SAN ANTONIO – The number of communities standing against large housing developments is growing as more of them learn what it could mean for their rural lifestyles.
The Guajolote Ranch development has gotten a lot of attention, and KSAT has been following through on developments in the legal fight. But other communities are also joining the fight against the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).
Fischer Neighbors, north of Canyon Lake, is gearing up for a public hearing on a wastewater permit that could allow construction of 850 homes.
Tom McIver is a landowner who says it would affect his quality of life and the quality of life of those who depend on water from Canyon Lake.
“The neighbors, the people that live around here, and even all over the Hill Country, are expressing a lot of concern about yet another high-density development,” McIver said.
The development they are trying to slow down is called Broken Cedar Ranch; it’s on FM 484, four miles north of Canyon Lake. However, two other big housing developments nearby have already been approved. McIver said the increased development is all his neighbors can talk about.
“We’re not opposed to development. Growth is going to continue. But certainly it can continue in some more rational fashion than crowding 850 houses onto 230 acres, clear-cutting every tree,” he said.
McIver is asking others in the Hill Country to join them at an upcoming public hearing on the wastewater permit. Local government has little control and say over large developments, so he’s asking Hill Country residents to go to the top leader of the state. Here’s a link to contact the governor’s office.
“Not many people know that the governor appoints the three TCEQ commissioners,” he said. “I think it’s important and probably critical for people to let the governor’s office know what their feelings are about this.”
The TCEQ meeting on the Broken Cedar Ranch project is scheduled for Feb 10 at 7 p.m. at Canyon Lake High School, located at 8555 FM 32 in Fischer, Texas.