I just ran across another story that shows how much our area is growing.  A developer in Leander has gotten another 2000 acres approved for development that will start in about 5 years.  Bill Hinkley, developer of Crystal Falls in Leander, will develop an adjoining 2000 acres with mixed use...that could double the amount of homes in Leander.  You can read more below:

Leander approves master plan development

Written by Robert Bell Friday, 16 January 2009

At its Jan. 15 meeting, Leander’s City Council approved a proposal to allow Lookout Partners LP to develop about 2,000 acres west of Leander in what company president Bill Hinckley called the largest master plan community in the region. Construction on the site is still a few years away, though.

“It’s beautiful land that is going to be a great master plan community, and we’re just getting it all set so in three years probably we roll it out,” Hinckley said.

The community will be a live-work-play environment, he said.

“There will be a blend of houses, probably from $300,000 to $1 million. There will be retail, there will be some office, schools, churches — everything you need in terms of neighborhood services.”

Lookout Partners itself will not be developing any houses, but could build some commercial space, Hinckley said.

Eventually, the city will annex the land, and Hinckley’s company will be repaid for infrastructure expenses with a percentage of the property taxes generated by the development.

“We’re going to probably have to build our own sewer plant. We’re going to have to build water storage facilities. A developer can’t fund all those backbone issues and expect to be solvent.

“The city benefits from the tax base we create and we just want to get paid back over time out of our own growth,” Hinckley said. “It’s a win-win situation.”