Is Bastrop a gateway for the right to plan your city? Those who make the rules, rule.

Traffic Engineer, Chuck Marohn, founder of Strong Towns

The City of Bastrop Texas has approximately 12,600 residents. Its rate of growth is high, nearly 25% since the last census in 2010. But Hays County's rate of growth over the same period was 84%!

The truth is that no county or city is prepared for these rates of growth and we cannot stop people from coming here.

The fact is, however, there are limits to growth. Our limits in Central Texas are with infrastructure -- especially water and roads. And, we do have rights as citizens, voters, and taxpayers to advocate for sanity despite being surrounded by insane hyper-development.

The City of Bastrop is one of a handful of Texas cities that adopted the "B3 Code." Strong Towns is a non-profit organization that we really like. Strong Towns was founded by traffic engineer Chuck Marohn and has helped towns utilize the B3 Code as a strategy for maintaining and enhancing property values and their tax base. By using incremental densification, towns become more walkable and thus more attractive to residents.

Over 1500 residents deliberated with Bastrop City leadership for over one and a half years before deciding to adopt Bastrop's B3 code. But since then it appears that a few people who got elected to the Council along with the current City Manager, have made it their business to overturn the B3 Code. This could be the impetus behind the Gateway project.

A simple message to the citizens of Bastrop is this. Under state law, you have the right to plan your city. Stick to it and press on.

Let's defeat the Gateway Project and move on to better ideas. Hoping to see you at the Tuesday, May 14, City Council meeting. On the same agenda is a discussion of charter amendments. Remember that those who make the rules, rule. See agenda here.

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