It’s no secret; our Leander, TX community is growing exponentially! From our high quality of life and low cost of living to various home options and acclaimed schools, Leander was named the fastest-growing large city by percentage change from July 1, 2018, to July 1, 2019.
Leander city and community leaders predicted this growth when they created the Destination Leander Comprehensive Plan in 2015. They understood that Leander was (and is) at a crucial point in its growth and development, and they worked to craft a sustainable vision for our residents to live, work, plan, and continue to love their Leander home for decades to come.
Leaders sought to encourage smart residential growth, attract strategic businesses to provide jobs for existing and future residents, encourage commercial services, shops, and restaurants to meet local demand and contribute to the tax base that finances municipal services and amenities and inspire cultural, recreational and civic destinations for a healthy and vibrant community. Throughout the planning process, public opinion was gathered through a variety of methods, including public meetings, workshops, and online interactions.
Today, we’ll take a look at Destination Leander’s short-term priorities, as they lay an essential foundation for other parts of the comprehensive plan.
Priority 1: Position Leander as a destination for employers.
Identify target industries and work to recruit those targets that complement the eight regional target industries: advanced manufacturing, clean energy, power technology, data management, creative and digital media technology, life sciences, corporate headquarters, and regional offices.
Partner with the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce and Opportunity Austin to market to these industries.
Evaluate the city’s existing set of economic development incentives to determine their effectiveness and future usefulness.
Expand economic development tools to match Leander’s priorities.
Priority 2: Promote Old Town as a civic and cultural destination within Leander.
Encourage entrepreneurs and small business owners to locate their operations in Old Town.
Develop an Old Town Strategic Plan that outlines feasible, short-term action items to promote Leander’s vision for Old Town.
Promote walkability within Old Town by implementing streetscape projects.
Priority 3: Promote the Transit-Oriented Development (TOD).
Promote the TOD as an urban destination within a suburban community by recruiting TOD developers, developing a P3 (Public/Private Partnership) strategy for the area, and participating in catalyst projects to build momentary for the TOD.
Priority 4: Enhance Leander’s public spaces to create and link citywide destinations.
Update the Parks and Recreation Master Plan to enhance existing parks and trail systems and build new facilities to serve the public moving forward.
Prepare a Public Space Master Plan as a complement to the Parks and Recreation Master Plan to aid in economic development efforts.
Priority 5: Connect destinations.
Connect Austin Community College (ACC) and Old Town to Leander Station.
Improve and maintain roadways.
The short-term priorities detailed in the Destination Leander Comprehensive Plan set the foundation for continued sustainable growth for our Leander community for years to come. We’ll examine Leander Today, including Leander’s best opportunities and most pressing issues in our next blog.
If you’re considering making a move around the Central Texas region and have questions about what it’s like to live in Leander, its home prices, or how we help our clients settle in quickly and easily, contact us today. We are always happy and excited to share our knowledge with you. Contact Cummings Team® by clicking here or call or email: 512-619-3186 | cummingsteam@purerealty.com.