Western Buda undergoes new development, roadwork

BUDA — New residential developments and projects from the 2021 bond are underway on the west side of Buda.

Construction work has already begun on The Colony at Cole Springs, a 169.95-acre development of approximately 499 residential lots that is located south of Old Black Colony Road in Buda. Discussions surrounding The Colony have been circulating amongst Buda City Council for years. The city initially approved a development agreement in 2020 that was amended later in 2023, but ground was ultimately broken on the project in the spring of 2024.

An ordinance establishing a tax increment reinvestment zone (TIRZ) was approved on Nov. 8, 2023. The Colony will utilize the TIRZ with a 50% rebate from the city of Buda, said city manager Micah Grau, and the project has also been authorized to create and levy a Municipal Utility District (MUD) tax.

This development will also provide a location for the city’s newest elevated storage tank. In 2017, a study reported a need for additional storage in the city's central pressure plane to stabilize pressures and ensure Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) mandated elevated supply for current residents and growth. And in 2020, an engineering study located the proposed elevated water tank in the best area to serve current and future customers within the central pressure plane — the new location meets those parameters.

As part of the work related to The Colony, construction crews have reduced a section of Cole Springs Road to a single lane, with a signal set up to direct traffic through July 31, according to the city. That construction on Cole Springs Road also involves the installation of a bridge over Onion Creek that will connect to FM 2770 (Jack C. Hays Trail).

The bridge and roadwork on Cole Springs Road eventually will eliminate a portion of the roadway that lies in Onion Creek’s floodplain. Once complete, the bridge will provide improved connectivity to FM 2270 with reduced commute time to IH-35.

“Residents will have a way to get out of the neighborhood,” Grau said. “A new bridge will span Onion Creek to provide alternative outlets and access for vehicles.”

Additionally, through the 2021 bond, the city is working on the reconstruction of Old Black Colony Road — a thoroughfare that defines one side of The Colony. This will include widening the existing 2-lane roadway, adding sidewalks and cycling accommodations and improving drainage along the roadway.

“Old Black Colony Road is being constructed by both the city and The Colony," explained Grau. "The city will reconstruct the portion from FM 1626, including a signalized intersection at Old Black Colony Road and FM 1626, to just east of the Old Black Colony cemetery, as part of the 2021 Bond Program. The Colony will reconstruct and re-align the portion east to RM 967, including installation of a signalized intersection at Old Black Colony and RM 967."

Another residential development in that same area is The Reserve at Cole Springs, for which Buda City Council approved a development agreement on May 7. This project is a 99-acre residential development, with approximately 235 residential lots generally located north of Cole Springs Road and east of FM 1626.

“The Reserve was initially conceived and discussed in 2021, but it did not advance at that time. It was brought to city council for approval in 2024,” Grau said.

Similar to that of The Colony, The Reserve is also authorized to create and levy a MUD tax. The council approved on May 7 — at the same meeting the development agreement was approved — an ordinance creating Buda MUD No. 2, which is to be located in the municipal boundaries of the city.

While all construction projects will result in temporary inconveniences, Grau assured the public that the improvements will bring safer roads to the community.

“Residents may anticipate increased traffic related to construction. Residents will also be impacted when road work on Old Black Colony Road and Cole Springs Road begins,” he said. “However, when the roadway improvements are completed, residents will have safer roads with sidewalks, bike lanes and signalized intersections … The city is working to designate truck routes for construction vehicles to minimize the impact and to keep roadways safe and passable.”

As these projects develop and get underway, the city will work to keep the public informed via the following channels:

• West Development and Roadwork informational webpage: www.budatx.gov/911/West-Buda-Development-and-Roadwork

• 2021 Bond: www.budabonds.com

• City of Buda Facebook: www.facebook.com/Budatx

• City of Buda Instagram: www.instagram.com/cityofbudatx

• City of Buda Twitter: www.x.com/CityofBudaTX