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Economics of Sound Planning

Concrete And Aggregate Producers See Regulatory Bills Filed For 2021

Concrete and aggregate producers see regulatory bills filed for 2021

Concrete and aggregate producers see regulatory bills filed for 2021 The production and transportation of sand, cement, and concrete is a dusty business that has faced increased scrutiny from the state and advocacy groups in recent years. Some state lawmakers have even seen the need to introduce bills for the upcoming legislative session that would regulate the industry. So far, six bills have been filed for the 2021 legislative session, which convenes Jan. 12, that directly target concrete plants or…

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Flood Group Designates Planning Sponsor

Flood group designates planning sponsor

Flood group designates planning sponsor It’s been an open secret for decades, but the devastating floods of 2015 drove the point home — any meaningful flood resiliency can be achieved only with regional cooperation. Steps are now being taken to make that a reality. The Region 11 Guadalupe Flood Planning Group, which had its inaugural meeting in November 2019, has designate the Guadalupe Blanco River Authority as its planning group sponsor. Read more from Anita Miller with Hays Free Press…

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How Texas Is Changing How It Plans For Floods

How Texas is changing how it plans for floods

How Texas is changing how it plans for floods Just as the state is dealing with one crisis, it's also preparing for the next. But this time, it's trying to get ahead of the problem. We all remember Hurricane Harvey's devastating impact on the Gulf Coast in 2017. That's triggered an unprecedented effort to prevent the same damage from happening again. Read more from Karina Kling with Spectrum News here.

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Voters Approve Hays County Parks Bond

Voters approve Hays County Parks Bond

The polls are closed, and the preliminary results are in. The Hays County Parks Bond, Proposition A, was approved on Tuesday, Nov. 3, by 69.54% of voters. Over 71,000 people voted for the proposition, which aims to provide funding for the creation of new parks, the protection of open spaces, and the perseveration of natural areas within Hays County. Read more from San Marcos Corridor News here.

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As Concrete Sprawls, Fort Worth Plans To Spend Millions To Save Land From Development

As concrete sprawls, Fort Worth plans to spend millions to save land from development

The land development boom in North Texas has shown no signs of slowing down, even with the significant economic challenges posed by COVID-19. That’s why Fort Worth officials are moving forward with plans to identify and potentially acquire natural areas for preservation before developers buy up the land for housing and retail projects. “We want to really protect these key areas for our future generations, since once it’s gone, you can’t get it back,” said Jennifer Dyke, a city stormwater…

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Opinion: Vote For Hays Proposition A, Reap Benefits For Generations To Come

Opinion: Vote for Hays Proposition A, reap benefits for generations to come

Despite the intense attention races at the top of the ballot have received—and despite the massive voter turnout those races are driving—some of the most important decisions can be found at the bottom of the Hays County ballot. This year, Proposition A seeks to issue $75 million in bonds over the next 10 years to support local parks and green spaces. Proposition A can only benefit the people—and the plants and animals—that call Hays County home. Read more from Toni…

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SwRI Researchers Evaluate Impact Of Wastewater Systems On Edwards Aquifer

SwRI researchers evaluate impact of wastewater systems on Edwards Aquifer

Southwest Research Institute developed an integrated hydrologic computer model to evaluate the impact of different types of wastewater disposal facilities on the Edwards Aquifer, the primary water source for San Antonio and its surrounding communities. The research results will guide authorities on what actions to take to protect the quality and quantity of water entering the aquifer. Read more from Southwest Research Institute here.

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County Still Eyeing Ways To Gain Development Control

County still eyeing ways to gain development control

County officials said they actively are working with state legislators to enact changes that would return some control over development to the local level. Precinct 2 Commissioner Richard Elkins is working with Kendall County Development Engineer Mary Ellen Schulle to fine-tune the language they would like District 73 State Rep. Kyle Biedermann to take with him to the legislative session in January, or whoever wins that seat in the November election. The submission process at the state level begins in…

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Lawmaker Hears From A Concerned Public

Lawmaker hears from a concerned public

The town hall meeting concept took on a new form and focus on October 1st when Texas state Rep. Terry Wilson hosted a Zoom video conference to take public comment on Aggregate Production Operations (APOs). As Chair of the House Interim Committee on APOs, Wilson wanted to hear from the public on this final day of a three-day event. The two previous days were taken up by speakers representing the industry and community groups. APOs can include quarries, rock crushers…

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Have Questions About The Hays County Park Bond? Here’s What You Need To Know Before Voting

Have questions about the Hays County Park Bond? Here’s what you need to know before voting

Before heading to the polls to vote, Hays County has invited voters to learn more about Proposition A – the 2020 Parks and Open Spaces Bond – on the ballot this year. To help voters be informed, Hays County created an educational outreach effort including a website: hays2020parksbond.com... “POSAC reviewed 19 submitted projects and recommended funding of 16 over several budget cycles,” Kennedy said. “Each project on the story map indicates the types of features that would result, including public…

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