Posted: Tue, 12 May 2009 06:54 PM - 8,675 Readers

By: Karen Huber

Most of you know that Precinct 3 is large and diverse. Okay, not exactly a news flash, but consider this: we have a population of more than 306,000 ・much higher than any other precinct in Travis County. Our precinct covers over 500 square miles and makes up 49% of the geographic area of Travis County. It stretches from the coffee houses and kayaks of the Zilker Park area to the ranches and meandering streams of the western edge of Lake Travis in the Hill Country. The precinct is home to chic urban professionals and multigenerational ranchers. The faces of Precinct 3 are as eclectic as its geography.

We are currently witnessing an amazing explosion of growth in Travis County, and nowhere is it greater than in Precinct 3. Neighborhoods now buzz where wide open spaces once ruled. Single-family homes have been replaced by high-rise condos. The precinct almost doubled in population from 1990-2000, and we are still growing at a rapid 4.78% rate. To put this in perspective, Travis County Precinct 3 received 620 new neighborhood applications since 2000. Since 73% of the precinct is located in an unincorporated area, the majority of the growth related issues fall directly under Travis County's jurisdiction. Given this information, one might imagine how exhilarating my first few months in office have been.

Wondering what we've been up to?

Since taking office on January 1, my office has tackled a high number of requests and complaints from constituents, including issues with county-maintained roads, violations of county regulations, and information regarding transportation and development issues. This is by no means a definitive list. As diverse as Precinct 3 is, so are the needs!

Speaking of roads, there are over 640 miles of Travis County maintained roads in Precinct 3. Travis County does not maintain all roads within its borders. Some are maintained by TxDOT, some by their respective municipalities while others are maintained privately. If you do not know who to call about a road repair, my office can find this information for you.

Sometimes, my office receives a request to get involved in and mediate issues that are beyond the county's scope, such as a neighbor dispute over another's use of their privately-owned land or shared easements. These are valid issues that cause a great deal of stress for those affected. If you call our office with such an issue, we can point you in the direction of an agency or County department that might be helpful to you.

I encourage you to get involved in your community, whether it is at your local library (many, like those in Bee Caves and Westlake, have great programs and a need for additional volunteers and resources), your homeowners/property owners association, or a local chamber of commerce. In my unbiased opinion, Precinct 3 also has many unique opportunities to soak up the Central Texas culture. Try out the Sunset Valley farmers market, visit and volunteer at the Lady Bird Wildflower Center or Austin Nature Center, go for a bike ride or rollerblade on the Veloway, or hike the Barton Springs Greenbelt. But don't forget about our lakes. Lake Austin and Lake Travis are both entirely within Precinct 3, so enjoy!

*  Story Contributed by: Karen Huber