Highland Horizon community on 620???????? (Austin, Round Rock: neighborhoods, buy, high school)

[austinizer]

Originally Posted by BriansZ

Looking at that it looks like standard 50' lots with single family homes and 10' between homes. That's pretty much par for the neighborhood, so it shouldn't affect property values of the other homes. The home already has plenty of 50' lots, but I think you're getting thrown off on the size because part of the existing phase consists of 80' lots.

BriansZ,

You're right that the second phase lots in the plat map are the larger, 80' lots. The ones in the third phase appear to be 50'-60' which is comparable to the smaller lots in HH Phase I & II.

However, the lots in Phase III are not as long (or deep). The smallest lots in Phase I & II are 50' x 100' for a total of 5000 sq ft. Some lots in this phase are 50' by 70' (3500 sq ft). The largest lots in Phase III are comparable to the smallest lots in Phase I & II.

The difference seems to be that none of the Phase III lots will have much of a yard. Perhaps it will cater to those who don't care for or want to maintain a large yard. I've also observed in the existing HH phases that people tend to build houses that fill up most of the lot and don't have much back yard ... maybe this is where the market is headed. Certainly the 50' sites seem to be in demand. Apparently, there are already no more 50' lots available in HH Phase II (except for inventory homes).

[amyktexas]

Phase III will share the name, but is supposed to be a gated enclave of garden homes. My understanding is that the yards will be maintained by their HOA which will be separate from the main Highland Horizon community. The only connection between the two will be a foot bridge to allow for walking access across to the pool.
The 50 foot lots have been very popular and we are already seeing some resales that appear to be holding value well given the new construction still occurring.

[austinizer]

Thanks for your insights, Amy. Is "gated enclave of garden homes" a glorified way of saying this will be a Condo development? (Or perhaps individual ownership with a HOA which will operate much like a condo association?) Would it be positioned upscale relative to, say, the 50 ft home sites in the existing phases of HH? (I'm sure the HOA fees will be "upscale" ... ... suddenly I appreciate the public, county-maintained road in front of my house!)

Do you have any insights into what (or when) might be developed on the other side of Great Oaks (just north of the single family homes)? My understanding is that this is planned to be apartments or town homes.

[austinizer]

Something else I have always been interested in is if Atmos charges others in Highland Horizon (or anywhere within Brushy Creek MUD, for that matter, or any other of the MUDs in the area) Round Rock sales taxes, riders, and fees.

I know there are several taxes that the electric company is not supposed to collect in unincorporated territories, and would assume it is the same for gas, but I don't have much insight into Atmos' complicated rate structure (try reading their gas tariff manual!).

[amyktexas]

The developer said it will be single family not condo, and yes I would expect there to be a high HOA fee. The original plan for the other side of Great Oaks had been multi-family zoning. The strip up on 620 is supposed to have a shopping center, but I am wondering if it will be scaled back since 620 is expanding.
So I looked at my Atmos bill and I see nothing that looks like taxes. A base fee of 17.70 then a GCR charge. Now Ill have to track down and see if I am being taxed incorrectly on my electric bill.

[austinizer]

Amy, thanks for looking at your Atmos bill. The base fee looks like the amount for unincorporated residential areas (page 13 of the document I linked in my prior post).

It looks like some customers in the MUD are instead incorrectly charged the gas rates that apply within city limits. If you don't mind looking again, how much total are you charged for your usage per Mcf?

Perhaps I can help with your electric bill charges. If you see a sales tax (2%) or gross receipts reimbursement (1.997%), then you are being incorrectly charged for taxes that only apply within city limits. You should only be charged PUC assessment (0.1667%) which comes out to a couple cents. The electric base charge and consumption charges should stay the same whether within or outside of city limits, at least this is my experience.

If you contact your electric provider and inform them that you live in an unincorporated area and are not subject to city sales tax and gross receipts reimbursement, they should refund all the incorrectly charged taxes to you that they have charged you since you began service with them.

[10scoachrick]

Originally Posted by amyktexas

The developer said it will be single family not condo, and yes I would expect there to be a high HOA fee. The original plan for the other side of Great Oaks had been multi-family zoning. The strip up on 620 is supposed to have a shopping center, but I am wondering if it will be scaled back since 620 is expanding.
So I looked at my Atmos bill and I see nothing that looks like taxes. A base fee of 17.70 then a GCR charge. Now Ill have to track down and see if I am being taxed incorrectly on my electric bill.

What you(read: wha chew) talkin' 'bout, Willis?!?!?

[amyktexas]

The final part of the 620 improvement from Cornerwood to Wyoming Springs starts this fall. RM 620 Safety Improvements

[10scoachrick]

Originally Posted by amyktexas

The final part of the 620 improvement from Cornerwood to Wyoming Springs starts this fall. RM 620 Safety Improvements

Oh...YEA!!! MORE dust. It'll be interesting to see how the raised median will affect traffic...folks just make it up as they go along through that stretch.

[austinizer]

The 620 improvements will approx. double the width of the road but it will still be two lanes in each direction. It will have a raised center median and wide shoulders. The portion of the road next to HH will expand all towards the HH side, and it will consume some of space that was set aside for commercial lots next to HH.

The intersections with Cornerwood, Great Oaks, O'Connor, and Wyoming Springs will all have additional lanes, including dedicated right turn lanes.

I think it will make it safer to drive on 620 but certainly won't be safer to cross as a pedestrian (due to the additional width, right turn lanes, etc.) ... which could be important to residents of HH because the rest of the MUD (including community center) is on the other side of 620.