Tell me about Hutto (Austin, Round Rock: homes, established neighborhood, high school)

[jread]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

My point was that there are a lot of people out there who really, really need a "wrong side of the tracks" for their own choices to lean on, and sometimes they pick on Hutto (being on the "wrong" side of IH35) or Manor, for that matter, with nothing actually factual to prop up their position. So, do you have something factual to prop up your position?

What do you mean by factual? The OP was asking for people to tell them about Hutto, which included the question of whether or not we would live there, and why. It is a fact that Hutto is the kind of place I would never live and I gave my reasons why.

[love roses]

Originally Posted by jread

I have not lived there, but I've been there and that was enough for me.

You probably drove through on 79 going 60. That doesn't qualify for knowing anything about this area.

[love roses]

I'm going to quote parts of a letter written in our local paper, The Hutto News by our new mayor, David Begier:


"In looking at the coming year, I see Hutto's continued growth but maybe in a new way. A number of projects are just on the horizon, not only City projects but exciting developments such as Kohl's and the HEB plus at Star Ranch along with the Hutto Homestead Development in the very near future (so there goes the cracked foundation starter home comeback; if you knew anything about Hutto you would be informed of the fact that a new resolution was passed to slow down the starter home building and venture out to more high end and other variety housing: My comments, not the mayor's)

Included with this growth, the city will move forward with the necessary infrastructure to support such growth. City staff is now working with the Economic Development Corporation to bring in the wastewater and water lines so that new developments can be ready to go.

While it is easy to point at the improvements to Fritz Park and the future Lake Park, the federal grant for 545k will complete an additional mile of the 10 foot wide concrete trail wich links Fritz Park and Creekside Park in Hutto. This trail will follow a route roughly paralleling Cottonwood Creek and Carl Stern Boulevard helping to complete Phase 2 of the Cottonwood Trail project. This trail could ultimtely join the Round Rock/Cedar Park Trail and stretch to Taylor.

The City and the EDC are looking to work with private business to bring clean, light industry to Hutto. We are exploring a possible alliance with Williamson County for the land area around the County landfill to develop such an endeavor. We hope to entice the solar or wind power industries along with some sort of recycling company.

We are beginning to leverage our position on SH-130, Hwy 79 amd University Boulevard to create a light industry for medical and allied companies to come to Hutto, continuing the growth that has Round Rock and Georgetown buzzing. We have the talent, the land and the desire to do great things for our city and our residents. We will continue to be innovative, always thinking of our future, to put this into play.



So, if that sounds like a backwoods, Hee-Haw kind of place to people who have only read about Hutto in the paper or saw a blurb on the news or drove through it on the way to somewhere else then I can do little else to convince people it's really not. Maybe it was 20 yrs ago when it was a one stop light corn field town, but it's grown a lot since then. And to say that the entire town has homes with cracked foundations is a falsehood, it was one neighborhood. Like THL says, and I totally agree, some people just have to have a right side of the tracks and Hutto really does get a rap I don't think it really deserves. (Except for our police department which seems to have a few hotheads).

So, the school isn't up to Eane's standards. They are still alright. There's not the same wealth base out here, plus not to mention it used to be a pretty rural place. I know about 5 women in my neighborhood who teach in the different schools around here. Our school counselor commutes from South Austin, and also has her son at one of the schools here. Some of the other teachers around town also live outside of Hutto and drive in. Others live here. Like I mention I know 5 just in my neighborhood.

No, it doesn't have the same scenery as West of 35, but it's also not flat as kansas out here either, not if you venture off of 79 and find out for yourself. The soil is different, and it's not rocky like west of 35, but there are some pretty little rolly hills out here.

[kittymama]

I guess a bit "heehaw" probably wouldn't bother us - we live in Fairbanks now. I don't see why we would intentionally commute from south Austin to Hutto. I mean, we're doing this move no matter what, so if no job offers, we'll pick south Austin b/c we like it. But if a job offer appears in Hutto, we'll move close up there. And given this economy, I don't think a job offer in Hutto is anythng to be sneezed at. After all, it's closer to civilization than Fairbanks.

[TexasHorseLady]

Since 130 went in, you're also pretty darned close to downtown if you want to be (though the vast majority of people in Austin DON'T work - or play, for that matter - downtown, so one wonders why that seems to be such a consistent criteria for desirability for some).

[oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots]

OP: We've been here for almost two weeks in Hutto. It's quiet so far and that is what I was looking for. Actually, it's quieter than the rural road we lived on in the other state we moved from.

At first I was against living in a subdivision but that is where we wound up and I don't regret it so far. We live on a cul-de-sac and when we look out the back window we look out at nature. The subdivision behind us has huge, five acre lots bordering trees. Nice, open and we see a beautiful windmill.

For the people that say it's a white bread community: obviously you haven't been to Hutto lately. It's a mix for sure.

Yesterday we went to register at the elementary and I was completely impressed with the people that we spoke with. I have high regards for the Principal.

The plans I have been reading for downtown are impressive and will make it easier to do business with expanding the downtown. The goal is to make it livable, walkable and easy access. From what I've read I do believe the people here in Hutto want what's best for Hutto.

So far we like it here. That might change but so far so good.

Yesterday we ventured out to find someplace to cut the hair off my head. I could not stand another day in the heat. It was only two miles from our home.

At night I absolutely love hearing the train.

We live where we can afford and where it feels more rural. We like corn fields. Some people love the city and want to live there. To each his/her own.

You will ultimately live where you want.

The Walmart is NOT in Hutto, it's in Round Rock. People have to go grocery shopping and the nearest major shopping is Walmart with HEB further on down the road. Say what you will about Walmart but I really wasn't all that impressed with HEB.

Having said all that we moved here for the Hippo, what other reason could there possibly be?

Good luck in your search and if you move here: welcome. If you don't: welcome anyway.

Remember Shakespeare: "To thine own self be true."

[love roses]

Originally Posted by kittymama

I guess a bit "heehaw" probably wouldn't bother us - we live in Fairbanks now. I don't see why we would intentionally commute from south Austin to Hutto. I mean, we're doing this move no matter what, so if no job offers, we'll pick south Austin b/c we like it. But if a job offer appears in Hutto, we'll move close up there. And given this economy, I don't think a job offer in Hutto is anythng to be sneezed at. After all, it's closer to civilization than Fairbanks.

It WOULD be a long commute, to be sure. I don't know why our school counselor does it, but maybe like you say...It's where she ended up getting a job and she didn't sneeze at the opportunity. South Austin is nice, but I will say this. Hutto is no more Hee-Haw than Dripping Springs or Kyle.

[kittymama]

Well one of my reasons for wanting "urban" living was to be less car dependent (not car free, just less reliant on it. See if we could live as a one car couple, for instance). The closer you live to your place of employment, the less dependent you are on the car. I saw on craigslist you could rent a house in Hutto for the cost of an apartment in Austin. And ultimately, if we like it, we would probably buy and settle down. But I do want to really try it out for a year before making that kind of commitment.

[oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots]

I hear you about the one car deal. I bemoaned the suburbs on and on before we actually moved here. I did extensive research on the areas that were closer to Austin itself but there was no way we could buy the house we have now closer to Austin. I guess I just went with the flow and changed all my Ihavetohaves. At first I went with what the bank would loan us and then I went with reality.

[amyboone]

I have lived in Hutto for almost three years and love it. It is pretty quiet, the schools are good. The only downside is there is no grocery store, dunno why we need two hardware stores and not a grocery store. Not alot of crime. Actually it is pretty funny to see what the police do, mostly give directions and tell people to close their garage doors when they go to bed You can see the police blotter here Hutto, TX - Official Website

I think it is a great place to live. You do not have to deal with the traffic of Austin and Round Rock (and having lived in Round Rock sometimes I think the traffice there is worse than Austin!). Close enough to the city without living there.