Highland Horizon community on 620???????? (Round Rock, Spring: sales, apartment, HOA fees)

[austinizer]

Sorry to join this discussion a few months late, but here are a couple of additional facts about Highland Horizon that might be of interest.

- Regarding the Austin vs. Round Rock location, postal addresses are Austin, TX 78717 up to the ZIP code boundary which is Great Oaks. Addresses north of Great Oaks are Round Rock, and south of Great Oaks are Austin. If and when the portion of HH north of Great Oaks will be developed (apartments? retail?), I believe they will have a Round Rock address.

- HH is in unincorporated Williamson County within Round Rock ETJ. Much of the surrounding land is actually within Austin ETJ and is part of a large portion of ranch land owned by the Robinson family that streches to McNeil Rd in the east and south, and Parmer lane in the west. Apparently, the Robinson family is not in a hurry to develop it. The Robinson ranch land was designated as a planned unit development (PUD) by the City of Austin several years ago and it was estimated to take about 30 years to develop it. I've looked at some preliminary development plans and it includes a lot of green belt/park space next to the HH area in the Lake Creek and Rattan Creek flood zones.

- The O'Connor extension to SH45 is almost complete but it will take until the end of 2013 before the connection to SH45 (bridge and ramps) is completed. The Great Oaks extension to O'Connor has not yet started. The entrance streets to HH from Great Oaks suffer from limited visibility; perhaps this will require four-way stops in the future once Great Oaks is extended.

- The neighborhood is within the deregulated electricity zone served by Oncor Energy (poles & wires company). The actual electricity is purchased from a choice of retail electric providers.

[ScoPro]

Interesting, austinizer --- thanks.

We've been trying to figure out how the extension will tie into 45.

[austinizer]

ScoPro -- I see. I have some information on that too. Please see this link from Williamson County's GIS system. It shows all the details of the extension and tie-in to SH 45.

There will be:
- a free feeder to and from McNeil
- a tolled entrance and exit to/from SH45 in both directions
- a separate tolled entrance and exit to/from Mopac (Toll 1).

A majority of the intersection with SH45 will consist of elevated bridges. There'll be a bridge over SH45, bridges for the ramps over Rattan Creek, and elevated ramps to tie into the highways. That's probably why it costs $$$$ and takes a while longer to build.

There will be no feeder connection built at this time between where 620 stops running parallel with SH45 and where O'Connor intersects SH45. I think this is unfortunate, because it does not result in a free feeder connection from 620 to McNeil. The intersection where 620 stops running parallel to SH45 is confusing already -- I think many people who are not familiar with this intersection are not aware that the only way to continue straight is tolled. The sign indicating this does not have a large presence.

[10scoachrick]

Well, THAT'S not what I was hoping for . I was looking for a smooth transition to the La Frontera area but sure couldn't figure out how they were gonna do it! Looks like NO easy connection? I'm needing a blow-up of the actual interchange where O'Connor meets 45. I can picture how this might work, but they didn't ask ME!

[austinizer]

10scoachrick,

Here (ftp://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot-info/aus/notices/sh45_schematic.pdf - broken link) is a map with the details of the interchange and a little overview map on the side ... not sure if this helps. Also, there is a TxDOT project tracker and if you click on 'Show Project Location' it shows the exact location where the interchange with SH45 is located (green dot). If you zoom out on Google Maps you can already see faint lines running from O'Connor to SH45 ... the imagery was taken right before construction started.

Assume you approach from Avery Ranch Blvd, which turns into O'Connor Dr, the O'Connor extension will cross 620 where the road currently ends (at HEB), then will make a wide right turn, and meet SH45 approx. in the middle between the SH45/620 interchange (where 620 forks off from SH45) and the SH45/McNeil interchange.

If you travel eastbound on SH45, the O'Connor interchange will be just before the Toll 1 exit, in fact just before the sign that spans over the road which reads 'I-35' and 'Toll 1' on it ... right here.

As for La Frontera, there will be a feeder from the SH45 interchange to McNeil, but the feeder will not continue past McNeil. The main reason that it does not continue there is because the railroad runs next to McNeil. The way to La Frontera would be to turn left onto McNeil, head north for approx. 1 mile to CR 172 (the closest railroad crossing), and take CR 172 south again to Hester's Crossing or Louis Henna Blvd.

La Frontera is actually very visible now from the O'Connor/620 intersection, straight ahead across O'Connor. It will tempt you but there still will be no easy way to get to it.

[dbsteel]

I moved into Cat Hallow before Avert Ranch existed. Moved out last year. I hated the direction that area was going. Way too much for the road systegm. 620 was a death trap.

[10scoachrick]

Originally Posted by dbsteel

I moved into Cat Hallow before Avert Ranch existed. Moved out last year. I hated the direction that area was going. Way too much for the road systegm. 620 was a death trap.

I think of it more as a dust bowl than a death trap.All the construction along there (620 from O'Connor toward IH-35) seems never-ending.

If not for Johnny T's Round Rock BBQ, The Wash Tub car wash and Bush's Chicken, I might not travel that stretch much at all. (OK, Sprouts is out that way, but that's only twice a month for me.)

That O'Connor extension is looking less and less interesting for my travel needs. If I want the toll road for my trip, I'd rather 'cruise' down Parmer and pick up 45 there vs all the stop signs and the hoopla along O'Connor. I can see how the folks around HH would use it more...kinda-sorta.

[ScoPro]

Originally Posted by dbsteel

I moved into Cat Hallow before Avert Ranch existed. Moved out last year. I hated the direction that area was going. Way too much for the road systegm. 620 was a death trap.

When my SIL started teaching at the old Round Rock High School in 1967, she rarely encountered another car at "rush hour" on the little 2-lane 620 from 183 into town.

Times have changed.

We've only lived in the Meadows of Brushy Creek since 1995.

And I agree with what Coach said.

[austinizer]

Originally Posted by amyktexas

The developer is intending on a third phase which will have access off 620, but will not be connected to directly by roads to our section.

FWIW, I coincidentally came across this plat map of the third phase of HH the other day -- to be called 'Enclave at Highland Horizon.'

The lots are much smaller and closer, and roads more narrow than the first and second phase. It reminds me of perhaps Mueller or Parmer Village, but I might be misjudging the density. Many of the lots are on what look like larger shared driveways rather than streets.

At the top of the plat map is a street and some lots from HH Phase II. For comparison, Phase II consists of 116 homes on 66 acres; this third phase has 126 homes on 20 acres!

This development seems relatively dense for the area. Any ideas what it would do to property values in Phase I and II? I can imagine those who are building at the "green belt lots" at the southern end of Phase II might be less than thrilled (they are the lots shown at the top of the plat map).

[BriansZ]

Originally Posted by austinizer

FWIW, I coincidentally came across this plat map of the third phase of HH the other day -- to be called 'Enclave at Highland Horizon.'

The lots are much smaller and closer, and roads more narrow than the first and second phase. It reminds me of perhaps Mueller or Parmer Village, but I might be misjudging the density. Many of the lots are on what look like larger shared driveways rather than streets.

At the top of the plat map is a street and some lots from HH Phase II. For comparison, Phase II consists of 116 homes on 66 acres; this third phase has 126 homes on 20 acres!

This development seems relatively dense for the area. Any ideas what it would do to property values in Phase I and II? I can imagine those who are building at the "green belt lots" at the southern end of Phase II might be less than thrilled (they are the lots shown at the top of the plat map).

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.