Fair Oaks Ranch town hall addresses streets, May bond

FAIR OAKS RANCH — City officials want to hear from their friends and neighbors this week to share information and data ahead of the May 4 special bond election.

The April 9 town hall meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. at Spring Creek United Methodist Church, 9200 Dietz Elkhorn Road.

Fair Oaks Ranch registered voters will find two items on the May 4 special election ballot. The first measure is a proposed renewal of the city’s street maintenance sales tax, and the second measure is a general obligation bond election for roadway improvements.

Topics to be discussed include the two ballot measures, estimated tax impacts, and to provide the community with a history and background into the process the city’s bond advisory committee went through in coming up with the general obligation bond recommendation.

The bond advisory committee produced a bond package of $16 million to complete four road reconstruction projects: Reconstruction of the eastern portion of Dietz Elkhorn Road, a portion of Ammann Road, Rolling Acres Trail and a portion of Battle Intense.

Mayor Greg Maxton addressed the need for the bond during his Feb. 7 “State of the City” address.

“All these roads are damaged beyond repair,” Maxton said. “Any efforts to provide maintenance to these roads would not be a good use of the funds we have in the city.”

Fair Oaks Ranch voters adopted a street maintenance sales tax in 2008. The Texas Legislature gave cities the ability to adopt a special sales tax rate of up to one-fourth of 1% to assist with funding for maintenance and street repair.

Once a city adopts a street maintenance sales tax it must present the item for voter approval every four years.

As part of the city’s long term strategic plan, City Council established the committee to review the city’s capital improvements plan in four areas: Roadways, water and wastewater, drainage and other building projects.

This committee presented its first report to council in January, recommending the four roadway projects be funded by the general obligation bonds, if approved by voters in May.