Bastrop named one of six 2019 ‘Great Places in Texas’ for its downtown neighborhood
2 Apr 2019
Bastrop was named one of six “Great Places in Texas” in 2019 for its downtown neighborhood by the state chapter of the American Planning Association.
Communities included in the Great Places in Texas list exemplify exceptional character and highlight the role planners and planning play in creating communities of lasting value, the Texas chapter of the APA said in its announcement Monday.
“We were honored to be chosen. We know that it’s a competitive contest, and it’s really great for our Planning Department to be recognized for doing good work by their peers, because as we all know, often your peers are your toughest critics,” Bastrop Mayor Connie Schroeder told the Advertiser.
“This is not something that was from work that was just done in the last week, or last year for that matter, it was because of the form based code, because of our comprehensive plan, because of our master transportation plan — all the major steps that the city has taken in the planning process to assure that we remain a great place in the state of Texas,” she said.
This year marks the Great Places in Texas program’s third year, which is modeled after the APA’s Great Places in America program. Through Great Places in Texas, the APA’s state chapter recognizes unique and authentic characteristics found in three components of all communities: streets, neighborhoods and public spaces.
Bastrop was recognized in the great neighborhood category for its downtown neighborhood, which is centered around a nationally designated historic district along the banks of the Colorado River. According to the Great Places in Texas program, a cluster of imported rustic buildings in downtown Bastrop blend urban form with nature between the historic core and the river, providing dining, recreation and shopping opportunities built into the hillside toward the river bank.
Chet Garner, the creator, executive producer, writer, editor and host of “The Daytripper,” a travel show that airs on PBS, has partnered with the Great Places in Texas program and will help in increasing exposure for the communities named on the Great Places list.
Read the full article at Statesman.com.
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