Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Public comment opens on county's first comprehensive policy plan; meetings scheduled in November
Editor's Note: The press release below from Hays County is making the rounds. We hope that wagon loads of people will take the time to comment and that the county's first comprehensive Strategic Policy Plan will make a difference in setting a smart and sustainable course for future development in our county. Boy howdy we can sure use it. The plan, in final form, is supposed to be rolled out in January.
We always are aware that the folks we elect to office are the ones who can make the difference between putting a good plan to good use and setting it on a shelf to collect dust. From what we are hearing, this one has potential. It is now in the final public comment stage. Make your voices heard. The online survey is open through Nov. 6.
Send your comments and news tips to online.editor@valleyspringcomm.net or click on the "comments" button at the bottom of the story
Go to this site to the anonymous survey and comments – it takes a little time to load: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=AcDfT3x7o5RtcaugcYAmwQ_3d_3d
Or visit the county's website, www.co.hays.tx.us
Hays County residents now have more opportunities to shape the future of their county by offering opinions and insights during the development of the county’s Strategic Policy Plan, either through completing an online survey or participating in a public meeting, or both.
Quality of life in Hays County, water quality and quantity, delivery of health care and transportation services, and the need for parks and recreation are some of the key issues that will demand a coordinated, well-thought-out plan as governmental agencies keep up with the rapid growth in Hays County. The plan will help myriad entities in the county work together to find solutions, avoid duplication of effort and provide a seamless delivery of services to residents.
The plan is being developed in conjunction with city leaders as well as with a variety of stakeholder groups, such as school districts, senior citizens, health care providers, conservationists, developers and business owners and individual citizens. Planners with Hays County, the Lower Colorado River Authority, Pedernales Electric Co-op and Bluebonnet Electric Co-op are assisting by organizing meetings and compiling results under the direction of a multi-faceted steering committee.
Residents can assist by filling out a survey available on the Hays County Web site at www.co.hays.tx.us or directly at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=AcDfT3x7o5RtcaugcYAmwQ_3d_3d.
The public is invited to discuss their concerns and ideas from 6:30 to 9 p.m.:
- November 10 at the Wimberley Community Center, 14068 RR 12, Wimberley
- November 12 at Chapa Middle School, 3311 Dacy Lane, Kyle
- November 17 at the San Marcos Police Department, 630 E. Hopkins St., San Marcos
- November 19 at Dripping Springs City Hall, 511 Mercer St., Dripping Springs
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5 comments:
Question 1: How does the County plan to implement or enforce a plan that has no teeth? The State of Texas has never given counties the authority to adopt or enforce Comprehensive Plans. If they have, where is this authorized?
Question 2: If true that there is no authority for the enforcement or implementation of a Plan, then how much tax payer money is being spent on this boondoggle?
Hays County Judge Liz Sumter has kindly provided this response to the two questions posed by Anonymous #1:
"While it is true that counties are limited in their authority for land use, there are several tools counties can utilize to influence where growth occurs. Where counties spend their infrastructure dollars will direct where growth occurs, where counties incentivize businesses to locate (tax abatements, etc) will direct where those businesses go. Planning is not just about land use, it is also about cooperation among other government entities, the justice system, health care, public safety, parks, water quality/quantity, etc. - a myriad of services the county provides. Because of our partnerships with LCRA, Pedernales, Bluebonnet and Texas State University, this planning effort is costing the taxpayers nothing."
Thanks for the kindly response Roundup and Judge Sumter - Sincerely, Anon # 1.
I may still disagree on some of the ideas such as "infrastructure" dollars - such as what "infrastructure" does the County have or propose to have that does not exist besides roads? Are they planning to become a water or wastewater purveyor? I understand the principle of "directed growth" - but has it been properly explained what that means in real terms to the portions of the County that will most likely lose out - namely Dripping Springs and Wimberley? Do these cities (communities) agree with this idea from on high that could potentially damage them economically due to the refusal of the County to spend "infrastructure" dollars in their communities?
If this is anything similar to the Road Bond issue, the Judge and Commissioner Ford were more apt to spend "infrastructure" dollars in the Kyle, Buda, San Marcos areas for development rather than the Hill Country portion of the County, meaning Wimberley (Judge Sumter's turf) and Dripping Springs (Commissioner Ford's turf). How can we be sure that the economies of both of these communities will not be sleighted when it comes to the spending of "infrastructure" dollars when it is abundantly clear that Wimberley for sure is in dire need of some water infrastructure?
Remember too that as Dripping Springs learned the hard way, the development community can always bring their own utilities with them to develop even if the County won't provide infrastructure, ala Belterra, Highpointe, and Ledgestone subdivisions (which also include commercial tracts as well). The free market will go to where the development feels is appropriate which at times ignores a government's desire and wish for which areas are developed. Working closely with local municipalities would be beneficial to ensure that they are not kept out of the loop when it comes to planned infrastructure expenditures that might help to direct growth in and around local communities rather than following the pattern that was the cause for the Belterra and other two communities to form where they did. If Dripping Springs had had the foresight in the late 80's to keep the wastewater grant that they had then, the community might have spent the last 20 years developing the core of town first and then the outskirts.
If the plan accomplishes anything I sincerely hope it is a well defined and agreed to definition and back up for "SUSTAINABLE" development. Our western region, particularly, cannot and should not be subjected to willy nilly housing and commercial development only for the benefit of the business community and real estate interests.
I say preserve the region and its natural resources, rivers, streams, groundwater as much as possible for tourism and support of the cottage industry. Big boxes, strip malls, expensive and wasteful infrastructure construction, stay out!
The water/wastewater infrastructure and bigger roads you speak of are designed for one thing . . . super growth and the disappearance of our special country quality of life. Too much of our money is being spent on "infrastructure" and not enough on preservation & conservation.
People who want Houston style sprawl in our western hills should move back to where they came from if they miss it so much.
Anon # 2 (or 3):
Expenditure of public funds for ANY infrastructure should be done in a way that is equitable to all; and not to fulfill the wishes and desires of a select few who live in a world that no longer exists. The quaint Hill Country look and feel left when most everybody started moving here in the late 80s and 90s. (Of whom, I am willing to bet you are one. So in other words, the "special" feeling that we had out here left with the influx of those seeking to escape Austin, California, Florida, Houston, etc., bringing their alien ideas of life with them, and screwing up our quaint way of life.)
And in case you haven't paid attention, big boxes can't be excluded from development outside the municipal boundaries or else you run the risk of lawsuits which are expensive and which we would lose without County's having the ability to zone, which they do not in Texas.
Manageable growth does not just benefit the real estate and business communities (of which include the "cottage industries" you are in love with), but also provides medical, social, and educational services that are otherwise UNsustainable without the increase in population that brings with it bigger schools, crime, drugs, and the other social ills that those who are fleeing to the Hill Country to escape bring with them. (Alcoholism being another social ill which we did not have to contend with until the influx of Yankees and Californians overwhelmed our quaint way of life with the liquor vote several years ago. Much of the development you see now is a direct result of that as much as it has been the expenditure of monies for infrastructure.) We would have less of the vineyards that apparently are a plague to many of our new sociopath neighbors who fled one part of the country only to bring with them their alien values and ideals of what "quaint" is, and the typical outsider desire to tell the locals how to do their business and run their government.
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