COMMUNITY SAFETY

“Many people, myself included, believe animals are extensions of our family. As a direct result of this unspeakable loss for 59 of our Georgetown families, we took a hard look at our processes and our building codes, and have taken several, critical steps to ensure we do better by our beloved pets. I wish I could turn back time and prevent this tragedy from happening in the first place. I get some solace, and I hope the families will as well, from knowing we have put measures in place to protect our four-legged family members in the future.”

~Georgetown Fire Chief John Sullivan COMMUNITY SAFETY

Fire Spurs Code Changes for Georgetown Animal Care Facilities

After a devastating fire killed 75 pets at the Ponderosa Pet Resort in Georgetown, Georgetown City Council unanimously approved amendments to the city’s fire codes. On February 23, council voted to require all animal care facilities to install fire alarms, and newly constructed facilities will have additional fire-protection requirements. The amendments make Georgetown’s fire codes among the strongest in the nation when it comes to protecting pets and animals. Most state, national, and international fire codes do not require fire prevention features for animal care facilities.

“The code amendments council approved make Georgetown one of the safest places to board your pet in the entire country,” Mayor Josh Schroeder said. “These amendments represent a long overdue change in how the fire code protects these important members of our families. The features animal-care facilities are now required to install will help prevent tragedies like the one we experienced here in September from happening again, and we’re available to work with anyone who wants to bring our model to their community as well.”

Under Georgetown’s fire code amendments:

 All existing facilities used for the temporary or permanent housing or care of animals are required to install a supervised fire alarm system before the end of

September 2024. Of the 23 animal care facilities in the Georgetown Fire Department service area, 17 did not have fire alarms.

 Electronically supervised carbon-monoxide detection systems also are required in newly constructed animal-care facilities; equestrian facilities are exempt.

All newly constructed animal-care facilities are required to have advanced fire protection features that include a sprinkler system. Acceptable alternatives:  A facility with 50 or fewer animals that has a supervised fire alarm system and

Class A finish on the walls (similar to the drywall used in residential garages), will not be required to install a sprinkler system.  A facility with 51 to 100 animals that has a supervised fire alarm system, fire resistant materials surrounding the kennel area, and Class A finish on the walls will not be required to install a sprinkler system.  A facility with more than 100 animals that provides all animals immediate, unobstructed access outside, has a supervised fire alarm system, and provides constant supervision will not be required to install a sprinkler system.  A facility with 24-hour, on-site supervision is required to install a fire alarm system and will not be required to install a sprinkler system.

by Charlotte Kovalchuk

Action Report

Fire investigators hypothesized six potential causes of the Ponderosa fire, all of which have to do with the facility’s electrical equipment. In addition to fire code amendments, the fire department has taken other steps to help mitigate similar incidents in the future. These include adding animal housing or care facilities to its annual, priority inspections list, as well as auditing and inspecting the existing animal-care facilities in its service area.

POST-COVID MIGRATION TO Texas

Texas Governor Greg Abbott famously used the

phrase Don’t California My Texas in his re-election campaign in 2018, and many Texans still echo that sentiment in 2022. Still, with the COVID pandemic seemingly nearing its end, the substantial migration to Texas from California is ongoing. The simultaneous national migration to Texas is much larger, of course, and will have a lasting impact on the Real Estate market in Central Texas.

According to national census data, Texas’s migration levels are significantly higher than the national average, with the majority attribution being an upgrade in living situation. While California constitutes a large percentage of the increase in Texas population, including Santa Clara and Los Angeles counties, rounding out the top five are heavily urban areas in Arizona, Illinois, and Washington. Furthermore, in the past 20 years, 60 percent of the migration into Texas has come from other states, but the other 40 percent has been a result of international relocation.

Not surprisingly, a majority of these migrations were to the aptly named ‘Texas Triangle’—Austin/San Antonio, Dallas/Fort Worth, and Houston. However, data suggest more and more recent migrating home buyers are seeking homes in the suburbs. Post-pandemic demand shows a steady increase in property purchases in exurban communities, which tend to be even further removed from city centers and more rural.

Many of the fastest growing exurban communities are in Williamson County and, with growing technological investment in these areas, the housing market in Williamson and adjoining rural counties will likely also see an influx of out-of-state home buyers. This move away from city centers is already apparent, indicated by tech-heavy companies such as Samsung in Taylor and Firefly Aerospace in Cedar Park. Firefly Aerospace, originally founded in California, even partnered with city officials to offer $10,000 in cash to employees who purchase homes in Cedar Park.

ALWAYS TEXAN

The fastest growing regions in the ‘Texas Triangle’ are due to Texans moving in-state, which is understandable when you consider 82 percent of people born in Texas still live here. Williamson County, thanks to its blend of suburban and exurban communities, has seen a population increase of 44 percent since 2010 and in-state migration, coupled with the continuing influx of migration from California and other states and countries, suggests these areas will maintain that rapid growth. With post-COVID housing trends moving more and more toward suburban and exurban areas, the Williamson County Real Estate market looks to be facing an even larger stream of new home buyers not just from migration, but from within the Lone Star State itself.

While Californians represent a large percentage of those migrating to Texas during the COVID pandemic, data Suggests that out-of-state, in-state, and international migration is trending towards suburban and exurban communities.

TYLER WOLF

Tyler Wolf is the owner/founder of Wolf Real Estate. He is a third-generation Georgetown Real Estate businessman and Texas A&M graduate (Class of 2008). He is a devoted husband to Genny and proud parent of Addie and Olivia Wolf.