Farewell Hope, and With Hope Farewell Fear

RGK Ranch, a proposed suburban development in the Hill Country west of Bee Cave on the south side of Highway 71, was the subject of some protest at the Travis County Commissioners Court hearing last night. The commissioners delayed their vote on the project by at least two weeks. The project would add another 1,500 single family homes to the area. Two similar projects, Sweetwater Lazy 9 and West Cypress Hills, are already in progress on either side of the new project, following LCRA's decision to extend water service to the area and TxDOT's plan to convert 290/71 into a 12-lane elevated highway.

Opponents to the project include a mix of conservationists still trying to protect what remains of the Hill Country from endless suburban sprawl and "close-the-gate-after-I-get-in" commuters concerned about additional cars in an area that already has some of the worst traffic in Central Texas.

Image from hillcountryalliance.org.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@austinist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Shawn Shillington in News on July 25, 2007 10:22 AM 0 Comments

Comments [rss]

guest

mdahmus-

suburban sprawl proliferated under the 'democratic' controlled texas legislature more so than it does today, or can't you remember because you just moved here?

austin tries to stop development (growth), not sprawl, which pushes growth to areas outside the city's jurisdiction for developers watching the bottom line. notice a traffic problem here? it's because the austin city council of yesteryear attempted the 'if you don't build it, they won't come' approach. thank the anti-growth movement each minute you sit in traffic.

why don't you convince people not to buy these homes? then there would be no money in it. you could buy some of the 'affordable' housing downtown, too. btw, the bottom is going to fall out of that, if it isn't as obvious as the current sub-prime mortgage crisis was two years ago.

the state legislature acts to rein austin in on communist leaning legislation that thumbs its nose at state and federal law. if you like socialism/communism, texas ain't the place for you, bud.

mdahmus

Last guest, "Austin" has tried everything available to stop suburban sprawl, and at every single instance, our jackass state legislature has swooped in to save the day for sprawlmongers. Even though in most cases, their interference is later overturned in the courts, it works - because the city rightly believes that demolishing homes people are actually living in (after it takes 5 years to finish the jaunt through the legal system) is probably not going to be our best move.

Only possible solution is to vote for different state legislators. If you voted (R) any time in this state, you're part of the problem.

guest

They really need to make the developers pay for infrastructure costs. If they are going to just drop 1500 more homes in the area, they need to realize it affects everyone else. Austin is turning into a sprawling suburban nightmare...

guest

I thought this said "Rock Ranch" like where the rock stars all live.

guest

Brilliant. Thanks, Shawn!

Shawn Shillington

The title is from Paradise Lost. I think the idea is that after giving up hope (and accepting fate) there is no more need for fear.