by KIM HILSENBECK
Despite strong opposition from the citizens and elected officials of Wimberley and Hays County, the Texas House and Senate approved the Needmore Ranch Municipal Utility District (MUD) #1 for approximately 4,020 acres of the 5,000-acre ranch just east of Wimberley.
The legislation for that MUD, SB 1868 authored by Sen. Donna Campbell, District 25, and HB 3918, authored by Rep. Jason Isaac, District 45, is on its way to Gov. Perry’s desk, with what some local opponents say are “positive looking last minute changes.”
According to Citizens Alliance for Responsible Development (CARD), hundreds of Hays County citizens, including several local politicians, worked for weeks to express their opposition to the MUD. An April 25 Wimberley town hall-style meeting offered a forum for County Commissioner Will Conley, County Judge Bert Cobb, Wimberley Mayor Bob Flocke and others to talk directly with Isaac and a representative of Campbell about the legislation.
The result was an amendment to Isaac’s bill that he presented on the House floor last week. In a statement, Isaac said the new groundwater protections prohibit eminent domain authority, unless it is used for the sole purpose of importing surface water or non-local groundwater into the district.
Isaac’s amendment also requires any developer to import water from outside the district to provide for the needs of any future residents.
“This water must come from a source outside the Edwards or Trinity Aquifers,” Isaac said.
Additionally, if the land is ever developed, the district must build a wastewater treatment facility in coordination with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Hays County and the City of Wimberley.
The final condition is the land may not be annexed unless petitioned by over two-thirds of the landowners within the area to be annexed.
“This language offers unprecedented protection of our natural resources and provides assurances that the land will be managed responsibly. The creation of this district requires the owner to meet strict standards and offers local residents peace of mind that the land will be preserved,” according to Isaac’s statement.
“Without this MUD, the landowner could have subdivided his property into over 1,700 lots, each with their own well and their own septic system. The new protections that were added eliminate the possibility of tapping or contaminating Wimberley valley’s scarce supply of groundwater,” he wrote.
He added, “The primary concern about the proposed legislation centered around the availability of water in the Wimberley valley. The amendment I filed today thoroughly addresses these concerns and ensures the continued protection of our area’s natural resources. I appreciate the constructive suggestions I received from constituents and believe that the final language of this bill will provide a responsible framework for the future management of this property.”
In response to the passing of the bills, CARD’s founder Jim McMeans said, “While we hope last minute changes put into the legislation can help prevent some of the potential damage to Wimberley, San Marcos and central Hays County, we also recognize and caution that there are ways around the specific wording in the changes. We hope that all parties are sincere in their attempts to help protect the area, and the rights of the many other local property owners.”
