City of Dripping Springs Comprehensive Plan 2016

City of Dripping Springs Comprehensive Plan 2016 Approved November 15, 2016 Introduction ..............................................................
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City of Dripping Springs Comprehensive Plan 2016 Approved November 15, 2016

Introduction ........................................................................................................... 1 Plan Process........................................................................................................ 1 Plan Goals........................................................................................................... 3 Next Steps........................................................................................................... 5 Chapter 1: Demographic Analysis ......................................................................... 6 Population Estimates and Projections ................................................................. 6 Population Characteristics .................................................................................. 6 Income and Employment .................................................................................... 9 Housing ............................................................................................................ 11 Summary .......................................................................................................... 13 Chapter 2: Development / Growth Management................................................ 14 Development / Growth Management Goals ..................................................... 15 Chapter 3: Livability / Quality of Life ................................................................... 23 Livability / Quality of Life Goals ........................................................................ 24 Chapter 4: Infrastructure .................................................................................... 34 Infrastructure Goals .......................................................................................... 34 Chapter 5: Goals from Previous Plans ................................................................. 40 Goals from Previous Plans ................................................................................ 40 Conclusion ........................................................................................................... 43 Implementation Guide Appendix A: Survey Results

Comprehensive Plan Update 2016

Why Plan? The Comprehensive Plan is a document that provides a long term vision for the community. It presents the current conditions that exist as well as a vision for where the community wants to be in the future. To achieve that vision, the plan identifies key challenges and opportunities facing Dripping Springs. More importantly, it defines clear goals and objectives to address those challenges, providing a framework for decision making to community leaders. The plan is intended to be a working document, not a space holder on a shelf. The plan is rooted in public engagement and reflects the priorities of Dripping Springs residents. It incorporates their expectations for action from city government and other entities to address these priorities. It is important for leaders to recognize that by implementing this plan, they will be serving their community and putting resources into projects identified as most needed by residents. It is also important to recognize that this plan is intended to be reviewed and revised on a regular basis. Dripping Springs is growing rapidly, that growth will lead to unforeseen challenges and opportunities that require a response. While this plan provides a direction and clear actions to undertake, it is not intended to tie the hands of decision makers and prohibit them from responding to new issues that may arise. It is a framework for decision making, based on extensive public engagement to reflect the concerns of residents. The key to successful implementation is to keep the plan in front of decision makers so they recognize it as a resource to guide their decisions, basing them on the priorities identified in the plan. When adjustments need to be made, or new priorities arise, they can be incorporated into the plan. The plan is a resource that serves to inform decision making, it is not intended to restrict action or responsiveness from city leadership. Dripping Springs is a successful and well led community. Leaders are committed to making decisions that reflect the concerns of residents. This plan provides them a foundation for continued success, building on the success of past planning efforts. Implementation of this plan will ensure Dripping Springs continues to be a desirable place to live, work, and play.

Comprehensive Plan Update 2016

Introduction

Introduction Dripping Springs has been managing explosive growth for many years, and this growth is expected to continue. This has led to increased pressure on City infrastructure, recreational facilities, the school district, and the quality of life that has attracted, and continues to bring, new residents. The City has worked very hard to protect community values and quality of life in the face of this growth. The 2010 Comprehensive Plan explicitly identified community values and structured the plan goals around those values. Many of the goals identified in the 2010 plan have been accomplished, or are underway. The 2016 update is an opportunity to build on the success of the 2010 plan by identifying new goals and priorities that reflect the changes that have taken place in Dripping Springs over the last six years. Plan Process The update process began with the appointment of a Steering Committee to serve as the community representatives and ensure the final product reflected the goals and values of Dripping Springs’ residents. This committee met every two weeks throughout the plan development providing insight and revisions to the final product. Public Engagement The first step of the public engagement was a community-wide survey. This survey was available on-line and as hard copies from the City. Well over 1,600 residents participated, providing insight into issues and challenges facing Dripping Springs. Results of the survey can be found in Appendix A. Not surprisingly, key issues identified in the survey included traffic and growth as significant challenges in Dripping Springs. There was also a desire for additional retail and restaurant providers, along with additional employment options for residents. While directly asking the question about new housing development resulted in a majority saying no, a different question about housing showed majority support for increasing housing diversity and opportunities for senior housing. Other key issues included expanding trail and park facilities, and protecting quality of life.

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Introduction

Focus groups were conducted to gather information on specific issues. These included a group focused on housing, which was identified as a key challenge needing to be addressed in the Plan update. Participants discussed the impact a lack of housing options was having on Dripping Springs, especially the challenge for employers of finding quality employees. A second focus group discussed economic development. The discussion focused on how to expand the Dripping Springs economy by leveraging on the existing assets, like the wedding industry, as well as how to support local entrepreneurs and professionals through additional business services.

Using information from the survey and focus groups, a Town Hall meeting was conducted to develop further insight into the identified issues. The Town Hall had nearly 50 participants, which is typical for this type of meeting, and participants provided additional feedback about key challenges and opportunities facing Dripping Springs. This input from the survey, focus groups, and Town Hall was reviewed by the Steering Committee and draft goals and recommendations were developed. These goals were then presented at an Open House, where participants voted to prioritize them. Each participant had five votes to use how they wanted to identify priorities. In addition, they had the opportunity to write in goals that were missing from the list. The results from this Open House were used to create the final list of goals and how they are prioritized in this plan update. Future Land Use Workshop In addition to the public engagement, a Land Use Workshop was held to develop a vision for future growth in and around Dripping Springs. This workshop included the Planning and Zoning Commission, Steering Committee, and City Council, as well as developers, realtors, community leaders, and residents. The map produced from this workshop was further revised by the Steering Committee to create the Future Land Use map presented in this update. While a Future Land Use map is not zoning and has no regulatory authority, it does represent a starting

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Introduction

point for revising the Zoning Ordinance and presents a vision that the City can use as it works with developers. Plan Goals Instead of the values based organization of the 2010 plan, this update is organized topically into four sections with goals identified for each of the topics. The Implementation Guide provides specific action steps, timelines, and responsible parties for each of the identified goals to help decision makers know when and how to proceed with achieving plan objectives: 

Development / Growth Management o Review and update development and building ordinances o Support the expansion of business and professional services o Support tourism / wedding related businesses o Develop plan to address becoming a Home Rule City o Explore the potential for a co-working office space o Support expanded broadband internet access



Livability / Quality of Life o Support housing options in Dripping Springs o Develop a plan for the Triangle Property o Implement road, drainage, sidewalk, and lighting improvements along Old Fitzhugh Rd o Expand parking options in downtown o Develop a Facilities Plan for City-owned properties o Bring City properties into compliance with Lighting Ordinance o Implement City-Wide Trails Plan o Encourage preservation and stewardship of historic springs

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Infrastructure o Revise Wastewater Allocation Policy o Explore all options for wastewater reuse and disposal o Begin Emergency Management planning efforts o Identify unsafe intersections and make needed improvements o Develop a Mobility Plan that incorporates Transportation Plan, Trails Master Plan, Transit, and other modes o Ensure adequate long term water supply



Goals from Previous Plans o Explore potential for facility consolidation with Hays County, Dripping Springs ISD (DSISD), others o Develop community water quality and drainage plans o Explore options for increased law enforcement presence o Continue discussions with Water Supply Corporation (WSC) regarding consolidation

The goals were also prioritized based on the public engagement process and input from the Steering Committee. This allows those projects identified as being the most important to be a focus of attention in the next year or two. Short Term: 

Review and update development and building ordinances



Support housing options in Dripping Springs



Revise Wastewater Allocation Policy



Explore all options for wastewater reuse and disposal



Begin Emergency Planning Efforts

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Introduction

Mid Term Goals 

Support the expansion of business and professional services



Support tourism / wedding related businesses



Develop a plan for the Triangle Property



Implement road, drainage, sidewalk, and lighting improvements along Old Fitzhugh Rd.



Expand parking options in downtown



Develop a Facilities Plan for City-owned properties



Bring City properties into compliance with Lighting Ordinance



Implement City-Wide Trails Plan



Identify unsafe intersections and make needed improvements



Develop a Mobility Plan that incorporates Transportation Plan, Trails Master Plan, Transit, and other modes



Explore potential for facility consolidation with Hays County, DSISD, others



Develop plan to address becoming a Home Rule City

Long Term 

Explore the potential for a co-working office space



Support expanded broadband internet access



Encourage preservation and stewardship of historic springs



Ensure adequate long term water supply



Develop community water quality and drainage plans



Explore options for increased law enforcement presence



Continue discussions with Water Supply Corporation (WSC) regarding consolidation

Implementation This plan provides a framework for decision making and clear direction to address the challenges and opportunities facing Dripping Springs. The real work comes in implementing the plan, and it will take support from the community to ensure the recommendations in this plan become reality. Comprehensive Plan Update 2016 – Approved 11/15/16

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Chapter 1

Demographic Analysis

Chapter 1: Demographic Analysis 1.1 Population Estimates and Projections Dripping Springs is located in one of the fastest growing regions of the country, and this growth is having a significant impact on the community. The City of Dripping Springs is still a small town, with an estimated population of approximately 1,900. However, this does not encompass the much larger area included in Dripping Springs’ Extra Territorial Jurisdiction (ETJ), which includes residents who identify as being from Dripping Springs, despite not being within the City Limits. Table 1 – Population Estimate and Projection 2030 (Texas State Data 2015 (est.)

2020

2030 (TWDB)

Dripping Springs

1,905

2,154

2,311

ETJ

22,860

28,212

ISD

28,015

34,007

Hays County

187,591

223,714

313,792

Center)

398,384

Source: ESRI Business Analyst, Texas Water Development Board, Texas State Data Center There are limited population projections available for the City Limits, ETJ, and Dripping Springs Independent School District (DSISD), so the 5 year projection from ESRI Business Analyst is shown in Table 1. This indicates continued and significant growth for the area immediately surrounding Dripping Springs, as well as within the City Limits. The projection does not consider any annexations the City may undertake, which would lead to a larger population within the City Limits. The population of Hays County is expected to more than double in the next 15 years, and much of this growth is likely to be in the Dripping Springs area. This means the City must be prepared to manage significantly increased traffic and development. This will also impact DSISD, which will need to plan for additional students. 1.2 Population Characteristics The survey indicated that many people choose to live in Dripping Springs because it is a good place for families. The school district is rated very highly and is a draw for residents wanting a quality Comprehensive Plan Update 2016 – Approved 11/15/16

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Demographic Analysis

education for their children. This is reflected in the fact that approximately 25 percent of Dripping Springs residents are 19 years old or younger. This presents an opportunity for the community; however, it also means there is likely high demand for recreational amenities and programming and other community services for this population. It will be important to manage this as Dripping Springs continues to grow and attract families. Overall, the characteristics of the population living in the City Limits, ETJ, and DSISD were very similar in terms of age, race and ethnicity, education, etc. which indicates that the population within the City Limits is indicative of the larger population of this part of Hays County. Approximately 45 percent is between the ages of 35 and 65 years, which is the prime working years. Many of these residents travel to Austin for work each day. Families choose to live in Dripping Springs because of the high quality of life and manage the commute into Austin. Table 2 – Age Dripping

Hays

Springs

County

0-4

4.8%

6.5%

5-9

6.3%

6.8%

10-14

8.1%

6.8%

15-19

7.6%

8.5%

20-24

5.0%

12.9%

25-34

7.7%

13.3%

35-44

11.1%

12.6%

45-54

18.0%

11.7%

55-64

16.5%

10.8%

65-74

9.4%

6.6%

75-84

3.8%

2.7%

85+

1.6%

1.0%

Median Age

44.5

31.2

Source: ESRI Business Analyst Comprehensive Plan Update 2016 – Approved 11/15/16

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Demographic Analysis

The City has a smaller minority population than the State of Texas and Hays County. Nearly 90 percent of City residents identify as White alone, and approximately 16% identify as Hispanic. Hispanic is considered an ethnicity by the Census, not a race, so respondents can identify as Hispanic and any race of their choosing. This means the numbers in Table 3 will not add up to 100% because Hispanic is counted separately. The data for the ETJ and DSISD boundaries were very similar to that for the City Limits. Hays County data was included for this statistic simply to show the comparison. Table 3 – Race and Ethnicity Dripping Springs

Hays County

White

88.8%

78.9%

Black

0.8%

3.8%

American Indian

0.7%

0.8%

Asian

0.8%

1.4%

Pacific Islander

0.2%

0.1%

Some Other Race

6.4%

11.8%

Two or More Races

2.4%

3.1%

Hispanic (Any Race)

16.2%

37.8%

Source: ESRI Business Analyst

The adult residents of Dripping Springs have high educational attainment. Over 45 percent have a Bachelors or Graduate degree, while only 6% have less than a high school diploma. This is an indication that Dripping Springs has a strong workforce that would be attractive to potential employers wanting to locate in the area. The opportunity to attract major employers is somewhat limited due to very high land costs and limited land for commercial development.

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Demographic Analysis

Table 4 – Educational Attainment Age 25+ Dripping Springs < 9th Grade

2.5%

9th – 12th no Diploma

4.5%

HS Grad / GED

15.9%

Some College

21.6%

Associates Degree

7.3%

Bachelors Degree

32.8%

Graduate Degree

15.3%

Source: ESRI Business Analyst 1.3 Income and Employment The income of Dripping Springs reflects the high educational attainment of the residents. Dripping Springs and the area around it have a much higher income than the rest of Hays County. Less than 15 percent of the population within the City Limits makes less than $35,000. While this is a fairly small population of very low income residents, this does not mean there is not a need for services for these individuals and families. With a relatively small population it can be easy to overlook the needs of these residents. There should be an awareness and outreach to ensure residents are not left behind and struggling without assistance.

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Table 5 – Household Income Dripping

ETJ

ISD

Springs

Hays County