A former quarry southeast of Ronald Reagan Boulevard and State Highway 195 in Georgetown could soon be transformed into a sprawling mixed-use community of homes, shops, industrial space and parks. Austin-based Robinson Family Management was scheduled to present conceptual plans for the proposed 1,376-acre 4T Ranch Municipal Utility District to the Georgetown City Council on Nov. 10.
The site sits on the grounds of a former quarry, according to KXAN Austin, which reported that the conceptual plans call for roughly 2,750 single-family homes, 1,000 townhomes or condos, and 5,000 apartment units. The same plans include 4.3 million square feet of commercial space and 8 million square feet of industrial, office and flex space, per city documents cited by the station.
Parks, Open Space and a School Site Included
Beyond rooftops and commercial space, the conceptual plans also set aside a school site, 293 acres of open space, and 42 acres of parks, the station reported.
The proposal adds to what the station describes as the Robinson Family's growing involvement in large real estate projects throughout the metro, suggesting the family may steward the buildout of yet another massive mixed-use project near Georgetown.
How It Stacks Up Against Other Georgetown Quarry Sites
4T Ranch isn't the only former quarry drawing development interest in the area. Georgetown City Council gave initial approval in September to establish an in-city municipal utility district for the Yearwood development, a roughly 728-acre site north of Sun City that has operated as a stone quarry for decades, according to Community Impact. Yearwood's maximum MUD tax rate was set at $0.65 per $100 of assessed valuation, the outlet reported.
Yearwood's house count has already shifted once. After developers removed the two smallest lot options in response to density concerns, the project's proposed home total fell to 1,728, Community Impact reported earlier this year. Another nearby proposal, the 855-acre Rock Bluff Ranch development, calls for 2,375 homes east of County Road 245 and north of Ronald Reagan Boulevard, according to city documents cited by the outlet.
What City Policy Requires of New Districts
Before consenting to the creation of any municipal utility district, Georgetown's city policy directs the council to weigh whether forming the district is feasible, practicable and necessary, according to the city's approved MUD policy. That 2018 policy also caps maximum tax rates at $0.55 per $100 of assessed valuation for in-city districts and $0.95 per $100 for districts in the extraterritorial jurisdiction.
The policy further requires a park or series of parks open to the general public within any MUD, with size and location subject to approval by the Parks and Recreation Board — a requirement that lines up with the 42 acres of parks included in the 4T Ranch conceptual plans. Whether those plans will change as they move through the city's review process remains to be seen.
