Mega Subdivision Planned West Of Wimberley

Editor's Note: A spokesman for the subdivision's sales office has confirmed that many lot reservations have already been filled for the first phase of the development.

By Jim McMeans

I want to alert you to a proposed subdivision that is currently under review by the Hays County subdivision planning staff and the county attorney's office. The proposed subdivision is west of Wimberley about five miles on RR 2325.

As proposed it will consist of 675 acres of land extending from RR 2325 to Fischer Store Road. The subdivision is proposed to be a dense, urban style development with 470 homes on 1.0 to 3.0 acre lots. Approximately 70 acres of the land area would be reserved for private open space, lakes, and a recreation building.

The developer states that he is currently in discussion with an adjoining 500 acre land owner to add his property to the True Ranch subdivision. This acreage could add another 350 homes to the project if developed at the same density standard.

The project is being prepared for preliminary platting before the Hays County Commissioners Court. Although no publicly known approvals have been given for the development, the owner/developer has proceeded to develop dirt roads, build several large dams on the local creeks, cut channels, move 1000's of cubic yards of dirt, and drill test wells. There is a sales center under construction on the entrance at RR 2325 and the developer is pre-selling lots on a reservation basis.

The developer has said that his water source for the project will be one of three options: 1) A pipeline from a Canyon Lake area supplier; 2) Wimberley Water Supply Corporation; or 3) Aqua Texas. Sources 2 and 3 are both from groundwater wells. Such an extensive development, if served by groundwater, would sorely tax the capacity of the aquifer that supplies about 2,500 existing residential wells in the area and would undoubtedly impact the flows from Jacob's Well. Water from Canyon Lake, if available, would have to come through a long pipeline extended from the vicinity of the new Canyon Lake High School.

I am very concerned that this style of dense development would negatively impact the Wimberley area in a number of ways and plan to make myself heard before the Hays County Commissioners Court. Check out the website for the development at www.trueranch.com .

Jim McMeans, a civil engineer, lives on land nearby the proposed development.