that the City was about to begin an 18-month process to update the Downtown Master Plan, which had last been updated 2015.  Master Plan CoverThey also partnered with the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) to study the Austin Avenue Corridor.  Well neighbors, after a lot of community discussions, neighborhood emails, and City Council discussions up on the dais, the Georgetown City Council approved both documents on May 28, 2024!

During those 18 months, I personally followed City Staff and Council members to Waxahachie, Dallas, and McKinney to look at ideas for our Downtown.  I heard and saw what our Council members heard and saw.  I think it was a good learning experience for all of us.  I had hoped Council members would have also traveled to see downtown San Marcos and what can happen when you’re not Smart about development.

During that same time, CAMPO’s team was getting good feedback and ideas from community members.  Let me tell you, it has been a very busy 18 months.

So, after all that work…did our City Council make some Smart decisions OR did we just become the next Downtown San Marcos?

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City Council will set Downtown’s Future over the next 18 Months…Let’s Hope they’re Smart about it!

December 6, 2022 /

There are two major City projects that will be coming together over the next 18 months that will either produce a “perfect storm” or a bright future for our historic downtown and Old Town.

The City is starting the long-awaited Downtown Master Plan Update and the Austin Ave Corridor Study, in partnership the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO).  Both projects will significantly influence the potential viability and livability of the center of Georgetown.

The Downtown Master Plan Kick-Off occurred on November 15, which I attended.  The consultant, DesignWorkshop, reviewed the City Vision for Downtown and discussed community involvement in the process.  One of the more controversial issues discussed at Council this year has been commercial development density and building heights.

I know Georgetown is growing rapidly, but let’s be careful that we don’t lose the charm and uniqueness of downtown and Old Town…if we ever lose it, we’ll never get it back.

We all need to be Smart…let’s not “San Marcos” our Square!

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The New San Gabriel River Pedestrian/Bike Bridge…Let’s Get Creative with its Design!

August 23, 2020 /

The new pedestrian and bike bridge planned for the South & North San Gabriel Rivers gives Georgetown another opportunity to attract regional and national recognition with a new city landmark that overlooks our beautiful San Gabriel River.

The new bridge, which will be built alongside the Austin Ave Bridges, will connect to the San Gabriel park/trail system and link the Square & downtown to the Sheraton Hotel/Rivery development, the City’s west side, and ultimately to Lake Georgetown & Garey Park.  The pedestrian bridge also  gives us the opportunity to create a unique “gateway” for downtown Georgetown.

Instead of taking a traditional engineering approach to designing a basic utility bridge to accommodate pedestrian and bicycle traffic over the Rivers, hopefully the City will think outside the box and be creative in how they go about selecting the design for the new bridge.

Do we take the usual route and give the job to an engineering company without competition…or do we decide to be imaginative…and SMART?

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