Hutto (Austin, Pflugerville, Emory: daycares, Home Depot, neighborhoods)

[vermont08]

Does anyone on here live in Hutto, TX? How is it there? How are the schools? What are the pro's and con's of Hutto, TX? We are considering moving there next year. Thanks for any help.

[vermont08]

We also want to find out about if there are any parks and/or outdoor fun to be had in Hutto. We have 2 kids. Thanks again.

[Trainwreck20]

Do a search of the Austin forum and you will find lots of info on Hutto...it has been a fairly hot topic .

[vermont08]

Ok thanks. I'll try again. When I searched the first time I did not get anything. Maybe I did it wrong.

[vermont08]

I have tried to search for Hutto, TX posts and have not found that much. If someone who lives there can please post some info. Thanks!

[love roses]

I live in Hutto. I'll try and answer what you asked the best I can. I have a 4 year old who is about to be starting the school system, but online I've found that Hutto is acceptable/recognized which is good. The high school, a few years ago, was rated exceptional. The ratings do change from time to time, but from parents I know with kids in each level of the system like it pretty well. I can ask other people for more detailed info if you like. Most of the neighborhoods out here have parks, amenity centers/pools. We have Fritz park which has movies/concerts in the park in the summer. It's relatively new, so not many big trees inside the park itself yet, only along the outside of it. Star Ranch, which is sortof bordered by Hutto, Pflugerville, and maybe RR will be beginning a system of bike and hiking trails which are supposed to tie into a greater Austin/and or Williamson County system, but I think that is still in the planning stages. It'll be great when it does come.
There is just about one elementary school for every neighborhood out here. I live within walking distance of an elementary and Middle school (Cottonwood Creek). It still has a small town feel even though it's grown quite a bit in the last few years. Lots of people in my neighborhood commute into Austin. Some actually work here in Hutto or RR. People are friendly, so it's not hard to make friends. We have some chain resturaunts and some family owned ones. A Lowes is nearly done, there is a home depot, will be a CVS pharmacy and a Holiday Inn Suites coming soon as well. I have my daughter in two play groups here, and the moms are all fantastic! There is the HYFCA (Hutto Youth Football and Cheer Association), I think they may start them at 4 yrs. old. There is a karate studio and 2 dance studios here. My daughter attends one of them. Hutto parks also has a summer sports camp with baseball, basketball, soccer, and who knows what else about to start. I will find out how this is, as a friend from playgroup put her daughter in it. One of the daycares here has swimming lessons in the summer, but you can find good ones all over. We have Hutto Olde time days festival, which I don't think started out as much, but over the years it's grown and added more things, and better music lineup. We've got a garden club that just started this year too, and they had a garden tour.

The Cons:
This isn't so much a con, but the topogrophy east of 35 is flatter than the west of 35. Some people don't like that. It's not that big a deal to me since I have a car and can drive to see bigger hills. We don't have a grocery store of our own yet, and it's been like pulling teeth to get someone to actually come here, but now H.E.B has rezoned and bought some land near Star Ranch to put one up...About *&** time!!
We're currently having a big fight to keep some massive transmission lines from being put up around us. Hutto Citizens Group formed and is currently, along with our mayor putting up a heck of a fight to get this thing killed off or rerouted and put underground. There is also a big fight to keep our landfill from being expanded to include Austin's trash, and trash from all over the U.S, believe it or not. These projects, I believe were originally drawn up when Hutto was nothing but a giant cornfield and a small downtown. Now there are close to 20,000 people here, and I don't think anyone from these big corporations has been out here to see what a problem these projects will actually be for residents. The neighborhoods most drastically affected by these projects would be Hutto Parke and Emory Farms. There is a neighborhood across and down from Hutto Parke that I believe would also be affected. But for those two cons, I think Hutto is a nice little place. The toll road also comes here and shaves time off of commuting or whatever. You can also take backroads almost anywhere. Oh, also the new hospital will be close, there will be 3 new higher education/colleges here. One is already up and running, one under construction, and an A&M campus soon. The RR outlets are also very close, and you can drive backroads there. There is a movie theatre as well, and IKEA is near that. Please, if you have more questions, let me know, I will do my best to answer them. Oh, and ground has been broken for a new high school as well. the local newspaper has a website...thehuttonews.com and there are some letters in the opinion section that look promising...YAY(regarding the landfill issue)

[vermont08]

Thanks for all the info!

[jwb123]

A big con not mentioned is the water situation! Super high water bills - with little end in sight!

[brattpowered]

vermont08- I read in a post that you may also be considering Burlington. I came from VT to Austin, and my vote would be for Vermont.

[love roses]

OOPS! Yeah, I forgot about that one..