G.S. Road Maintance/Improvements

[lmam88]

Was wondering how long ago it was that 1431 through G.S. was resurfaced? What about Valley View? I would imagine Phillips Ranch road is getting into the same shape. Both roads seem to be developing new and larger pot holes that can create havoc on vehicles. Do they only do the total overhaul every so many years?

[lmam88]

We need a "Pothole Patrol" started here like Austin has started! Ha,Ha!

[Jubilee]

I agree. It seems like all the roads in GS are pretty bad. I understand that some of the back dirt roads (rarely traveled/no houses) might not be well maintained - but some of the roads along the waterfront are still dirt roads. When it rains hard they get huge ruts in them. The waterfront homes carry the majority of the tax burden also. GS is spending money on a new City Hall (nice driveway!) and possible waste water system to attract new businesses and homeowners to our town, but who wants to live on a dirt road...or travel a road full of potholes? My high school kids say everyone calls this Ghetto Shoals...so sad.

[tonigking]

Jubilee you are another "newby" who logs on and assumes you have all your facts correct.
First, Waterfront does not carry the majority of taxes, In fact a waterfront lawsuit has cost the city/taxpayers a ton of money.
Tell us where waterfront roads are not paved.
As far as potholes, you will see a city crew out filling as fast as possible. Do you and others have any idea how much city taxes would increase to accomplish everything you complain about?.
Read the Mayor's comprehensive explanation, on this forum, of the City Hall and wastewater plant along with other improvements.
And lastly, as a highschool teacher, why would you allow your students and now you to perpetuate such a hateful comment about my community ? I live in Granite Shoals and I
do not live in a ghetto. I live in a small , great little rural community.
If you don't like it , leave it!:(

[lmam88]

I agree. It seems like all the roads in GS are pretty bad. I understand that some of the back dirt roads (rarely traveled/no houses) might not be well maintained - but some of the roads along the waterfront are still dirt roads. When it rains hard they get huge ruts in them. The waterfront homes carry the majority of the tax burden also. GS is spending money on a new City Hall (nice driveway!) and possible waste water system to attract new businesses and homeowners to our town, but who wants to live on a dirt road...or travel a road full of potholes? My high school kids say everyone calls this Ghetto Shoals...so sad.
I fully agree and I am not a newbie, ha,ha,ha. We have lived out here almost 15yrs. now and the road we live on is still a dirt road. The city will grate it about once a year, MAYBE twice. Seems like everyone picks our road as a thoroughfare to get to Valley West but they paved Kingscircle and stopped there.
I originally started this thread because I was curious as to resurfacing the major roads and wondered how many years it takes before they will do that. Valley View has NEVER been resurfaced in all the years we have lived out here and there is only so many times a road can be patched, ya know?

As for the nick name the kids have for G.S. they have been calling it that since before we ever even moved back out here...

[Jubilee]

Wow! Thanks for being so "neighborly"...no really, how can you be so down right RUDE?!!! I never said I did not like living in GS. I was only agreeing that the roads are bad in GS. You must be one of those know-it-all people that use to bullying to get your point across and can't see past your own agenda. I have read everything that I can find so that I can be aware of what is going on in GS. The Q&A states: "The lack of a WWTP has resulted in most of the city’s tax burden being placed on waterfront residents and property owners." It also states: "A new WWTP will bring new commerce to our city...but also generating more sales tax that will decease the city’s reliance upon property taxes, the bulk of which are paid by waterfront landowners". Although, I must admit I don't know anything about the waterfront lawsuit costing tax payers money, I do know if there was not waterfront in GS---our community would not have as much to offer.

I also understand that they are trying to reduce the tax burden on the residents by improving our town with a wastewater plant. I also understand that the enormous city hall and planned recreational facilities are luxuries that will attract people to our town. My point is, if we want our community to grow in a positive direction, we have to put some focus on the basic things (like streets) people see when deciding to live in GS versus other nearby towns.

I maybe a "newby" on this sight but I have lived in GS for a over five years an I have read this forum for at least four years. Also, I never said I was a high school teacher; My kids attend MFHS I am only repeating what they have told me. Actually, the kids were very upset by this nick name...that is why the mentioned it to me.

Jubilee

PS. One waterfront un-paved road (on my jogging route) is Shorewood Downs Drive. I think there are two or three newer houses on the road- there are also some waterfront lots that are for sale.

[lmam88]

FACT: Just because things in your part of the city are hunky dory does not mean they are that way throughout the entire city, Toniking:rolleyes:.
Jubilee, please take some peoples rudeness with a grain of salt on here. Some have their views only with closed minds to anyone else's:wall:.
Welcome:)!!!

[Jubilee]

Thanks for the kind words, Imam88. I think you are correct about the closed minds.

[lmam88]

Thanks for the kind words, Imam88. I think you are correct about the closed minds.
Your welcome:)

[rbusfield]

...Waterfront does not carry the majority of taxes, In fact a waterfront lawsuit has cost the city/taxpayers a ton of money.
Tell us where waterfront roads are not paved.
:(

TK - What a baseless claim. Back it up with some facts please. I cannot say what the commercial tax rolls are but from residential, you are off base. There are over 700 waterfront properties in GS and that is not including the condos. You cannot seriously try to convince anyone that waterfront is NOT the residential tax base in GS Maybe the nasty highway frontage pulls some revenue but I hardly doubt it is near what is collected from waterfront owners.

Lawsuit? Are you kidding me. The City did their homework on that for several years and had determined that in the long run, re-annexing the island was well worth the legal expense. Those homeowners got the shaft.

The highest value homes off-water do not even compare with the lowest value homes on-water in terms of taxable value. Show me ONE single-lot, off-water house zoned R1 in GS that is valued at $300k. You would be hard pressed to find one. I will show you 50 that are worth 10x the value of you neighbors in the nice new homes in the shadow of the water tank.

Unpaved roads? Lake Downs, Moss Downs, Shorewood Downs and Crest Circle, just to name a few on my side of the City. In fact, during the heavy rains, Shorewood Downs is only accessible by truck because of the ruts at one end and and mud holes at the other. It has been like that for at least 10 YEARS.

:D

[tonigking]

Your right, I misspoke about the taxes. I apologize!:o

As far as unpaved streets, please explain to me what "waterfront" is. It would appear that
your definition of water front and mine are quite different.

Pardon my ignorance again. Who would have thought that lots not on the water could also be called "waterfront". I can't imagine the unpaved streets you listed would be considered waterfront.

As far as PureTexan's comment about Mayor's news letter, I too subscribe. It's easy,

mayor@graniteshoals.org

[butchkemper]

mayor@graniteshoals.net
;)
Small typo in the above address.

The email address is mayor@graniteshoals.org and www.graniteshoals.org (http://www.graniteshoals.org) is the website address.

Butch

[tonigking]

Thank you Butch, once again I stand corrected.:o

[Webmaster]

Our street was paved, actually "chip sealed" about 3 years ago and is now coming apart in several places.

[rbusfield]

I can assure you that all four streets listed have waterfront property.

The definition of waterfront is pretty straight forward and is listed in the legal definition of the property. If your property fronts water...

Waterfront, according to my tax protest every year with the Burnet CAD demands on average $1000 per linear waterfront foot of waterfront as a starting point for valuation for the land. There is a median of 100', if you are over or under the median, you get a very subjective "adjustment". Every year, the subjective starting point is about 30% higher that the previous year, even in a down economy like 2008-2009.

I looked at the Google maps of the city boundary and counted over 700 waterfront properties (~740) inside the city limits not counting condos.

So, with a very little bit of research, I am pretty sure that waterfront vacation home owners are footing the bill for your pothole laden streets. If I fill my waterfront house with friends and relatives for a few weekends out of the year, you resent me for bringing traffic. To bad, you cannot have it both ways.

I think that they should designate Phillips Ranch Road a Tollway.

[LittleMomma]

I agree. It seems like all the roads in GS are pretty bad. I understand that some of the back dirt roads (rarely traveled/no houses) might not be well maintained - but some of the roads along the waterfront are still dirt roads. When it rains hard they get huge ruts in them. The waterfront homes carry the majority of the tax burden also. GS is spending money on a new City Hall (nice driveway!) and possible waste water system to attract new businesses and homeowners to our town, but who wants to live on a dirt road...or travel a road full of potholes? My high school kids say everyone calls this Ghetto Shoals...so sad.

Ha! Ms Jubilee, I will have to laugh at your HS kids calling it Ghetto Shoals! Its totally is!!! Now I AM a newbie,
I will say, that So far ,Granite Shoals is ok. We love our house and how close we are to Marble Falls. , We've been out here for 2 weeks from Kingsland, and I am on edge around here. First of all, Right when you drive into our road, on Prairie Creek theres a little Mexican Store with Bars all around the window. Very inviting.. Second, I live next to neighbors that BLAST their music where I can hear the "boom boom: over my TV. ( If thats not Ghetto then I can't tell you what else is)... I KNOW everyone else can hear it too, Do they like it? Can I call the cops? Will that get me killed or hated? around here? Yesterday I was working in my home office, and I hear a Loud BANG! 5 min later, there are 4 cop cars, Ambulance, Fire Trucks.. ..??? I still have no idea what happened, But if that ain't Ghetto... I also have found 2 stray dogs dead in my yard.. Vultures took care of one, but I had to call animal Control to come help me get the other one.
All of this action in 2weeks. I have talked to many friends, that warn us its dangerous out here. I can tell it is very seedy in some parts. Its plain to see!! To the gentleman/lady that refuses to believe that Granite Shoals, is ghetto, are the exact people that ALLOW it to happen. Open your eyes, Come take a drive to the "Other side" of Granite Shoals. and tell me that the Mexican families living in run down trailers , with a pack of wild dogs and Music blaring 24.7 isn't Ghetto Shoals
Please.

[lmam88]

Ha! Ms Jubilee, I will have to laugh at your HS kids calling it Ghetto Shoals! Its totally is!!! Now I AM a newbie,
I will say, that So far ,Granite Shoals is ok. We love our house and how close we are to Marble Falls. , We've been out here for 2 weeks from Kingsland, and I am on edge around here. First of all, Right when you drive into our road, on Prairie Creek theres a little Mexican Store with Bars all around the window. Very inviting.. Second, I live next to neighbors that BLAST their music where I can hear the "boom boom: over my TV. ( If thats not Ghetto then I can't tell you what else is)... I KNOW everyone else can hear it too, Do they like it? Can I call the cops? Will that get me killed or hated? around here? Yesterday I was working in my home office, and I hear a Loud BANG! 5 min later, there are 4 cop cars, Ambulance, Fire Trucks.. ..??? I still have no idea what happened, But if that ain't Ghetto... I also have found 2 stray dogs dead in my yard.. Vultures took care of one, but I had to call animal Control to come help me get the other one.
All of this action in 2weeks. I have talked to many friends, that warn us its dangerous out here. I can tell it is very seedy in some parts. Its plain to see!! To the gentleman/lady that refuses to believe that Granite Shoals, is ghetto, are the exact people that ALLOW it to happen. Open your eyes, Come take a drive to the "Other side" of Granite Shoals. and tell me that the Mexican families living in run down trailers , with a pack of wild dogs and Music blaring 24.7 isn't Ghetto Shoals
Please.
We have been hearing the gun shots lately too but we just thought it was people killing strays, snakes etc.
Roads are getting worse in our parts and I can only imagine how bad they will be after all this rain.

[JSKR]

Ha! Ms Jubilee, I will have to laugh at your HS kids calling it Ghetto Shoals! Its totally is!!! Now I AM a newbie,
I will say, that So far ,Granite Shoals is ok. We love our house and how close we are to Marble Falls. , We've been out here for 2 weeks from Kingsland, and I am on edge around here. First of all, Right when you drive into our road, on Prairie Creek theres a little Mexican Store with Bars all around the window. Very inviting.. Second, I live next to neighbors that BLAST their music where I can hear the "boom boom: over my TV. ( If thats not Ghetto then I can't tell you what else is)... I KNOW everyone else can hear it too, Do they like it? Can I call the cops? Will that get me killed or hated? around here? Yesterday I was working in my home office, and I hear a Loud BANG! 5 min later, there are 4 cop cars, Ambulance, Fire Trucks.. ..??? I still have no idea what happened, But if that ain't Ghetto... I also have found 2 stray dogs dead in my yard.. Vultures took care of one, but I had to call animal Control to come help me get the other one.
All of this action in 2weeks. I have talked to many friends, that warn us its dangerous out here. I can tell it is very seedy in some parts. Its plain to see!! To the gentleman/lady that refuses to believe that Granite Shoals, is ghetto, are the exact people that ALLOW it to happen. Open your eyes, Come take a drive to the "Other side" of Granite Shoals. and tell me that the Mexican families living in run down trailers , with a pack of wild dogs and Music blaring 24.7 isn't Ghetto Shoals
Please.

Could you not tell it was "seedy" there when you moved in???! You didn't see those bars on the windows at the store, you didn't notice the surroundings before you moved in? And seriously, your reference to any race as you posted is disgusting! It doesn't matter the race, if they are seedy, they are just seedy!
Are you forced to live there, WHY did you move there? Oh wait, I know, that must have been the ONLY house available in the entire area.
You see, you can complain all you want about where YOU live, but where I live is so far from "ghetto" it's ridiculous. There are million dollar homes in my neighborhood, (not mine). While I don't doubt anything you said, there are bad parts of town in every town. Are they all called "ghetto" towns? No. You generalize when it's only a part of this beautiful city that is in those conditions. The majority of this town is incredible and gorgeous.

[JSKR]

We have been hearing the gun shots lately too but we just thought it was people killing strays, snakes etc.
Roads are getting worse in our parts and I can only imagine how bad they will be after all this rain.

It's hunting season. I have been hearing the hunters.

[tonigking]

Where ya been JSKR?

You are so right on both your posts.

How difficult is it to notice GS is completely surrounded by ranch land including across the lake and sound carries. I'm a few blocks from the Scarborough Ranch and the rifles sound like they are in my back yard if the wind is right.
It's Whitewing Dove season and thank goodness! I have so many on my bird feeders that they break them.

If they think the gunshots are loud from shotguns wait til deer season starts ! Something else, I am thankful for. I have never seen so many sets of twins and the trophy bucks are in here by the 100's this year. There are about 30 bucks with very large racks at park 10(Veterans Memorial ) every evening.
Beware newcomers, they can be very aggressive during rut.

[Webmaster]

Dove season just started and there are hunters out everywhere right now.

[JSKR]

Where ya been JSKR?

You are so right on both your posts.

How difficult is it to notice GS is completely surrounded by ranch land including across the lake and sound carries. I'm a few blocks from the Scarborough Ranch and the rifles sound like they are in my back yard if the wind is right.
It's Whitewing Dove season and thank goodness! I have so many on my bird feeders that they break them.

If they think the gunshots are loud from shotguns wait til deer season starts ! Something else, I am thankful for. I have never seen so many sets of twins and the trophy bucks are in here by the 100's this year. There are about 30 bucks with very large racks at park 10(Veterans Memorial ) every evening.
Beware newcomers, they can be very aggressive during rut.

Off subject just a bit, on my way home today on PRR I saw a buck cross the road with what I thought was a rope tied to it. The GS Police were coming the other way and also saw it, they pulled over, I turned around and pulled up next to them. I asked them if they saw that deer had a rope tied around it, they said it was actually Christmas lights wrapped around the deers antlers!! How the heck did that happen?

I do get a bit nervous walking my dogs on Lakeview, afraid an inexperienced hunter might not be shooting up in the air... will probably take a different route for the time being.

[Jubilee]

Could you not tell it was "seedy" there when you moved in???! You didn't see those bars on the windows at the store, you didn't notice the surroundings before you moved in? And seriously, your reference to any race as you posted is disgusting! It doesn't matter the race, if they are seedy, they are just seedy!
Are you forced to live there, WHY did you move there? Oh wait, I know, that must have been the ONLY house available in the entire area.
You see, you can complain all you want about where YOU live, but where I live is so far from "ghetto" it's ridiculous. There are million dollar homes in my neighborhood, (not mine). While I don't doubt anything you said, there are bad parts of town in every town. Are they all called "ghetto" towns? No. You generalize when it's only a part of this beautiful city that is in those conditions. The majority of this town is incredible and gorgeous.


She did not generalize AT ALL...she referenced the area where she lives. She didn't say anything about where YOU live. She didn't call anyone seedy...she said the area is seedy. Some people don't have a lot options as to where they live - if they want to be near their work/schools and want to live within their means- sometimes they have to make compromises and can't afford to live in the million dollar area of town. As for the Mexicans...it is true, many hispanic people do live on/near Prairie Creek Rd...probably because it is affordable. Is there anything affordable in your area of town? It sound nice- I might want to move over there.:)

[lmam88]

She did not generalize AT ALL...she referenced the area where she lives. She didn't say anything about where YOU live. She didn't call anyone seedy...she said the area is seedy. Some people don't have a lot options as to where they live - if they want to be near their work/schools and want to live within their means- sometimes they have to make compromises and can't afford to live in the million dollar area of town. As for the Mexicans...it is true, many hispanic people do live on/near Prairie Creek Rd...probably because it is affordable. Is there anything affordable in your area of town? It sound nice- I might want to move over there.:)
:rockon:

[Frank_Reilly]

Here's a late response to the original questions about road resurfacing. The city has about 78 miles of roads, about 40 of which are paved in some condition or another. The developers who put in our subdivisions -- this was the largest platted development in the state at the time -- not only failed to put in a sewer plant and adequate water lines (in neither size nor material), they also paved very few roads. We're paying the price for these short-sighted decisions today, playing catch up on water lines, streets, and sewers. About 5 years ago, we created a Street and Walter Lines Group, headed by Mayor Pro Tem Dennis Maier. That group makes recommnendations to the city council once a year for paving projects. They base their information on the condition of the roads, the number of residents who use the roads, whether the road is a school bus route, and public input. Depending upon traffic, weather amd the quality of paving, most paving will last 7 to 10 years. Heavier traffic on roads such as Phillips Ranch Road, Valley View and Prairie Creek may require more frequent attention. Valley View and Prairie Creek were totally repaved about four years ago, and N. Phillips Ranch road about a year ago. If anyone wants to provide input to the streets committee, which probably won't meet again until sometime this spring, feel free to email me a mayor@graniteshoals.org, and I'll forward it on, or watch for committee meetings on the city's website. You can also ask to be put on the distribution list for city meeting notices by emailing our city secretary at citysecretary@graniteshoals.org.