A question for Lago Vista City Council.

I do not believe Lago Vista needs to approve substantially more highdensity, singlefamily residential development at this time. What we do need is a stronger commercial tax base and a better balance between residential growth and economic opportunity. This is particularly important for Lago Vista right now. We already have significant residential development entitlements in place. The City is currently evaluating those commitments against our ability to provide the infrastructure and services they will require. Before approving additional residential density, we need to understand what we've already committed to, whether our infrastructure can support it, and what those obligations will cost our community over the next 10 or 20 years.   We also need to recognize what's happening in the housing market. Demand for the types of singlefamily homes already approved in Lago Vista has slowed. Until that market begins moving again, I don't see a compelling reason to significantly increase those residential entitlements. But I want to make an important distinction. Not all density is the same, and not all development serves the same purpose. There are a few locations in Lago Vista where thoughtfully planned mixeduse development could make sense. Think of shopkeeperstyle neighborhoods, with small businesses and living spaces together, or a shopping and dining destination with some residential uses mixed in. Something along the lines of a smaller, Lago Vista version of the Domain, designed to fit our community and preserve our Hill Country charm. We need more opportunities for local businesses, restaurants, services and places where residents can gather. And here's why I believe that matters so much: **Lago Vista needs to strengthen its commercial tax base so we aren't relying so heavily on residential property owners to fund City services and infrastructure.** (With emphasis added) Every new residential neighborhood brings additional demands for roads, utilities, public safety and longterm maintenance. Residential growth generates revenue, but it also creates obligations. We need to understand that balance before granting additional development rights. Wellplanned commercial and mixeduse development can help diversify our sources of revenue, provide services our residents want, create opportunities for local entrepreneurs and strengthen our longterm financial position. That doesn't mean every commercial or mixeduse proposal is automatically a good one. Location matters. Infrastructure capacity matters. Compatibility with surrounding neighborhoods matters. And the financial impact on the City matters. I support honoring existing development rights while carefully evaluating requests for additional entitlements. Our Comprehensive Plan and Future Land Use Map should help guide those decisions, rather than changing our plans simply because a developer requests more density. My position is that we should be cautious about adding more singlefamily residential density while actively exploring wellplaced commercial and mixeduse opportunities that strengthen our local economy. Lago Vista will continue to grow and change. The question is whether we're shaping that growth to create a financially sustainable community while preserving our Hill Country charm, or simply reacting to the next development proposal. I want us to look around the corner, understand what we're committing to, and make decisions that leave Lago Vista stronger 10 and 20 years from now. We don't necessarily need more rooftops right now. We need to make sure the rooftops we've already approved can be served responsibly, while creating the economic opportunities that help sustain our community for generations to come.

Written by the candidate