Fredericksburg, Texas – The Fredericksburg City Council unanimously adopted the 2024 Comprehensive Plan: Gute Stadt (“Good City”) and approved the 2024 Parks Master Plan: Gutes Leben (“Good Life”) at its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, March 19.
“We get a lot of questions from our citizens asking if City Council is aware of what decisions need to be made to keep Fredericksburg as Fredericksburg as they say,” Mayor Jeryl Hoover said. “This plan keeps the City Council focused on those things. All the good work that has gone into it has kept in mind what made Fredericksburg successful for 178 years and what will keep it successful for hopefully another 178 years.”
The actions complete a nearly two-year process and take the place of documents adopted in 2006 and 2016, respectively. Each plan is slated to serve the community for up to 10 years.
The City of Fredericksburg worked with planning consultants, Halff of Austin, Texas, to guide the creation of the new documents. The development process included multiple public engagement opportunities, including elected official workshops, advisory committee meetings, public open houses, and community surveys.
Because the two plans were developed simultaneously efforts to gather community feedback were combined.
Gute Stadt – Good City
The 2024 Comprehensive Plan is a long-range planning document that serves as a guide for growth and development decisions, while working to ensure that Fredericksburg remains a thriving community for everyone. It does not replace zoning regulations or other regulatory documents.
“The Comprehensive Plan will be the guiding document for future decisions of the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council,” Anna Hudson, Director of Development Services, said. “It makes several recommendations for improvements to existing codes and regulations. To be most impactful, the next step should be the creation of a Unified Development Code that combines the Subdivision Ordinance and the Zoning Ordinance.”
The plan contains…
A Vision Statement
“With this vision as our compass, the City of Fredericksburg aims to create a resilient and prosperous future for generations to come. Embracing our heritage, natural beauty, and vibrant community spirit, we envision a future where our unique charm harmonizes with sustainable development. We strive to cultivate a thriving city that honors our rich history while embracing innovation, fostering economic prosperity, and enhancing the quality of life for the community of Fredericksburg.”
A Future Direction
Seven Overarching Themes - neighborhood quality, workforce, tourism, city center, mobility, small-town sensitive growth and governance.
An Implementation Plan
Outlines how progress toward the vision will be achieved and how the plan will be administered and updated.
For more detailed information, please refer to the full document here.
“We are thankful for everyone who took the time to complete a survey, submit an email or attend a public meeting,” Hudson said. “We know that our community is loved by its citizens and protecting what is unique is the priority. We heard a lot of concern for water conservation, the need for more trails and safe routes, and a concern for the lack of affordable housing options. This multi-faceted plan addresses each of those topics.”
Gutes Leben – Good Life
The 2024 Parks Master Plan is a living document that provides an assessment of past actions, existing conditions, and future steps towards the achievement of long-range goals. It provides a comprehensive roadmap for enhancing Fredericksburg’s recreational spaces through capital projects, operational and programmatic changes and policy considerations.
"We are excited for this plan to be adopted and for us to put its recommendations into action," Director of Parks and Recreation Andrea Schmidt said. "Thank you to all of the members of the community, who provided input during the master plan process. We have worked hard in the last five-plus years to enhance our parks system and I look forward to continuing that improvement in the future."
The plan contains…
Six Guiding Principles
- Fredericksburg will create safe and easily accessible connections between local destinations through walking and biking.
- Fredericksburg will prioritize improvements to existing parks or amenities which enhance safety, support multipurpose functionality, and improve quality of life.
- Fredericksburg will support a high-quality parks and recreation department with adequate funding and staffing to maintain and operate park facilities and grounds to the community’s expectation of quality.
- Fredericksburg will increase access, equity, and inclusivity in future park design and location.
- Fredericksburg will cultivate partnerships to bring groups together to leverage financial and philanthropic support.
- Fredericksburg will provide recreational activities, facilities, and cultural events for people of all ages and abilities which provide quality of life improvements for the community.
Park System Current Use & Profiles
Needs Assessment
Assesses existing parks, trails, and facilities and identifies opportunities for expansion, improvements, and connectivity.
Recommendations & Implementation Strategies:
- Suggests funding mechanisms, partnerships, and community involvement to achieve its goals.
- Emphasizes collaboration with local organizations and agencies.
For more detailed information, please refer to the full document here.
To learn more about the City of Fredericksburg, go to FBGTX.org or contact City Hall at (830) 997-7521.