Burnet, Texas, has a neat small town development idea, to encourage building close in, instead of out on the edge in suburb-style developments.
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| Downtown Burnet, Texas. |
They call it the Hometown Housing Program. For new houses on empty residential lots in the targeted core area, the city rebates 100% of water, sewer and electric tap fees, permit fees, and plan review fees. Simple, easy, affordable.
Why does it matter? Spreading the town out with new homes out on the edges costs everyone more in stretching new infrastructure and services out to meet them. Keeping the town more compact keeps the center of town more vibrant instead of hollowing it out. This is especially important in small towns with fewer resources to go around.
Read more about it here: Burnet Hometown Housing Program. Bonus: the city has posted their ordinance, for you to use as a template for your town, too.
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