A white-tailed deer standing among prickly pear cactus at the edge of the pond, framed by live oaks.

Cedar Park · Williamson County, Texas

Save Breakaway Springs Park.

In 1990, 7.38 acres of pond and woods at the end of Chitina Court were deeded to Williamson County “exclusively for parks and recreational purposes.” In 2026, the County agreed to sell it as three home sites — without ever naming it in public.

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1990

Dedicated as parkland

A recorded deed, a signed acceptance by the County Judge, a 4–1 Commissioners Court vote, and three plats naming the County as owner of the park.

Feb 2026

Sold as “certain property”

The Commissioners Court approved a development agreement 5–0 with no address, parcel number, or attachment. Neighbors learned of it from a broker’s letter two months later.

Thinking of buying?

Read the record first

The deed, the plats, the County’s own title commitment, and the statutes that govern county parkland — collected for buyers, brokers, lenders and title companies, with every source linked.

The public record

The documents speak for themselves

The County’s agreement says the land “was never formally accepted” as parkland. Here is what the County’s own records say.

All 22 documents

October 30 – November 20, 1990

Warranty Deed, Park Land Acceptance, and the Commissioners Court Vote (1990)

Carolville, Ltd. conveys 7.38 acres to the County "exclusively for parks and recreational purposes"; County Judge Don Wilson signs a Park Land Acceptance; the Commissioners Court votes 4–1 to accept the deed.

Why it matters: The founding record: the park-use restriction, the County's own dedication language, the Judge's signed acceptance, and the Court's vote — the "proper official action" the County's 2026 agreement says never happened.

PDF · 6 pages · 0.6 MBSource W13 + N01Open ↗

April 1990 – January 1991

City of Austin Parkland Review: Key Records (1990–1991)

Austin's parkland reviewer required the deed, County acceptance, and recording before the plat could be approved — and Commissioner Heiligenstein's letter confirms the County "received and accepted" the land as park land.

Why it matters: Shows the park was a legal requirement of the subdivision, not a gift, and that the County told the City of Austin in writing that it had accepted the land.

PDF · 11 pages · 6.7 MBSource N15Open ↗

February 1991 – March 1995

The Three Recorded Plats (1991, 1994, 1995)

Three subdivision plats approved by Williamson County — and, for Section 3, by the City of Austin — each stating that the parkland requirement was satisfied by this tract and that Williamson County owns it.

Why it matters: Three times over five years, the County affirmed on the public record that it is "the owner of this approved parkland tract." The Section 3 plat also shows the deed's one-year condition was met.

PDF · 10 pages · 2.2 MBSource H20 + H18 + N14Open ↗

Signed February 13 (developer) and February 25, 2026 (County)

Development Agreement Between Williamson County and Skalmor, Inc. (Executed)

The contract to entitle and sell the park as residential lots: the developer prepares the subdivision, the County lists the land, and net proceeds are split 55% developer / 45% County.

Why it matters: Recites that the land "was never formally accepted or designated as parkland" and requires Carolville — the 1990 grantor — to sign a release of the park restrictions (Exhibit B). It cites the deed at "Page 449"; the deed is at Page 440.

PDF · 25 pages · 1.4 MBSource H24Open ↗

February 24, 2026

Item 71: What the Public Saw (February 24, 2026)

The agenda listing for Items 56 and 71 (pp. 1–2); Item 56's cover sheet with its full agreement attached (pp. 3–6); Item 71's cover sheet with nothing attached (pp. 7–8); and the minutes recording the 5–0 vote (p. 9).

Why it matters: Two development agreements on one agenda. One attached the contract and named the parties and the land. The other said "certain property owned by the County." This is everything a resident could have learned before the vote.

PDF · 9 pages · 0.3 MBSource H30 + W19 (extract)Open ↗

October 2025 – April 25, 2026

The Letter Residents Received — and the County Emails Behind It

The broker's letter announcing that the County "never accepted" the land as parkland and plans three residential lots — and the emails showing Commissioner Long wrote that sentence herself four days earlier.

Why it matters: This is how the neighborhood found out, two months after the vote. The County's own emails show who drafted the letter, that survey crews were sent before anyone was told, and that the Commissioner asked the broker to drop the County's outside counsel from the thread.

PDF · 12 pages · 1.4 MBSource H10 + W16Open ↗

Thirty-five years of use

A park, whatever the paperwork calls it

The neighborhood trail running straight through a tunnel of green trees.

Neighbors and kids wearing bunny ears on the trail during the spring egg hunt.

A blue painted rock resting on a fallen log beside the well-worn trail.

A neighbor photographing the frozen pond while two others stand at the edge of the ice.

More about the park →

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Contributions or gifts to Breakaway Springs Park Alliance are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes.