Land purchase to clear view at dangerous Spicewood intersection
The fence to the right of this photo obstructs the view of oncoming traffic for drivers exiting Lakeside Beach onto CR 410 in Spicewood. Burnet County commissioners purchased a sliver of land to move back the privately owned fence, restoring a clear view of the road. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
The Burnet County Commissioners Court voted to purchase a small portion of land to move a newly constructed privacy fence that obstructed the view of oncoming traffic on CR 410 in Spicewood. The decision came during the court’s special meeting on Tuesday, April 18, after two months of back-and-forth on potential solutions to the traffic hazard caused by the fence.
Commissioners voted to purchase 453 square-feet from property owner Matt King for $23,000. The land is part of lot 375a of the Lakeside Beach subdivision and adjacent to the community’s entrance. The fence on King’s lot blocks the view of oncoming southbound traffic for cars leaving the subdivision, forcing them to pull into the road to see better.
As part of the deal, King will move back the obstructing privacy fence and restore a clear view of the road. King told DailyTrib.com he expects to have the fence moved before April 28.
After the meeting, Commissioner Joe Don Dockery explained the next steps to DailyTrib.com.
“The builder, now that we have acquired the deed and compensated him for that, is going to pull the bottom southwest corner of that fence back to a new location to, hopefully, increase the visibility,” Dockery said. “That is what we were trying to achieve all along.”
The Lakeside Beach and CR 410 intersection was first discussed in Commissioners Court on Feb. 14, when residents expressed concerns over the dangerous situation caused by the new fence. The original solution presented to the court was to install stop signs and create a three-way intersection. The court later overturned this decision due to a clerical error and held a public hearing on the matter.
In March, the court chose to pursue negotiations with King and find a solution that did not include the installation of stop signs, leading to Tuesday’s land purchase.
“It would have been more affordable to install the stop signs, but with the opposition that we heard in that area, I think this is a better-suited fix for everyone involved,” Dockery said. “I hope it’s an amicable resolution to the entire process. It should greatly enhance the visibility.”