ETTL News & Views
Volume 12 • Spring 2004 Newsletter
The new electronic version of ETTL's Newsletter … Keeping you up to date on
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Taking Densities at Safari Waters Ranch
Amidst the Zebras, Deer, Elk … and Homeowners

Not that there are many homeowners currently at Safari Waters; but the home sites are selling like hotcakes. And the animals are already there, free-roaming, very much at home. They'll be sharing 1750+ highly wooded acres and some surprisingly lovely spring-fed lakes (three good-sized ones, plus a number of ponds) with the newly arriving humans as they (the humans) gradually build their own homes and move in.

We (your editor) heard about this unique development because ETTL had been called upon to take densities along some 20 miles of macadam roads being built for use by property owners and guests inside Safari Waters' electric gates. The gates and a number of cattle guards just inside not only provide privacy, but keep the 15 fallow deer (two are at above right), 35 elk, 30 axis deer, 165 white tail deer, and 15 zebras (above center) from wandering into the dangerous world outside. A game biologist is on the project's staff. A number of families of Canadian geese also have chosen to live on the premises year-round.
We thought all this might make an interesting story for News & Views; so we drove down the other day to find out a bit more about the project from Scott Pruett, an affable and cooperative member of the Safari Waters sales staff. It's a 45-minute trip from Tyler to the Piney Woods area where the project is located, about 7 miles southeast of the pleasant town of Athens.
At about the same time, two ETTL technicians arrived to take a final series of densities.
We won't go into the pricing of the available lots at Safari Waters Ranch, other than to say that the billboard at left made us blink when we drove in. "We figured things would be a lot more expensive," we said to Scott Pruett, after meeting him at the welcome center, shaking his hand, and snapping a picture of the billboard.
"Well," Scott said, "we have 2-acre plots, mostly wooded, with prices like that. And we have 5-acre plots, and 1-acre lakefront plots; they start at higher levels."
We climbed into Scott's pickup to take an exploratory tour.
"How big a house do you have to build, once you buy a plot?" we asked.
"A minimum of 1600 square feet. But they also can be as large as you want." While we mulled this over, he drove through the entrance gate and we bumped slowly across a cattle guard onto a firmly packed dirt road. "These roads will all be paved," Scott said. "Your guys are taking densities along some final stretches right now."
A few moments later we stopped at an open meadow where a number of zebras eyed us somewhat skeptically. "The zebras like this area. They're around here a lot. But they're a bit shy."
"Where did you get hold of all your animals?"
"We didn't," he said. "They were already here."
"Including the zebras?"
"Yes. They belonged to the previous owner. His name is Jim Toler; a very wealthy man. He kept them here for his grandchildren's and his own pleasure. Our company bought them along with the property. Once all the lots are sold, the owners will have their own property owners association; and they'll run the Ranch themselves."
At this point we drove across a dam at the foot of a sizable lake. "This is one of the two fishing lakes," Scott told us. "They are stocked with quite a variety. There's also a recreational lake. Two of the lakes are in the 50-acre size range; and the other's about 25 acres. So there's three good-sized dams on the property." As we drove on, he pointed out several homes being constructed among the trees. "Most buyers are from the Dallas area. Some are planning to retire here, sooner or later. Some will be building secondary homes: vacation places. Others will be building their main home and live here."
"With the animals?"
"It's common property as far as the animals are concerned! They're free to roam."
"Who's behind your parent organization?" we asked.
"Texas Land & Lakes? It's owned by Marcus Smith. He's been involved in lots of developments. I think this is just about his favorite one. We're all pretty excited about it. It's a real pretty place."
And it is!
Not long after, we reached a stretch of winding soil road that was undergoing final compacting. If it meets density specifications, it will become the subgrade of a final asphalt road. The roller can be seen in the photo at left below. The ETTL technicians' truck is in the foreground.

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