Boot Ranch Re-Plat Plan Okayed

Aug 27, 2008 - 15:54:32 CDT.

Gillespie County Commissioners approved an application revising the Boot Ranch subdivision plat Monday, after postponing an Aug. 11 decision on a similar proposal.

The changes will increase the number of lots in Phase 1 of the Boot Ranch subdivision from 104 to 131 as well as consolidate five existing lots into a 21 acre tract for a sports facility and health spa.

The court also awarded the Fredericksburg Convention and Visitor Bureau (CVB) five-sevenths of the county’s Hotel Occupancy Tax funds, matching the allocation given annually by the City of Fredericksburg.

Boot Ranch Revisions

Despite a two-week delay, commissioners approved requests from developers at Boot Ranch to revise their subdivision plat and obtain variances from minimum lot size requirements.

Recording of the changes will not be held until final signatures on the plat are obtained as well as a letter of credit or construction bonds for security on road improvements are provided to the county.

Ken Ayers, project manager for Boot Ranch, described the changes as “clustering some areas together,” in order to create smaller yards and additional open areas.

The proposals were originally made for the court’s Aug. 11 meeting, although no action was taken at that meeting to allow for the court to review all the documents.

After reviewing the plat, the court’s discussion focused primarily on water usage at Boot Ranch and the possibility of digging wells to provide additional water to the area.

“My only concern is that the total usage of water is not going to be increased,” Commissioner Curtis Cameron said.

“If you come back (with a proposal that exceeds the current limit) and I’m still in this chair, you’re not going to get my vote.”

Ayers said that the subdivision has contracted with the City of Fredericksburg to provide water, with usage limited to 300,000 gallons daily.

Current usage, according to Fredericksburg City Manager Gary Neffendorf, is about 42,000 gallons daily -- roughly 14 percent of the agreed-upon limit.

In addition, Ayers said, water wells will not be allowed as part of the terms of the agreement.

HOT Fund Allocation

The court also approved allocating five-sevenths of the county’s Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) funds to the Fredericksburg Convention and Visitor Bureau, which Commissioner Donnie Schuch proposed to help the CVB set their budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

Proceeds from the so-called “bed tax” are given toward programs that would promote visitors to the county and increase the number of individuals staying in area hotels and bed and breakfasts.

Traditionally, the CVB is granted approximately 71 percent (or five-sevenths) of the entire expected HOT receipts from the City of Fredericksburg.

As part of the decision, Gillespie County will award the same percentage of funding, though the exact amount will come from already collected funds from July of the previous calendar year through June of the current calendar year.

For the CVB’s 2009 fiscal year budget, the county will award funds based on collections made from July 2007-June 2008.

The total amount of HOT funds collected over this period was $226,391.77, Gillespie County Treasurer Laura Lundquist said.

Five-sevenths of that amount ($161,708.40) will be sent to the CVB with payment made in two installments -- the first in October as the CVB begins its fiscal year and a second payment in April.

Commissioners agreed that the decision would be re-evaluated on a yearly basis, though no timetable was set for when that evaluation would be made.

Monday’s decision marks the second Hotel Occupancy Tax funding award given to the CVB this year and the third in the county’s short history with the tax.

Gillespie County began collecting the tax for the first time in 2007, with the initial award of $100,000 given to the CVB on March 24 to aid in the development of promotional websites for county businesses.

At the March meeting, the court discussed a draft proposal from Schuch, outlining suggestions for $226,000 in funds, though only the proposed award to the CVB was actually approved.

This $100,000 allocation would not be figured into the five-sevenths allotment for the award approved Monday, Schuch said.

That appropriation would come out of the $120,134.09 collected during January-June 2007, which is 83 percent of the total.

On May 28, the court approved a $15,000 allocation to the Fredericksburg Chamber of Commerce to help the group redesign and upgrade its website.

In other business Monday, the court:

• Approved adding an internet connection to provide wireless internet access in the Pioneer Memorial Library, as well as the County and District Courthouses, at a cost of $99 per month.

•Approved a proposal to perform repairs on Wolf Creek slab on Kott Road for $16,500.

•Approved allowing a display of gourds from the Texas Gourd Society to be on display from Oct. 1-17 at the Pioneer Memorial Library.

•Approved a postage advance to AMG Printing & Mailing for the 2008 tax statement mail-out for $6,500.

The next commissioners’ court meeting was scheduled for 9 a.m. Monday, Sept. 8.

The meeting, set for the county commissioners’ courtroom in the courthouse, will be open to the public.