March 5, 2025

Parks & Recreation capital projects, park facility rental fees, a proposed development agreement with Masonwood Development, the purchase of a new fire department brush truck, and municipal airport improvements were discussed at the March 4 City Council meeting.

Back row (L-R): Councilmember at-large Brad Westmoreland, District 1 Councilmember Juan Mendoza, District 4 Councilmember Jeffry Michelson, District 2 Councilmember John Castillo

Front row (L-R): Mayor Pro-Tem Angie Gonzales-Sanchez, Mayor Lew White, Councilmember District 3 John Lairsen

Upcoming Meetings

Historic Preservation Commission – March 5

Airport Advisory Board – March 5

Planning & Zoning Commission – March 12

Parks & Recreation Capital Projects

Parks & Recreation staff presented an update about the department’s capital projects to City Council. This includes the Aquatics Facility project and the Gateway Monument Sign project, as well as Lions Park, Parks Master Plan priorities, and the Parks components in the recently adopted Lockhart Looking Forward Comprehensive Plan.

• SH 130 Gateway Monument Signs: An invitation to bid will be published upon final design approval by TxDOT. The three gateway monument signs will be placed along the SH 130 right-of-way, including the SH 130/US 183 interchange, the intersection of SH 142/SH 130, and SH 130 near the Maple St. exit.
• Aquatics Facility: As of date, 15 consulting firms have submitted proposals. City staff will present the recommended consultant to Council sometime in April. The aquatics facility will be located at the corner of San Jacinto and Center St.
• Lions Park: Renovation concepts were created in fall 2023. This project is in a holding pattern and will proceed after the completion of the aquatics facility and after funding is identified.
• 2023 Parks Master Plan: The Parks Master Plan, finalized in December 2023, identified the following priorities after receiving community feedback:

• Lions Park

• Indoor Recreation Center

• City Park

• Youth Sports Complex

• Swimming Pool & Splash Pads

• Trails Master Plan

Park Facility Rental Fees

Parks and Recreation staff also presented a proposal of new fees for park pavilion and pool  rentals. This comes as Park Pavilion rentals transition to an online platform to provide Lockhart residents with a user-friendly option for reservations and payment.

City staff plans on bringing a resolution to City Council to approve the new fees.

Zoning Change on City Line Rd.

After holding a public hearing, City Council approved a zoning change for 23.39 acres located at 711 City Line Rd. Manumit Investment Group had requested a zoning change to revise and create a new Planned Development District consisting of a single-family rental community with a maximum of 150 units of attached single story residences.  

Proposed Masonwood Residential Development

Planning Department staff presented information to Council regarding a proposed development agreement from the Masonwood Development Corporation for a Public Improvement District (PID), located west of SH 130 between Borchert Loop and Maple St/Boggy Creek Rd. The proposed project spans 160 acres in the Lockhart Extraterritorial Jurisdiction and includes 536 residential lots.

New Fire Department Brush Truck Purchase
Council members approved the purchase of a second wildland brush truck to increase response capability, redundancy, and firefighter safety. The brush truck is funded through American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds and city general funds.

Municipal Airport Improvements

Council approved Amendment No. 1 to Airport Project Participation Agreement with TxDOT. The amendment authorizes the chip seal, overlay, and marking of the parallel runway and taxiway at the Lockhart Municipal Airport. This agreement authorizes the 10% local match toward the project.  The project is estimated to be completed by August 2025.

City Manager’s Report

Park Pavilion Rentals

Patrons will soon be able to rent, reserve, and pay for park pavilions online. Users will be able to see the following on the website:

• Number of guests each pavilion accommodates
• Hourly rental price
• Dates and times available

Downtown Revitalization Project – Informational Meeting

A meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 13 at 6:30 p.m., Dr. Eugene Clark Library, 1st floor. City staff will provide a progress update, key takeaways, informational tools and resources, and an overview of the next steps of the project. Attendees can submit questions ahead of time and ask questions in person.

Solid Waste Pickup Route Change

City staff and Republic Services are preparing messaging for customers to advise them about the new route change. Messaging includes:

• Interactive map available on the City website
• Printed maps will be distributed with utility bills mailed out this week
• Printed maps will be available at City Hall this week
• Social media messaging
• Ads in the Lockhart Post-Register
• Tags will be taped on carts starting week and will continue until one week prior to the change

The new route will take effect on Monday, March 31.

Upcoming KidFish Event

This year’s KidFish event is scheduled for Saturday, March 15, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at City Park Pond, 504 E. City Park Rd. No pre-registration is required. Fishing equipment is available for children to borrow.

City-wide Spring Clean-up

This year’s spring bulky pick-up event is scheduled for Saturday, March 22, beginning at 7 a.m. This event is free and open to Lockhart residents only. For a list of accepted and excluded items, visit https://www.lockhart-tx.org/page/article/655.