Category: blog

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Club Remorse

by Katherine Peake

After the “Developers, pants first, then shoes” article, I received a phone call from a couple who had bought property in one of the condominium development projects and now had buyer’s regret. You might get the same mailings and emails that I do.

These developments look so appealing. They’re attractive renderings and advertisements of “all-inclusive world-class amenities” like a resort-style pools and splash pads, hot tubs, yoga studios, amphitheaters, pickle ball courts, fire pits and eye-catching common areas. It also sounds urgent, “one day only specials” and most importantly, it sounds affordable, with home sites starting at $159,900. For Fredericksburg, where the median home listing price is almost $800,000, that sounds like a real deal.

So why do they have buyer’s regret? “We were promised we could start building in August”, But sadly, they didn’t get this in writing and the 210 page condominium rules had proved overwhelming. Did you know that they didn’t have a TCEQ waste water permit yet? Well, no, they didn’t. So, if you’re thinking of buying in one of these developments, to avoid buyer’s remorse, start
 with a few questions.

ASK: Is this in the City or County? County rules are much more lax, and developers like less rules, but issues of utilities, especially water availability and waste water treatment are more complicated because they aren’t provided by the City.

ASK: Where will the water come from? Is the development currently in a Critical Groundwater Depletion Area? Has a Stage 4 Drought been declared? Does you have a commercial well permit? For how much water? How is this measured? Can groundwater be used to fill the “resort-style” pool? Will there be limitations on my water use? If nearby wells start to go dry, can other landowners sue me personally?

ASK: How will the waste be handled? Will there be a septic system or wastewater discharge? Do these need a permit? Who gives these permits? Does the development already have a permit for this? If not, how long will it take? Does the community have environmental concerns about waste water discharge? Who would I talk with to find out more about this?

ASK: Is any part of the development in the flood zone? Understanding that there are different flood zone maps, ASK which one is the developer using. Are there other maps that show the land is in the flood zone?

ASK: When will the developers be turning over the running of the development to the Homeowners Association (HOA)? Will the developers be long gone at this point? Will the HOA be responsible for water shortages, permitting and water use violations? Will the HOA be responsible for running the waste water treatment plant?

ASK: How much will the initial monthly fee be? Does the HOA have the right to fine me if I violate one of their rules? Can the rules be changed? How? Who determines if a rule is broken? What happens if I can’t or don’t pay it? Can the Condo Association put a lien on my property? What happens if there’s a problem with the waste water treatment system, the swimming pool, the amenities? Who is responsible? The bottom line and my advice is READ EVERYTHING, ASK LOTS OF QUESTIONS, get answers in writing and read the 210 page document. Carefully. At least twice.

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Citizens Stand Up & Speak Up for the Pedernales River

On Jun 13, 2024, a large crowd of Gillespie County citizens showed up to ask questions and make comments to Developers of the Village – Fredericksburg (formerly known as the Village at Grape Creek) and TCEQ. The Village has applied for a permit to pollute  – to dump 20,000 gallons of treated wastewater into Beckman Branch (just west of Jenschke Lane off Hwy 290.)

It was clear that no citizens present in the room were supportive of the permit. Many were angry at the thought the dumping that would be approved by the permit. Some concerns were odor, pollution of the aquifers, pollution of local wells, the density of the development, noise, flooding potential, and more. Many cited the years and generations of their families who have lived on the Pedernales River and the importance of the River to them.

As expected, there were two opportunities to speak. The first was supposed to last for 1 hour but went well over. During the first comment time, people lined up to speak. It was an informal time when they could ask questions of the Developers or TCEQ. During this Informal time, the Developers or TCEQ attempted to answer questions. During the second time, Formal Comments were recorded for the record. TCEQ or the Developer will formally respond in writing via US post to each comment/question that was submitted.

Now that the formal comment time has expired, all comments/questions that were submitted online or by fax or mail or during the Formal Comment period at this meeting, will be answered. Upon answering these questions, TCEQ will make the decision to approve or disapprove the permit. We hope that the permit will be disapproved or that the Developers will decide to drop this permit in exchange for a No Discharge Permit. Until we hear one way or another, we wait.

Thank-you for caring enough to show up and speak up. Please continue to conserve water as we are still in drought conditions, pick up trash along roads and at river crossings. Take good care of the Pedernales River – there is non other like it.

 

 

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Texas Standard Interview with HCA’s Katherine Romans

By Michael MarksFebruary 9, 2024 2:47 pm

There’s a new luxury development coming to the Hill Country. CB Wine Tourism – a Mexican real estate company – purchased 218 acres between Fredericksburg and Johnson City to build homes, a spa, restaurants and retail amid the numerous wineries along Highway 290.

Projects of this kind have become more common in the beautiful, rural area just west of Austin and San Antonio. The development, however, raises major concerns about its future.

Katherine Romans, executive director of the Hill Country Alliance, spoke to the Texas Standard about what’s driving growth in the area. 

This transcript has been edited lightly for clarity:

Texas Standard: So for folks who may not be familiar, can you just describe the kind of population growth that the Hill Country has experienced in the past decade or so? 

Katherine Romans: When we think about the things that really define the Hill Country, it both is defined by its natural resources, its stunning scenery, but also its growth. It routinely falls among the fastest growing places in the entire country, especially close to the I-35 corridor, where you have communities like Hays County, Comal County and Kendall County that have been among the top 10 fastest-growing counties in the country for years now. 

Did this accelerate as far as you can tell during the pandemic? 

Absolutely. I think people kind of intuitively felt that acceleration during the pandemic. And it stands to reason, because a lot of people during the pandemic were really looking for connection to nature, looking for space.

The number of transactions of land sales that were happening during and immediately after the pandemic, the cost of land in the Hill Country really accelerated dramatically. We’ve seen a little bit of a leveling off, but we know that the developments that were kind of started in the pandemic are only going to continue to come online. 

So who, if anyone, is trying to manage this explosive growth?

Yeah, it’s a great question. Because a lot of folks would intuitively say we don’t have the the resources to support this level of growth. We are a region that is really defined by drought and has limited surface waters, as well as limited aquifer resources. And so there are a lot of folks concerned about the rate of growth that we’re seeing.

Unfortunately, in the state of Texas, we’re the only state in the country where outside of incorporated municipalities, we really have very few tools to plan for and manage growth. So we are the only state in the country where counties don’t have anything in the way of land use management tools.

And so that means that when development is happening outside of incorporated communities, whether those are urban areas like Austin or San Antonio or more rural communities like Johnson City or Fredericksburg, there’s not a lot that the county commissioners court can do to direct or guide growth in a way that’s beneficial for the communities.

So we’ve done some research into just how much of the growth that we’re seeing in the region is happening in those unincorporated areas, and it turns out that most of the growth that we’re seeing is happening in counties. 

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Who are the sorts of people moving here? Are they people who are able to work remotely? Are they are retirees? Are they folks who want a second home and are out there all the time? All those kinds of people? 

I think it’s a little of all of those kinds of people, for sure: More and more folks who are looking to have their kind of country getaway, especially as the cities of Austin, San Antonio and the I-35 corridor are growing. Folks really want, you know, their weekend retreat in the Hill Country.

I get this sense a lot when I talk to long time landowners, multi-generational Central Texas, families that feel kind of the loss of connection, the loss of community, of knowing your neighbors. With new folks, especially those who aren’t there all the time, it’s just a challenge.

In some places that may not be seeing their permanent population, their census numbers, growing up dramatically, they may still be feeling the impacts of growth, which is the same number of new rooftops and driveways and infrastructure required to support those homes, even if they’re not getting the population growth itself. 

What else gives you optimism when you think about the future of this region and its resources? 

That central fact that folks are called to the Hill Country because of the quality of life that we enjoy here, the flowing rivers and creeks, the rural communities and charming downtowns – I feel like that, you know, intrinsically makes a really strong community of advocates that can speak up when we do see problematic impacts of development.

And so we’ve seen just a huge expansion in the number of grassroots community groups that are working across the region, whether they be dedicated to a specific issue, like the protection of the Llano River or working to raise awareness of the importance of our dark skies and our view of the Milky Way. There’s just a broad diversity of folks who are coming together with a shared interest in the conservation of the Hill Country. That gives me a lot of optimism. 

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Discharging Treated Effluent into Hill Country Streams and Creeks – Myths and Truths

The Hill Country Alliance (HCA) is a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to raise public awareness and build community support around the need to preserve the natural resources and heritage of the Central Texas Hill Country. They create resources, conversations and forums for landowners, neighbors, elected officials and all concerned citizens. The Pedernales River Alliance partners with HCA. The below content was extracted from a Hill Country Alliance flyer:

Iconic swimming holes from Jacob’s Well to Barton Springs start from stored groundwater reserves below and go on to supply some of the most beautiful treasures of the Hill Country – our crystal-clear rivers and their networks of rocky streams and creeks.

These beautiful natural resources are just as enticing to new development as they are sensitive to change. As development expands into pristine sections of the Hill Country our water needs will follow. Freshwater must be supplied, and our sewage must be treated and either disposed of or reused. Because new development is often too dense to rely on septic tanks as a solution, wastewater is most often treated through sewage treatment plants. Sewage treatment plants then are faced with the decision to either use wastewater effluent produced by our communities on-site for irrigation or to simply discharge treated wastewater into a neighboring stream.

At this time, we are seeing a proliferation of permit applications across the Hill Country to discharge treated effluent directly into Hill Country waterbodies. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s (TCEQ) range of treatment and disposal permit standards are suitable for most of the state’s waterways, but do not take into account the inability of our smaller Hill Country rivers and streams to process added levels of nutrients – including algae-producing phosphates and nitrates – found in even highly treated effluent.

Myths and Truths

TRUTH: Treated effluent may look cleaner because modern sewage treatment plants do a good job of scrubbing the suspended particulates that make dirty water cloudy. However, even effluent treated to drinking water standards has more nutrients - like phosphorus and nitrogen (which are notorious for producing algae blooms) – than what many of our clear, rocky-bottomed streams can handle. Furthermore, current drinking water standards do not require the removal of pharmaceuticals, micro-plastics, and personal healthcare residuals that are found in treated effluent.Accordion Sample Description

TRUTH: State agents inspect sewage treatment plants for mechanical compliance only infrequently or in response to complaints. Treatment plants are required to self-test to ensure they are complying with TCEQ permit requirements, but the only time the TCEQ makes water quality tests is when a downstream property owner files an odor or water pollution complaint. Usually, repairs are only completed after a stream has been overloaded with improperly treated sewage.

TRUTH: Many streams across the country are to some degree “self-cleaning” due to adequate flow throughout the year and riparian environments capable of processing nutrients. However, the Hill Country has few rivers or streams with the capacity to remove added organic contaminants, since most of our creeks and streams do not flow for many months at a time and lack the biological capability to provide natural clean-up services. Additionally, no streams in the Hill Country are capable of “cleaning” non-organic pollutants like petroleum, pharmaceuticals, and other non-organic chemicals without adverse impacts to aquatic life. It is also important to note that while large rainfall events deliver contaminants to water bodies, they do so sporadically; effluent discharges occur every day, even when streams may have little or no natural flow.

TRUTH:  Many of our Hill Country creeks and streams act as direct recharge conduits to our aquifers, which supply our drinking water. In the case of at least one Hill Country sewage treatment plant, the discharge pipe is less than a mile upstream from an aquifer recharge feature in the bed of the creek. These streambed recharge features often provide a more direct path to groundwater than the soil surrounding our wells. Furthermore, soils can provide an additional filtration opportunity when treated effluent is used for irrigation purposes. When effluent is applied to the land there is more opportunity for soil, sunlight, plants, and microbes to further reduce contaminants and nutrients in effluent before they come directly in contact with our streams and aquifers.

TRUTH:  Most of our smaller Hill Country streams are highly oxygenated and have less than perceptible organic nutrient loads. That is why they are so clear and fresh. The majority of our native flora and fauna thrive in these creeks due to millions of years of evolutionary adaptation. The contamination of our creeks with even the minimum TCEQ allowable nutrient loads create an environment ripe for damaging algae blooms that degrade water quality and limit access to streams for both humans and wildlife. Algal blooms deplete oxygen levels in our streams and result in fish and other aquatic biota die-offs, which throw natural biological systems out of order. These malfunctioning biological systems can be an open invitation to harmful invasive species.

TRUTH: Recent research of EPA databases show that between 2016 and 2018, of the 48 Hill Country sewage treatment plants, there were 411 violations. TCEQ reported a recent dump of concentrated effluent sludge into the South San Gabriel River that caused a massive 3.6-mile-long algae bloom that resulted in fish kills downstream. Sewage treatment plants regularly malfunction due to mechanical failure or operations error. Some waterways are better equipped to dilute and assimilate those spills than others, but the majority of our Hill Country streams do not have the capacity to quickly recover.

TRUTH Affected property owners have the right to submit written comments to the TCEQ in order to state their objections or concerns. However, because there is no disclosure or notification requirement, many property owners are not aware of the discharge until permits have been issued and the treatment
plant is built. If a property owner is affected by a proposed discharge, they may file a contested case hearing at the State’s Office of Administrative Hearing (SOAH) Court. Even after this lengthy legal process, the TCEQ Commissioners are not required to follow SOAH Court rulings and may overturn the ruling in favor of the discharger.

TRUTH: Some of the fastest growing and most prosperous areas of the Hill Country already prohibit the discharge of any effluent into streams or rivers. The TCEQ created and enforces specific, no-discharge rules to protect both the Highland Lakes and the recharge zones of the Edwards Aquifer in order to allow growth while also protecting valuable water resources. While these rules cover the recharge zone, they do not extend to the contributing zone of the Edwards Aquifer – despite the fact that water quality in the contributing zone directly impacts the quality of water recharging the aquifer.

A Final TRUTH: In most sections of the Hill Country the best solution for managing treated effluent is by beneficially reusing that water for purposes that do not require potable, or pure drinking water. As wholesale prices for water in some parts of the Hill Country explode, utilities are beginning to understand that any grade of water is too valuable to release down the river as “waste.” Many are reusing or re-selling their treated effluent to ranchers for pasture crops or to municipalities for parks and common area irrigation. These willing buyers are aware of the cost benefit of paying less than drinking water prices for appropriate, non-potable uses.

This HCA Flyer can be found online at https://hillcountryalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/WaterResourceMythsIP.pdf

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Say “Yes!” to Low Impact Developments

When I first heard the phrase “Low Impact Development,” I thought it was referencing a low speed 2-car crash. The way things are these days with plastic bumpers, I really thought the development concerned crumbled bumpers on both cars. Imagine my chagrin when I learned that Low Impact Development has a completely different meaning.

Low Impact Development (LID) is a term to describe a land planning and engineering design approach to manage stormwater runoff as part of green infrastructure. LID emphasizes conservation and use of on-site natural features to protect water quality. LID practices use or mimic natural processes that result in the infiltration, evapotranspiration or use of stormwater in order to protect water quality and associated aquatic habitat. Even that sounds like a mouthful.

Maybe a better way to approach this is to ask, “What are the practices of LID?” Here are a few:

      • Rain gardens and swales
      • Rainwater harvesting
      • Wetland creation and preservation
      • Use of pervious surfaces
      • Stream setbacks and riparian buffer zones
      • Preservation of tree canopies
      • Green corridor preservation
      • Greenroofs
      • Keeping development densities low

Aha! Now I get it. When you know how water flows across your land, you can make good choices to slow the flow of water so that it can soak into the ground and down to the aquifer.

When you discover a wetland on your property you can take steps to preserve it.

When you stare out the kitchen window planning the new patio, you can choose to forgo a concrete surface for one that will allow water to soak into the earth.

If you are fortunate enough to own land on the river or on a creek, you can allow the river or creekbanks to “go back to nature.”

When you walk the land and count the trees, you plan for ways to keep all of the trees–the tall ones, the small ones and every tree in between. Somehow, you realize that the Texas Persimmon, the Mt. Laurels and the various sumacs are needed as much as the trees.

You dream of turning your roof into a garden but more than anything, you know that subdivision down the road has reduced lot sizes to 1/10th of an acre so that the developer can cram more houses into a small space and it feels like you can do nothing to change the impending crunch.

A Low Impact Development is not about one thing alone but rather about how you approach the use of land.  If you value the land, you will do all we can to preserve it.

You’ll do all all the things that will get you labeled  a “tree hugger.”

You’ll do everything possible to limit runoff, slow the flow and conserve water. You will support stream setbacks and buffer zones along the river and creeks.   

More importantly, you will raise your voice in opposition to tiny lots and high density neighborhoods.

High density developments with no eye to the future are the Developers’ choice but it does not have to be your choice. You can support strengthening of sub-division rules for Gillespie County.

You can boldly encourage and practice water conservation even when it is raining.

You can join the Native Plant Society of Texas and learn how to xeriscape or wildscape your lawns and then do it.

You can vote for candidates who put conservation first.

Maybe Low Impact Developments are a little like a slow speed 2-car crash in the sense  that they are in direct opposition to those who would use up Hill Country resources  with little or no remorse, a clash of values. Where do you stand?

https://pedernalesriveralliance.org/

 

 

 

 

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Getting Ready for Winter Water Conservation

Winter is coming! Consider taking a few steps to “winterize” your house so that when winter arrives, your pipes, faucets and wells will be ready.

Outdoor water faucets, especially ones facing north, can freeze and burst leading to a huge mess and a waste of water. You can buy simple fiberglass pipe sleeves, foam and faucet covers at most hardware stores and install it now rather than waiting until a freeze is upon us.

If you own a home that is on pier and beam, you should look at insulating water pipes that might be exposed to the elements as well.

Also, in case of water emergency, you need to be ready to turn off your water at the meter. The tool you’ll use is called a “water meter valve key” and you can get those at local hardware stores. Hopefully you’ll never need it, but it can save lots of damage to your home if you can get the water shut off immediately when a water line is broken and leaking.

Speaking of leaking water, now is also a good time to check for any plumbing leaks or dripping faucets. Fixing leaks is probably the best step you can take to save water and extra dollars on your water bill this winter.

Next, if you have an automatic sprinkler system, turn it off. We are way past the growing season and any kind of small outdoor watering needs you may have should be handled with a hose. And even though you might have the hose out, please don’t use it to “sweep” leaves off of driveways and sidewalks. Rake those leaves into flower beds where they can mulch.

Finally, make sure all family members are using good water-saving habits. Taking shorter showers, not running the water while you brush your teeth, and washing only full loads of clothes and dishes are all key components of a water efficient household.

For those who have a well, the following is a great article from www.WellOwner.org. This important advice could help save you lots of trouble if extreme cold weather appears on the radar over the next few months.

Protect Your Pump

Many well systems are buried deep underground, which provides protection from the cold. But for well owners with above ground plumbing, action should be taken to keep the system insulated and warm. Constructing a small insulated enclosure or pump house that covers the plumbing will help keep the system above 32 degrees and reduce the risk of freezing and other damage. This small “pump house” can save thousands of dollars in repairs and ensure a well operates throughout a cold winter. 

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Exploding development in Gillespie County

Katherine Peake
Author: Katherine Peake 
Published in the Fredericksburg Standard, 12/06/2023

Aquifers, rivers need high consideration along with growth

“Everyone is concerned about the explosion of growth”, said Paul Tybor, General Manager of the Hill Country Underground Water Conservation District.

The current rate of growth and development is staggering as 7,588 new lots/units are proposed or under construction, according to the Gillespie County Economic Development Commission.

Multifamily housing (1,897 units), single family long-term rentals (358 units), single family residential subdivisions (1,121 lots), condominiums and townhomes (170 units), rural subdivisions (361 lots) hotels (1,314 units) STR complexes (133 units), and RV/Tiny Homes (2,234 units) make up the list of potential developments.

While all growth is not bad, the impact of this frenzied development will affect the availability of water in our existing wells and aquifers as well as pollute our rivers and streams.

Granted, not all the projects will be built, but Gillespie County is in the sights of promoters and developers. The recent mass gathering permit request for 30,000 visitors for a music festival near Albert is an example. Thankfully, the County Judge recently denied the application.

Who regulates this explosive growth? In Fredericksburg, the city has authority and provides water and sewer services.

In the county, regulatory authority to is much more limited. Gillespie County Judge and County Commissioners, along with the County Engineer, are reworking the County Subdivision Ordinance, but developers are cleverly finding workarounds.

Protecting the aquifers and groundwater resources is the job of the Hill Country Underground Water Conservation District (HCUWCD). It regulates water wells by permitting and regulations. The website https://hcuwcd.org/ has more information.

Developers may not get all the water they request especially if they are planning “lazy river” features and vanity lakes.

Protecting our rivers and streams is the job of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).

It regulates and approves wastewater discharge permits, which are effectively permissions to pollute.

Currently, one pending development has requested to discharge 2,000 gallons per day into a dry creek leading to the Pedernales River.

Two more waste discharge applications are rumored to be filed soon. The TCEQ process is complicated, but public participation is allowed and encouraged when discharge permits may pollute rivers and streams.

While there is no coordinated oversight of this explosive growth, a group of your concerned neighbors has formed The Pedernales River Alliance to gather at a website.

Visit https://www.pedernalesriveralliance. org/ to keep informed.

Peake is a former Fredericksburg resident and municipal judge, now residing in Blanco County. She has been active in conservationrelated causes.

 
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Water. Can’t live without it. But are you able to live with less? 

Deb Youngblood

Author: Deb Youngblood

On a recent visit with Kris Kneese, Director of Public Works & Utilities for the city of Fredericksburg, I learned the latest estimate of per person per day use of water in Fredericksburg is 200 gallons (about the volume of a large refrigerator).  

Something else I learned from Kris is that every person who gets their water from the city can go online and check their own water consumption. Do you know yours? If not, it is time to check. Why, you may ask, do you need to reduce water consumption?  

Have you noticed how much construction is ongoing: apartments, duplexes, townhomes, and condominiums? To date 1024 units have been recently completed or are under construction or have been approved but have not yet started construction.* When all of these are completed, you can expect the population to jump as most of these units are for families. Daily water consumption will rise but it is up to us if it will rise by 200 gallons per person or a more tolerable 120 (or fewer) gallons per person. 

Consider that we are in a drought and the Ellenberger aquifer, our main source of drinking water in this county, is experiencing depletion at a significant enough rate that the Hill Country Underground Water Conservation District declared the Ellenberger aquifer to be in a Critical Groundwater Depletion Area Category One Classification. This means that the ability of the aquifer to provide sustainable yields at normal usage rates is seriously impaired.** If everyone keeps using water at our current rate, our aquifer may not be able to provide 200 gallons of water per day to each of us. Add a significant increase in our population and the problem is compounded.  

Where will the water come from for the anticipated increase in our population? There is no magical solution, no mysteriously abundant aquifer nearby, no remnants of a hurricane that will solve this for us. Even if it rains tomorrow, the drought will continue until this cycle of drought is done and rains come once again in abundance. Those who have lived here for many years know the cycle well – the rains will come, followed inevitably, at some point, by another drought and so on. Rain and drought cycles are the norm for the Texas Hill Country. While we can and should store rainwater when there is an excess, the most vital and cost-effective means of providing water to our increasing population is through water conservation. The water that we do not use is our most valuable resource.  

Water conservation begins with you. Once you know what your level of water consumption is, you will know if you need to adjust your water usage down a notch or two. There are many ways to save water and the most important is to be intentional about our water use. If you are intentional about turning off faucets, fixing leaks, timing showers, harvesting rainwater, planting native plants, and actively looking for every conceivable way to save, you will save. Water conservation is here to stay; it is a necessity because no one is making more water. If everyone is to have water in the future, we must all use less water.  

Be a good neighbor, start conserving water now. 

 

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Village at Grape Creek: Request for a Public Hearing

Public meetings enable the public to learn about the application, ask questions of the applicant and the TCEQ, and offer formal comments. No decision to approve or deny an application is made at a public meeting. (See information about the Village at Grape Creek permit application at https://www.pedernalesriveralliance.org/village-at-grape-creek/ )

The TCEQ will hold a public meeting

  • if there is significant interest in an application (your comments and questions submitted to TCEQ will help indicate significant interest.)
  • if a legislator from the area of the proposed project requests one (See legislators contact info below.)
  • if a meeting is otherwise required by law.
  • On certain air applications, the TCEQ will also hold a public meeting if an interested person requests one.

A request for a public meeting must be submitted to the chief clerk during the public comment period and must specify that it is a request for a “public meeting.” A request for a “public hearing” will be considered a request for a contested case hearing, and not a request for a public meeting.,

Please email, call and write Sen. Pete Flores- TX Senate Dist. 24 https://www.senate.texas.gov/memberform.php?auth=nn689VTry1+/0gkh81Ni1jFuA9Zg+vNdSIPU8ALQIoQ6XzpfOtPa1jpPTGwEmdSqjt4AU0if8zam4M38f7cz6rX0IPDXDxWTOnw6fDoCtZjzXz7kGxvjbm7lj01e&lang=en 
Representative Ellen Troxclair Tx. House Dist.19 https://www.house.texas.gov/members/member-page/email/?district=19 

to ask them to request a public hearing.  

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Village at Grape Creek

Recently, we learned of a new development. The location of this development is Jenschke Lane and 290 appox. It looks like it will have an entrance on Hwy 290 that will be west of the museum.

Current plans call for 185 lots. Some will be small homes, some tiny homes and some single room cabins (simulated hotel rooms/small cabins with bed and bath) for overnight stays. 

Our concern at the Pedernales River Alliance is that they are requesting a permit to discharge 20,000 gallons of treated wastewater (sewage) into “an unnamed tributary” of the Pedernales River.  Peak flow may be as great as 50,000 gallons/day (attachment 5 in the application.) 

The application for this permit is available for review at the Library in Fredericksburg. It is at the reference desk and you have to ask to see it. The librarian has it. You can take it to a table and read it and you may copy it  or any portion of it, if you choose. Or you can read it online at Village at Grape Creek Permit Application.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) is the state entity that will approve/disapprove the permit.

You can make comments citing why dumping 20-50,000 gallons into a dry creek bed that will eventually flow into into the Pedernales is not a great idea. Specifically, they may be dumping into a dry creek bed but it will sit in that dry creek bed, evaporate, accumulate, and, when it rains, this concentrate will be washed into the Pedernales.

If you grew up along this creek your comments are especially valuable. Tell TCEQ what this little tributary meant to you growing up.

In addition to voicing your opinion about this development, you may also ask questions about the following topics and more:

    • Flooding – Is the development on the flood plain?
    • Flooding – Is the development on the 100 year flood plain?
    • Where will runoff be directed when it rains?
    • What will the impact be on adjacent wetlands (See the Fema map @ https://msc.fema.gov/portal/search?AddressQuery=-98.7094%2030.21314) ?
    • Will there be a traffic light installed on Hwy 290?
    • Will the developer be required to install lighting supportive of Dark Skies?
    • Will the developer be required to preserve trees already existing on the land?
    • Will the developer be required to restore the understory that has been cleared from the creek banks?
    • Will streets and sidewalks in the development be permeable?
    • Will dumping treated sewage into the creekbed smell?
    • Will it be safe for children to play in the creekbed where the treated sewage will be dumped?
    • Where will water come from for this subdivision and will it affect my well? 
    • What will be done to ensure emergency vehicles can enter/depart the development without hindrance?
The URL for making comments is https://www14.tceq.texas.gov/epic/eComment/  and you will need to enter the wastewater permit application number which is WQ0016363001.
 
After entering the permit application number, please take note of the information just below about receiving an email from TCEQ acknowledging receipt of your comments. 
 
You will also be asked for your name, address, phone and email; It is recommended that you type out your comments and questions about the wastewater permit beforehand so that all you have to do is copy/paste.
 
Important: Be sure to ask for a public hearing on this request, especially if you live adjacent to the development or the dry creek. See information on how to do this at https://www.pedernalesriveralliance.org/village-at-grape-creek-request-for-a-public-hearing/
 
Once all is done, proofread and hit the Submit button. If you do not receive an email from TCEQ acknowledging receipt of your comments within an hour, go back and re-enter your comments. 
 
Thank-you for submitting your comments and questions to TCEQ. The more who do so, the more impact all the comments and questions will have.
 
 
 
 
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Proposed Private Dam on the South Llano

See this article to learn about the proposed private dam on the South Llano River in Edwards County.

https://www.kxan.com/texas-water/houston-oil-executive-wants-to-build-private-dam-for-recreation-on-south-llano-river/?utm_source=kxan_app&utm_medium=social&utm_content=share-link&fbclid=IwAR3xaTkTKR_IsZ8hSNOkPhfE_7xaFVVdeNxwKVEGON9vdwov-xpoeelzboI