It was a packed room for the November 13th Pilot Point City Council Meeting as City Council members unanimously approved amendments to the Hat Creek development.
The discussion focused on proposed changes to the original design plan and street layout for Hat Creek Estates, which dates back to 2018.
Originally, the property was zoned for the initial Hat Creek development plans.
Adjustments to the plan include decreasing the number of lots from 192 to 190 and reducing lot sizes from 7,950 to 7,800 square feet. These fewer, less dense lots are intended for single-family homes and are adjacent to the proposed Heritage Ridge subdivision.
Development Services Director John Taylor explained that the zoning process involves reviewing preliminary plot proposals with engineering documents before they go before the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council.
Then, civil designs, including detailed hydrology studies and other technical aspects, are reviewed by third-party consultants.
Taylor mentioned the third step is where the original Hat Creek plan stopped.
Taylor also added that the city is adjusting and updating its growth plans based on the city’s development over the past seven years.
During the public hearing, residents shared their concerns, expressing their love for the city but opposition to that particular development.
“We moved to Pilot Point to enjoy small-town, rural country living,' Simon Kenward said. '... I recognize that responsible growth is part of the city’s long-term vision, and I appreciate the effort to plan that growth carefully and appropriately. However, … rapid, high-density development without proper infrastructure is not economic development; it’s debt and maintenance.”
Cheryl Allen expressed her concerns about water drainage, currently a significant issue for her.
“So I’m wondering, you know, where’s the water going to go if there’s all the surrounding properties are?” Allen said. “The thing that I’m worried about is the hydrological studies. And you realize that they didn’t pass last time.”
Resident Kellye Derr addressed property line issues involving pecan trees, which provide shade for her livestock.
“It’s a beautiful place out there,” Derr said. “And this is going to come and destroy our way of life out there. The whole thing that Pilot Point was set up for, and I also am a generational resident here. My family’s been here for seven generations as well. And now they’re bringing in this subdivision. It’s going to be terrible.”
City council members and residents addressed other concerns, like potential traffic issues.
City Manager Britt Lusk added, discussion has begun on drainage and other relevant issues with TxDOT and county authorities.
“So there’s no study that’s going to say that this can’t happen,” Lusk said. “There’s a dollar amount that says this can’t happen.”
The developers of Hat Creek told the community that their first step is to address concerns and old complaints by making the best design plan possible.
Board members approved changes for Hat Creek, though City Council member Brian Heitzman expressed some apprehension.
“I can sympathize with everybody, you know, around here that has farmland and all that,' he said. 'But, you know, growth is coming.”
He proposed adding an 8-foot wooden privacy fence along property lines adjacent to the east and west, which was added to the amendment.
“From my perspective, we’re improving our position by doing this and giving them the opportunity to make that designation,' Major Chad Major said. 'They could fail economically, or it could move forward.”
A future meeting will be scheduled to discuss the next phase of development.
During the meeting, several plaques, awards and recognitions were distributed.
Major announced a proclamation declaring November as National Military Family Month in Pilot Point.
The city also received the ICC/IAEI Electricity Award from the International Association of Electrical Inspectors for increasing public safety, making Pilot Point the fifth city in the nation to earn the ElectriCity Certificate of Recognition.
Taylor was honored upon his retirement after seven years of service, beginning in 2018, and was recognized for his contributions to the city’s growth.
Pilot Point City Manager Britt Lusk, left, presents a plaque to honor Development Services Director John Taylor on his retirement. Paisley McGee/The Post-Signal
