To meet the needs of a growing population that Lakeway leaders estimate will max out at 25,000, the city is embarking on a capital projects program to keep pace for the next 15 years.

Lakeway will host two public meetings – one on Jan. 24 and the other on Feb. 7 at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 1102 Lohmans Crossing. The objective is to collect input on its preliminary capital projects of public safety, facility, roads, trails and parks infrastructure that are estimated to cost $12.4 million total.

Lakeway Mayor Dave DeOme said the meetings would allow the public to play a significant role in charting the city’s course.

“They are going to get an opportunity to shape how the city grows over the next five or 10 years and [offer input into] what are the best facilities for the city to be investing in,” DeOme said.

The city will present the list of $12.4 million in proposed projects headed by a new police building, offer public dialogue, discuss the finalization process and release results of the city’s 2011 online survey as it pinpoints projects and estimated costs to go before voters in a bond election that DeOme said could come as early as November.

To those residents who may have concerns over the timing of the discussions and a potential bond election, the mayor said Lakeway Justice Center symbolizes the city’s frugality in selecting and building capital projects.

The building constructed in 1982 to be City Hall was renovated in 2004 to house both the Lakeway Police Department and municipal court.

According to a consulting firm’s needs assessment survey in 2009, the building could not keep up with the city and department’s projected growth over the next 10 years because it lacks a holding cell and enough space for employees to work. The department also has concerns about maintaining security at the facility.

The survey forecast Lakeway would need a 22,500-square-foot police building to accommodate a 57-person department. Estimates pegged its preliminary cost at $6.78 million.

“Right now, we have a relatively small facility. If you look at what the current responsibilities are of a police station in a post-9/11 world, the current facility isn’t even sized or designed for a city of 11,000 people,” DeOme said. “[The dispatch center] is clearly a facility that has been tugged and pushed at the edges in order to get everything to fit and everything to work.”

Several other city facilities have come to what he terms a “pinch point” in their ability to allow staff members to function effectively.

Should the current proposed capital improvements make the final cut, Lakeway’s municipal court and public works departments would undergo expansions in their existing buildings for $363,275 and $28,223, respectively.

Lakeway also would construct a new parks and recreation building for an estimated $1.6 million and $512,000 shelter to temporarily hold stray animals.

As more vehicles pass over Lakeway’s aging thoroughfares, some are starting to show signs of wear and tear.

The city is proposing to overlay Lohmans Crossing Road for about $842,000 to repair deteriorating pavement, rehabilitate the newly annexed Brooks Hollow Drive at approximately $187,400 and replace damaged culverts on Rolling Green.

The proposed list also contains several park and trail improvements including more Hamilton Greenbelt parking, bathhouse at Lakeway City Park, park restrooms and extended walking trails on Lakeway Boulevard.

“I think we’ve put a lot of money into trail systems over the years, and I think that reflects what the people in Lakeway want, but we’ll find out at the public hearing whether in fact they want more or no,” DeOme said.

For questions regarding the proposed capital improvement projects or the upcoming meetings, contact deputy city manager Chessie Blanchard at 314-7527 or chessieblanchard@lakeway-tx.gov.

For details about individual projects, visit www.lakeway-tx.gov.

PROPOSED PARK PROJECTS

1. Expansion of Hamilton Greenbelt parking and addition of restroom facilities – $94,512

2. Rehabilitation of Dragon Park restrooms to make them handicap accessible/compliant – $10,560

3. Bridge at Highland Trails to span the convergence of three small canyons – $88,435

4. Foot bridge and trail over Hurst Creek at Lakeway Justice Center – $69,300

5. New bathhouse at City Park to accommodate the daily usage of the park – $92,330

6. Addition of Restroom at Canyon Land Trail – $60,911

PARK PROJECTS TOTAL: $416,050

PROPOSED ROAD PROJECTS

7. Improvements of irrigation system and landscape on Lakeway Boulevard East – $208,929

8. Addition of concrete walking trail on Lakeway Boulevard West – $543,000

9. Extension of new walking trail on Lakeway Boulevard East – Phase 1 – $292,228

10. Boardwalk and new walking trail extension on Lakeway Boulevard East – Phase 2 – $222,156

11. Rehabilitation/replacement of deteriorating Brooks Hollow Drive – $187,400

12. Replacement of damaged culverts on Rolling Green – $374,913

13. Overlay of Lohmans Crossing Road to repair deteriorating pavement – $841,992

ROAD PROJECTS TOTAL: $2,670,618

PROPOSED FACILITY PROJECTS

14. Construction of new police building to accommodate the department’s projected growth over the next 10 years and to address the security issues – $6,783,320)

15. Public Works expansion to more effectively use the space – $28,223

16. Renovation of municipal court building to accommodate the department’s projected growth over the next 10 years and to address the security issues – $363,275

17. Construction of new parks and recreation building to accommodate the department’s projected growth over the next 10 years – $1,626,751

18. Construction of new animal holding shelter – $512,160

FACILITY PROJECTS TOTAL: $9,313,729