THRESHOLD RANCH

Fly home subdivision at
BOERNE STAGE FIELD {5C1}

A Project of Airland I, Inc.

HISTORY

Boerne Stage Field was established in 1984.  Recently repaved, lengthened and widened to dimensions of 4340 X 60, this lighted, instrument runway will accommodate most all General Aviation aircraft up to 40,000 pounds.  The field was established by Robert & Nancy Bruce, both pilots and advocates for G.A.  Nancy is a veteran pilot now 21 years with Southwest, serving as a Phoenix based Captain.  Bob has been self employed since 1974 in the media and took up flying in 1979.  He is a full time manager on the field and glider instructor.  The original land owners were cattle ranchers and held back this tract for grazing and taking cattle to market with a promise that on retirement they would offer the property first to the airport.  With that, friend and fellow pilot Keith Fleming joined Bob in a limited partnership to acquire the land just a few years ago. Threshold Ranch, LP is the developing company and sales agent.

      The property was very rural in 1984, but on the fringe of the growing areas of both San Antonio and Boerne.  This part of Boerne Stage Road still has its rural quality, with many of the larger properties being held by 2nd and 3rd generation estates, at least two of whom operate aircraft off the field.  Looking to the south in the above photo most areas are occupied as homesteads ranging in size from 10 to 100 acres.  There are only a couple of in tact working ranches in the region.  Most now are “ranchettes”, or “Gentlemen ranchers” as they call the commuters from town.  Registered horses are abundant.  George Strait’s San Antonio Rose Palace is near the corner of Boerne Stage Road & Scenic Loop, just 2.5 miles from the Field, and right next door is one of our favorites, the Scenic Loop Café.

      In the above view to final on runway 17 behind you about 1.5 miles is IH10 West, being the link between San Antonio and Boerne.  Off the end of the runway clear zone, south, just to the left you can see Boerne Stage Road.  Continue to the left on Boerne Stage and you come to the intersection with I-10 at Leon Springs {as the crow flies, about three miles off the screen to the left}.  Trip time from the airport on this link of 10 to Loop 1604 is about 10 minutes.  Less than 10 minutes more takes you to Loop 410.  Making a right turn on Boerne Stage departing the airport takes you to Boerne in about 5 minutes.  There are many terrific areas near the airfield, all within 20 minutes drive time, and they’re described in more detail below. SAT is a 25 minute drive off peak.

      When you depart runway 17 and start the climb out, soon you can see off in the distance the gently rolling farm land to the  west & southwest.  With even more altitude the terrain begins to clearly define the Balcones Fault line which lies east of Highway 90 and IH 35 to Austin.  Boerne Stage Field is about 11 miles inside the fault line, more or less.

LOCATION    LOCATION    LOCATION !

            We’ve sure got it.  This would be one of the most unique settings ever for a fly home subdivision.  Capturing the look and feel of a rural area, yet just minutes from the conveniences folks like most.  This particular stretch of I-10 is a great corridor as it’s the “gateway to the hill country”, a slogan Boerne has posted for years.  Fortunately for us, it has attracted quality developments for San Antonio and Boerne.  The University of Texas at San Antonio and Valero Energy both are located south at 1604 and I-10.  North of this major intersection just take a look at the entertainment and shopping 10 minutes from Threshold Ranch towards San Antonio:

 

 

A turn to the north leaving the field takes you to Boerne, pop. 7500:

 

·         Tractor Supply, necessary in this neck of the woods.

·         Wal-Mart Super Store.  Snubbed a little at first, but they’ve been a good neighbor, restoring an historic homestead in their parking lot which now       serves as the Boerne Visitors Center.  It’s a marvelous structure complete with old wells and tanks.

·         Boerne NAPA, locally owned.

·         Home Depot

·         Historic Boerne “Haupstrause” {Main Street} great restaurants and antique shops

·         Tapatio Springs nationally ranked top 10 golf course and resort

Midfield looking to the south

Midfield looking east southeast

Midfield looking to the north

THE PROPERTY

      The land is located generally midfield on the west side of the runway.  A new, parallel taxiway will serve the 14 lots that back up directly to the runway zone, attaching their drives to this taxiway and then proceeding to the active.  The lots off the runway will have back yard taxiways and will exit the subdivision midfield to join the active.  The lots on Boerne Stage Road will have the longest taxi to the active, but this yields a huge advantage in solving the problem of the spouse that’s said “I’ll never live on a runway”; because on this portion of the property you are situated on the prestigious and historic Boerne Stage Road and would never know there’s a runway virtually in your backyard.  This is also true of many interior lots.  Our quality covenants assure you’ll be in tune with the neighborhood and the area in general.  Some important building criteria include:

 

1.       100% masonry {brick, stone, stucco}

2.       Metal roofing {standing seam} or life tile

3.       50 feet front yard setback, 45 feet back yard setback [most lots, some corner and cul de sacs are different]

4.       Generally 15 feet side yard setback or 30 feet between homes minimum, 50 nominal

5.       Lot width averaging 120 feet, depth averaging 250-290 feet, more or less

6.       Hangars attached or detached but matching the home in look

7.       Rear or side entry garages

8.       Property line {perimeter} fencing greatly discouraged, but may be wrought iron “open air”; near yard fencing [patios, pools, privacy zones] wrought iron, stone or similar material that compliments the home

9.       Air-conditioned space minimum 2500 sq ft  [with 3 car garage and 40w hangar this is roughly a 4300 sq ft slab cut]

10.   Hangar space minimum 40 feet in width, 10 feet tail clearance; auto minimum 2 car, enclosed

11.   Commercial operations limited to self employed professionals that would normally operate out of a home office.

12.   No curbside parking for longer than 20 minutes.  No overnight curbside parking.  {Parties or celebratory occasions excepted.}

13.   Residents shall provide parking adequate for guests on the property.  {Parties or celebratory occasions excepted.}

14.   Fuel tanks are prohibited and storage of flammables is prohibited in any container larger than 20 gallons, and any container on the premises must be fire code approved.

15.   FBO services or aircraft maintenance for hire is prohibited and reserved exclusively to Boerne Stage Field fixed base operator.

Departing Rwy 17, manager’s home in background

View of new subdivision midfield looking to the west.

 

      This is about the largest aircraft we can handle comfortably.  95% of the operations currently are singles and a few twins and turboprops.  There is one proposed light jet to base here later this year.  The field requires all aircraft meet the Stage III noise limit criteria.  This easily accommodates most all piston engines and the latest designs in high bypass turbines.

      Looking at the view of the subdivision from midfield to the west {above right}, notice the treed area and just to the right some buildings.  This is the heart of the 14 lots that will back up to the runway; the main street that will front these lots and the lots across the street follows this tree line.  In the middle of the photo you can see a gravel road.  This road is located close to where the main entry road is being constructed.  Two feeders off this road will take you to the left in the field of coastal Bermuda for two streets serving the interior.  Below is an opposite view from the west looking east.

The heart of Threshold Ranch is mid field, where the old red barns can be seen.  If you follow the tree line to the left and right of the barns you’re following the main roadway that is roughly parallel to the runway, though it meanders quite a bit to preserve large oak trees.  On the opposite side of the runway the airport is reserving a small tract for future rental hangars.  In the far field of this photo to left you can see the homes at Fair Oaks Ranch, a 4000 acre golf course community that is now an incorporated city.

PRELIMINARY LOT PRICING

            Currently the engineering firm is processing our plat with the authorities, both city and county. Please open the plat files listed below for reference, note that lots 3-7 front Boerne Stage Road. Lots 29-41 have backyards that front the runway zone for direct access. Note we have two "block numbers". So that means there will be lots with the same numbers. For example, Block 3, Lot 1, or Block 4, Lot 1. Be sure you know the Block number when referencing a lot. We apologize if this is confusing at this point, we argued this block number thing with the local government, but they said is must be as it is.

You can make a lot reservation with a $5000 fully refundable {for any reason} deposit at this stage at the prediscounted pre-construction pricing in the attached Price.pdf file. The contract becomes firm upon recordation of the plat and notification to you within 30 days of the recording date. Those who purchase at this time should not need to build for at least a year [hence the early bird pricing], allowing time to complete the asphalt work on the roadways and water system; however, travel over the roads during the construction phase is possible on the road base material after it is applied. Buried electricity will be the last utility improvement made because that's the way they do it here. So water, telephone, and other utilities will be in place when the electricity is installed.

The "pre-construction" sale pricing will only be offered during this time frame now until summer 2008. For new lot owners, there is no time limit on when home construction must start, however, once started it must be completed in a timely fashion. You may not build a hangar first and home later without the approval of the current property owners and/or the Architectural Review Committee. If approved, the detached structure must correspond to the architectural finish of the proposed home, which implies at least an elevation of the proposed home [achitect's exterior rendition] must be known or available.

AERIAL OVERLAY VIEW

(Aerial view is a large file, allow time to download)

Threshold Ranch Plat 1 of 5
Threshold Ranch Plat 2 of 5
Threshold Ranch Plat 3 of 5
Threshold Ranch Plat 4 of 5
Threshold Ranch Plat 5 of 5

The photocopy below of the proposed plat can be viewed in detail on these .PDF files.  Page 1 is the cover sheet, the following 4 pages are the areas delineated in great detail.

Entry here from Boerne Stage Road

Runway 17-35 is here, parallel to the east property line of the subdivision.  Between the runway and this east line a parallel taxiway will be constructed.

The road that serves the runway lots continues north through the airport to the manager’s home and the loft-hangar area, and then crosses the end of the

runway to access other property.  There is also another feeder to the fuel farm that crosses the displaced threshold.

Instrument approach procedure .pdf RWY 17
Instrument approach procedure .pdf RWY 35
Airnav page
Google Locator

A personal note

                Boerne Stage Field has served a variety of aircraft types since its inception.  It is a general aviation facility.  Recently added were Jet A fuel and an instrument approach.  Many of the based customers here commute to work and need the procedure to stay on schedule.  The need for jet fuel was not as great, though a couple of great Jet A customers base here and more are anticipated in the next 10 years.  We want to serve those who enjoy their flying and understand that General Aviation encompasses everything from the new LSA category to the new Light Jets.  This field can serve all of them well, and will predominantly serve those that make up 90% of the entire fleet, being single engine aircraft.  There is a fair sized nest of glider guys, too, most of whom are airplane rated as well.  Many own and operate both.  {There is a deed restriction against unlicensed pilots and two cycle engine Ultralights, or any craft without an N number.}  We all know how to behave in the pattern, sequence ourselves for other aircraft already in the pattern, time ourselves to slip in on a straight-in, and see and avoid.  We clear and train newcomers if they’ve never been anywhere but a “big” airport in their flying lives.  If you operate a “hot” airplane, and you think all airspace around you is yours at the time you are in it, and you have difficulty mixing with others in the air within a few miles of the pattern, this might not be the place for you.  A home site at DFW might be more appropriate.  But all kidding aside, this is a happy campground, and the developers intend to keep it that way by selling property direct and by personally meeting all prospective builders to fully disclose the personality of Boerne Stage Field: A safe haven for General Aviation, permanently dedicated to all who love to fly, safely operated with care and consideration for all.