Two new subdivisions will impact the Caney Creek area and bring in many new students.

Airia Development announced a new subdivision was being built near the intersection of Texas 242 and FM 1314 called Star Ridge. The Star Ridge subdivision will have approximately 5,000 homes and will begin to move people in in about two years, according to Conroe’s Director of Community Development Nancy Mikeska.

“The subdivision has 1,589 acres in it,” Mikeska said. “Once people start moving in, it will (grow) fast.”

Another subdivision being built will be the Granger Pines. This subdivision will be built off of FM 3083 and Gulf Coast Road. It will fill up 460 acres of land with approximately 1,300 new houses.

With this many homes being brought in, it is expected to have an increase in the school population, as well as commercial buildings being built around our area, according to Principal Dr. Jeff Stichler.

“I think it’ll slowly grow our school,” Stichler said. “We don’t have to ‘poof’ overnight now that we have a new subdivision.”

With more people in our school, many of the vacant classrooms will be put to use and the sports and activities that perform for University Interscholastic League will be moved up a class, according to UIL’s rules and requirements.

“UIL member schools are divided into six conferences according to enrollment. Conferences, in order of enrollment, are 6A, 5A, 4A, 3A, 2A and 1A,” the UIL’s official website states.

Currently the school is a 5A conference, with 2,082 students. But once more students begin to move in, the school will move up to a 6A, UIL’s largest conference.

This will likely make Caney Creek compete against schools in similar size schools to Conroe High School, The Woodlands High School, The Woodlands College Park High School and Oak Ridge High School.

“As we get more kids coming in, we would expect to have more of a selection for different sports for who plays on their team,” Stichler said. “So, hopefully we will be getting better as well

The subdivision will be completed and become part of the City of Conroe in about 15-20 years. This will take a long time because of how many municipal utility district’s it encompasses, Mikeska said. The subdivision will be built on top of the MUD districts of 157, 158, 111, and 106.

“Because of the strategic partnership between them, it will eventually become part of the City of Conroe,” Mikeska said.

As well adding onto the school’s population, this development will also bring in a large amount of local and chain commercial businesses, according to Mikeska. She also says that the area can expect an increase of fast food restaurants first, and then be followed slowly by grocery stores and everyday use stores.

There will be an increase of traffic, new elementary/middle schools and a slow economic growth in the area, according to Mikeska.