by WES FERGUSON
The draft version of the city’s new comprehensive plan, Buda 2030, articulates how the residents of Buda want their city to develop over the coming decades. By identifying residents’ priorities for their city, the plan aims to guide future policy decisions as the city transforms itself from a small, sleepy town into a suburban bedroom community.
Buda Mayor Sarah Mangham noted that Buda 2030 is a guide and not a rigid set of rules.
“It’s what we would like to work towards, but I understand we may have to make changes along the way as need be,” she said. “We might not be able to do (an initiative) as quickly as we might like to, or there may be something that is a better fit four years down the road that we didn’t think of.”
It’s the city’s first comprehensive plan since 2002. The plan’s unveiling marks a year of preparation, which included resident surveys and several sessions with stakeholders.
The plan includes objectives and actions for economic growth and sustainability; transportation; parks, recreation and open spaces; housing and neighborhoods; community identity; civic facilities and programs; public safety; downtown; and historic preservation.
An accompanying plan for land development divides the city into six districts based on environmental characteristics and existing use of the land. For example, the northwestern side of the city is set aside for “green growth” in the environmentally sensitive Edwards Aquifer recharge zone. The southwestern side of the city, where Texas Lehigh and other industries are located, is designated for industrial growth.
Ready for viewing
The master plan, which awaits City Council approval, can be viewed at budatxplan.wordpress.com. Buda 2030 identifies six guiding values:
1. Protect the small-town community character of Buda;
2. Be stewards of the environment;
3. Exercise responsible planning and fiscal decisions so that growth does not negatively impact the community;
4. Diversify the economic base including employment opportunities and the tax base;
5. Create a distinct identity for Buda that sets it apart from other Central Texas communities;
6. Ensure livability for everyone so that someone can live his or her entire life in Buda.
