Breakfast Bites on Sheraton Georgetown Dec. 9

The next quarterly Breakfast Bites panel on December 9 will focus on the Sheraton Georgetown Texas Hotel and Conference Center, which is set to open next summer. Panelists will provide insights into the ways that the new 225-room four-star hotel and 30,000 square foot conference center will be a game changer for Georgetown tourism. Breakfast Bites is a quarterly business development event by the Georgetown Main Street Program.

The Breakfast Bites panel will include three key people involved with the Sheraton Georgetown Texas Hotel and Conference Center and its impact on Georgetown.

Lorena Chappell is employed by Starwood Hotels and Resorts as director of sales and marketing for the new Sheraton Georgetown Texas Hotel and Conference Center. Chappell has worked in hospitality for more than 22 years and previously was the director of catering and conference planning at the Four Seasons Hotel in Houston.

Jeff Novak is the founding partner for Novak Brothers, a real estate development firm. Novak Brothers and international real estate firm Hines are developing the Sheraton Georgetown Texas Hotel and Conference Center. Novak Brothers has developed more than $250 million in real estate projects with assets valued at more than $125 million including residential developments, multi-family, retail, office, and hotels.

Marie Woodard is the group sales and servicing coordinator for the Georgetown Convention and Visitors Bureau. Woodard has 26 years of experience in hospitality and tourism including 14 years as director of sales for the Kerrville Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The moderator for the panel is Laurie Brewer, assistant city manager for the City of Georgetown and director of the Downtown and Community Services Division.

The event on Wednesday, December 9 is from 8:30 to 9:50 a.m. in the Friends Room at the Georgetown Public Library, 402 W. Eighth Street. Breakfast snacks, coffee, and drinks will be provided. Networking starts at 8 a.m.

Attendees should pre-register by contacting Shelly Hargrove, Main Street manager, by 5 p.m. on Monday, December 7 at shelly.hargrove@georgetown.org or (512) 930-2027. Main Street is a program of the City of Georgetown Downtown and Community Services Department.

Georgetown Re-certified a Scenic City

For the second time in five years, Georgetown was recently certified as a gold-level Scenic City by Scenic Texas. Georgetown was initially certified as a gold-level Scenic City in 2010 and was one of 20 cities to be certified or re-certified this summer.

Georgetown is one of 58 cities in Texas to be certified as a Scenic City. Georgetown was presented with its Gold Scenic City Certification on September 24 at the Texas Municipal League annual conference in San Antonio.

The Scenic City Certification Program incorporates a comprehensive set of model standards for design and development of public roadways and public spaces into a cohesive assessment program. The program draws a direct correlation between the success of a city’s economic development efforts and the visual appearance of its public spaces and recognizes municipalities that implement high-quality scenic standards.

The Scenic City program includes a variety of criteria such as parkland designation, landscaping, historic preservation, sign restrictions, litter prevention, and other standards for public places. Achieving the Scenic City certification recognizes regulations and programs that improve property values and help to attract new businesses. Cities that qualify earn a five-year certification.

“Georgetown’s Scenic City Certification demonstrates its commitment to high-quality standards for public roadways and public spaces,” said Anne Culver, executive director of the Scenic City Certification Program. “This enhances Georgetown’s image which in turn drives economic development.”

City employees who contributed to the Scenic City certification effort are (pictured left to right): Laurie Brewer, Kimberly Garrett, Jackson Daly, Nat Waggoner, Julie Dominguez, Karen Frost, and Mike Stasny.

Scenic Texas, the sponsor of the certification program, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and enhancing the visual character of Texas by promoting enhanced design standards for public projects, sign regulation, freeway landscaping, and scenic byway development. Find out more at www.scenictexas.org.

Census: Georgetown is Second-Fastest Growing City in U.S.

Georgetown is the second-fastest growing city in the U.S., according to data released by the U.S. Census Bureau on Wednesday. For cities of 50,000 residents or greater, Georgetown had the second-highest rate of population growth in the country.

The Census estimates that Georgetown grew from 54,934 to 59,102 in the period from July 1, 2013 to July 1, 2014. That’s an increase of 4,168 residents and a growth rate of 7.6 percent for that year. The Census estimates are based on sampling data.

Georgetown’s population growth shows no signs of slowing down. According to the City’s Planning Department, another 1,214 single-family homes have been platted in the city limits and another 1,116 apartment units have been recently completed or are near completion. Another 7,855 single-family homes in the city limits are in the planning stages, with an expected build out period of five to 20 years.

All of those residences currently in the development pipeline total 10,185 homes or apartments. With an average household size of 2.46 according to the Census, Georgetown can expect another 25,055 residents in the next decade or two.

Georgetown’s growth in recent years also is evident in key economic indicators. Since 2010, the total assessed value of property in the city has grown by more than 25 percent to exceed $5.2 billion in 2015. City sales tax revenue has increased by more than 55 percent since 2010. Yet the city’s property tax rate at 43.4 cents per $100 valuation remains one of the lowest in the region.

Georgetown Utility to Be Powered by Solar and Wind Energy by 2017

A 150-megawatt solar power agreement recently finalized, in addition to a 144 megawatt wind power agreement in 2014, will make the City of Georgetown one of the largest municipally-owned utilities in the U.S. to supply its customers with 100 percent solar and wind energy*. The long-term agreements also allow Georgetown to provide competitive electric rates and hedge against price volatility for energy produced by fossil-fuels.

The City of Georgetown signed a power purchase agreement with SunEdison to purchase 150-megawatts of solar power starting in 2016. SunEdison will provide electricity to Georgetown through 2041. The new renewable power contracts signed by Georgetown provide electricity at a lower overall cost than its previous wholesale power contracts.

“SunEdison is very excited to be working with Georgetown Utility Systems to provide their customers with 100 percent renewable, clean energy,” said Paul Gaynor, executive vice president of North America Utility and Global Wind. “Georgetown is an exceptional city, and by going 100 percent renewable they cut down on pollution, save water, and enjoy stable energy prices. They’re able to accomplish all of this without spending a penny up-front with the SunEdison power purchase agreement. Georgetown is a model for other cities that hope to become powered by clean renewable energy.”

In addition, Georgetown has contracted with EDF for 144-megawatts out of a 194-megawatt capacity wind project—located 50 miles west of Amarillo—that will begin delivery of power next year. The Spinning Spur 3 project is currently under construction. A 20-year contract with EDF for wind power signed in 2014 will provide competitively-priced renewable energy to Georgetown customers through 2035.

The combination of solar and wind power allows the City to provide energy from complementary renewable sources in order to meet demand patterns. The solar power produced in West Texas will provide a daily afternoon supply peak that matches the daily energy demand peak in Georgetown, especially during the hot summer months. Wind power production in West Texas tends to be highest in the off-peak, evening or early-morning hours. This means that wind power can most often fill power demand when the sun isn’t shining.

The City of Georgetown municipally-owned electric utility started in 1911. The City closed its power plant in 1945 and began a long-term purchased-power contract to supply energy to its customers. Ending a long-term power contract in 2012 allowed the City to pursue new power suppliers.

“When Georgetown Utility Systems opted to seek new sources of power in 2012, we were charged with a mission to secure the most cost-effective energy that balanced risk and reward,” says Jim Briggs, interim city manager for the City and general manager for utilities. “Our team took advantage of a unique time in the market place and did just that. By securing these renewable contracts the utility can consider itself 100 percent ‘green,’ but it does so at extremely competitive costs for energy, and it hedges against future fuel and regulatory risks, fulfilling our initial goal.”

The use of solar and wind-produced energy also means that unlike natural gas, nuclear, or coal-fired power plants, energy production for Georgetown will not require water. A power plant that burns fossil fuels or uses nuclear fuel can use large amounts of water each day. The use of solar and wind power in Georgetown will eliminate these impacts on the water supply and the environment. Using electricity that does not consume water is effectively a further reduction in the overall per capita water use for Georgetown. Another key goal of the utility is to become more effective in its use of water resources.

The City’s renewable power sources also may lead to an economic development benefit. Many companies, especially those in the high-tech sector, have invested in green sources of power for their office and manufacturing facilities.  Georgetown’s 100 percent renewable power supply can help companies to achieve sustainability goals at a competitive price.

*Sources: Environmental Protection Agency Green Power Partnership; Go 100% Renewable Energy, www.go100percent.org

Sheraton Hotel at Rivery Breaks Ground Feb. 19

Construction kicks off Thursday for a 224-room Sheraton hotel and conference center in Georgetown. Novak Brothers and Hines host a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Starwood-operated hotel at 2 p.m. on February 19. The event is at Rivery Boulevard and Wolf Ranch Parkway at the Summit at the Rivery Park development.

Starwood Hotels and Resorts will operate the Sheraton Georgetown Texas Hotel and Conference Center that is expected to open in the summer of 2016.

The Summit at Rivery Park project includes multiple restaurants and shops also expected to open with the hotel. The development also includes 223 luxury rental units available next month and 114 single-family brownstone residences. Novak Brothers, the developer for the Summit at Rivery project, has already constructed 31 brownstone residences at the site. Hines, an international real estate development firm headquartered in Houston, is a partner in the hotel and conference center.

A new multi-level public parking garage will be constructed with the project and available for users of the hotel and conference center, Rivery Park, and the public. The Rivery Park Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone, a partnership including the City of Georgetown and Williamson County, will reinvest revenue generated by the project to fund the parking garage, improvements in Rivery Park, public roads, and utility infrastructure.

The Summit at Rivery Park project on I-35 will serve as a northern gateway to the Austin metro area and an anchor for future retail, office, and residential development in the center of Georgetown.