Marble Falls joins regional planning commission
Marble Falls City Hall. File photo
Marble Falls has joined the Burnet County Highland Lakes Sub-Regional Planning Commission to help the city tackle large-scale projects and regional issues in the future.
The commission, created under Chapter 391 of the Texas Local Government Code, allows cities and counties to coordinate on infrastructure, growth, and major projects affecting multiple jurisdictions.
While the group is currently pushing back against a proposed high-voltage transmission line in Burnet County, Marble Falls officials emphasized that the city’s participation is focused on long-term, broader benefits. The proposed transmission line routes are all north of Texas 29, relatively far from Marble Falls city limits.
“We don’t really have a dog in that fight. We’re joining more for a general purpose. We’re not joining specifically to fight the transmission line,” Marble Falls Mayor John Packer told DailyTrib.
The collaboration could help address future concerns that extend beyond city limits, such as environmental and infrastructure challenges, according to Packer.
“There may be things in the future that affect us like air quality, and other broader issues,” he said.
By pooling resources and coordinating efforts, the commission aims to increase recognition and influence with state and regional agencies.
“We mainly want to come together on issues that affect all of us so we can speak collectively and be heard by the right agencies, rather than as individual entities,” Packer said. “We’re doing it for the big picture.”
Each participating entity appoints two representatives. Marble Falls named Mayor John Packer and Place 2 Councilor Dee Haddock, joining the city of Burnet’s Mayor Gary Wideman and Councilor Joyce Laudenschlager, and Burnet County’s Precinct 2 Commissioner Damon Beierle and Precinct 4 Justice of the Peace Frank Reilly.