This group consulted on topics related to population, demographics, land use patterns to accommodate growth and encourage reinvestment and walkable mixed use neighborhoods, housing, annexation and ETJ policies.

Goals

1: Protect the character, integrity and stability of neighborhoods where families can live.

2: Encourage mixed use centers that allow people to work and play near where they live.

3: Create a clear approach to annexation that allows for strategic and efficient growth.
 

This group assisted with goals and policies to achieve the citizens’ vision for New Braunfels’ urban form, the built environment and its impact on public health, architectural design, the arts and public art, and historic preservation. They addressed this through the lens of the community’s unique history ensuring its rich and diverse cultural heritage is preserved.

Goals

1: Grow and target historic preservation efforts.

2: Increase and improve the understanding, appreciation, and learning of historic and cultural assets.

3: Promote a compact urban fabric that includes walkable streets, mixed use development, and high-quality public spaces.

4: Create new and special destinations and experiences that build on New Braunfels’ historic resources.

This group provided input related to the preservation of natural resources, improving the health and wellness of the community and providing balanced access to public parks and programs. This group also served as the key group consulting on the concurrent Parks and Recreation Strategic Plan update.

Goals

1: Increase the proportion of park acres per population through a variety of park type amenities and open space options.

2: Continue to plan, develop and operate a variety of indoor and outdoor facilities that support multiple activities; grow recreation facilities, programs, activities and services in the areas of highest community need.

3: Pursue adequate funding to support existing parks, new parks, and other park types.

4: Provide a park system offering the community a variety of services that integrate environmental design, safety, emerging trends and local culture and history.

5: Invest in infrastructure and services along the Guadalupe and Comal Rivers to ensure safety and guest comfort, as well as to expand activities.

6: Establish connectivity between parks, facilities and greenways so that they are accessible by pedestrians, bicycles and a large majority of neighborhoods.

This group lent their expertise to the creation or update of goals and policies to establish a coordinated approach to economic development to ensure the community is well positioned to attract workers and businesses, and to retain and sustain existing businesses.

Goals

1: Create an environment that incentivizes jobs and live/work/play destinations that leverage regional talent and expands industries.

2: Facilitate the creation of new destinations for lodging, recreation, neighborhood goods and services in underutilized neighborhoods and along corridors.

3: Create policies and programs that attract families and talented residents.

4: Continue to diversify the economy to ensure adaptability and resiliency.

5: Cultivate a free enterprise approach to growing an economy where the public and private sectors collaborate.

This group focused on goals and policies to capitalize on the positive impacts of tourism on the community including the economy and the unique sense of place it engenders; as well as goals and policies that address tourism’s impacts on infrastructure, public safety and the environment.

Goals

1: Continue to be a year-round destination in Central Texas, leveraging target markets via attractions and multi-day festivals.

2: Improve existing and create new facilities that encourage tourism and generate revenue through performing arts, conventions, sports events, festivals, and other destination events.

3: Enhance existing resources for tourism.

4: Create connections and ease of access to tourism destinations via multi-modal transportation.

5: Ensure adequate parking for all tourist destinations via public/private partnerships city-wide.

6: Increase arts/cultural/heritage tourism.

This group advised on appropriate goals, policies and objectives as they relate to the vision of the city’s transportation network, the transportation/land use relationship, and how it connects and interacts with the region; all modes will be addressed from walking to air travel.

Goals

1: Coordinate regional transportation investments with planned and existing economic centers.

2: Improve vehicular connections into and within New Braunfels to reduce congestion while mitigating the impacts of the automobile on the urban fabric.

3: Establish a self-sustaining and improved public transit system.

4: Promote healthy lifestyles and relieve automobile congestion through improved and increased pedestrian paths, on-street bicycle lanes, and off-street bicycle paths to major hubs within New Braunfels and beyond.

5: Increase parking options in high-demand areas of New Braunfels, such as downtown, while ensuring efficient and economical land use strategies.

This group advised on the provision and location of public facilities and services including police, fire, emergency services, community safety and security, libraries, government buildings, community service centers for all generations, and sustainable solid waste and recycling goals.

Goals

1: Expand the capacity of existing infrastructure and services.

2: Promote investment in innovative infrastructure that keeps New Braunfels livable and economically competitive.

3: Ensure public facilities and spaces are available, welcoming, and accessible to all residents.

4: Emphasize energy efficiency, resource conservation, and environmental stewardship in public infrastructure investments.

5: Maintain adequate public safety services and facilities to keep pace with population growth.

6. With the City of New Braunfels currently at an ISO rating of 1 for fire protection, maintain that rating of 1 which ensures the safety of all residents and keeps property owner insurance rates low.

This group consulted on the needs of the city’s youth, from education and health to social activities and childcare. Education input will guide goals and policies for school locations, preparing youth to become responsible citizens, and identifying technical vocational training and higher education needs, as well as the educational and social needs of all generations in the community.

Goals

1: Support workforce training and development focused on targeted industries.

2: Foster an environment that encourages youth to want to stay, return and invest in the future of the city.

3: Through collaborative efforts, continue to provide and expand coordinated and comprehensive opportunities and environments to prepare children and their families for early education and their complete education journey.

4: Promote healthy lifestyles for youth through upgraded and new sporting venues, parkland and trails.

5: Provide locations for social opportunities for teens after school/evenings.

This group focused on addressing land use compatibility with environmentally sensitive areas and features, conservation of natural resources, stormwater conveyance including Low Impact Development (LID), and utility infrastructure.

Goals

1: Protect natural riparian areas and tree canopies that provide resiliency against flooding or other risks.

2: Implement stormwater best management practices to improve water quality and reduce the demands on engineered stormwater systems.

3: Reduce solid waste through material recycling and reuse.

4: Emphasize energy efficiency and innovation in homes, businesses and equipment.

5: Collaborate with surrounding water providers to preserve, conserve and continue to diversify our water supply.

6: Reduce and control air pollution.