A bill in the Texas legislature that would give county governments more authority to protect water sources in the Hill Country has not made it past the committee hurdle. House Bill 3883, authored by State Rep. Kyle Biedermann, failed to secure enough votes to pass the Land & Resource Management Committee which voted 5-4 against the bill. Read more from the new Braunfels Herald-Zeitung here.
Efforts to bar local governments from hiring outside lobbyists or joining associations that lobby the state government are gaining steam, after falling short two years ago. If Texas lawmakers go ahead with current proposals, they’ll be hurting small towns more than big cities, and rural counties more than urban ones. Read more from Ross Ramsey with The Texas Tribune here.
NOTE: Although this article was written for a Kendall County audience, the bill itself would apply throughout the Hill Country Priority Groundwater Management Area (PGMA), covering all of Bandera, Blanco, Gillespie, Kendall, and Kerr Counties, as well as parts of Bexar, Comal, Hays, and Travis Counties. The citizens of Kendall County who are directly affected by the ever-increasing growth of recent years have been heard. Hearing concerns about crowded roads, schools and the ever-increasing taxes that fall on citizens to…
Kerr County Commissioners unanimously approved a resolution asking the Texas Legislature to place more regulations on mining operations. The resolution states that although mining operations - also known as aggregate production operations - have attempted to be "good neighbors," they can be detrimental to beauty, air and water quality, and can adversely affect property values and quality of life, if they're near neighborhoods. "The Kerr County Commissioners Court encourages existing and potential APOs to adopt best-management practices to minimize adverse health…
Today, Representative Kyle Biedermann (R-Fredericksburg) filed HB 3883& HB 3884 to protect Kendall County's fragile resources. Both bills were a product of teamwork between Rep. Biedermman and the Kendall County Commissioner's Court. Biedermann said, "The Hill Country is unique and its natural resources are being stretched by incoming developments in unincorporated areas. I am proud of the work of my staff and the Kendall County Commissioners Court on finding two unique ways to foster sustainable growth." HB 3883 addresses the…
Local water resources grabbed state-level attention at the Cow Creek Groundwater Conservation District last week. State Rep. Kyle Biedermann and his environmental policy analyst, Larry Bailey, joined Boerne Mayor Tim Handren in addressing the CCGCD directors and asking for their help in advocating for responsible water stewardship. “My staff and I have been working closely with elected officials, experts and the public in my district regarding future water plans regarding the significant increase in growth,” Biedermann said. Bailey shared information…
Important Update: Despite last week's decision (discussed in article below) to delay voting on this agenda item, the Travis County Commissioners Court will be meeting on Tuesday, 12/17/19 at 9 AM to discuss the Bentree RV proposal AGAIN. Learn more here. For the second week in a row, dozens of Dripping Springs residents filled the Travis County Commissioners Court chambers, prepared to speak in opposition to a proposed RV park at 401 Stagecoach Ranch Road, less than a half mile…
HAYS COUNTY, Texas -- It's something many Wimberley residents have been aching for: a public park with waterfront access. Hays County has the ability to secure 533 acres of El Rancho Cima El Rancho Cima is a nearly 2,400 acre property County might use land for public park Now, that dream could finally come to fruition. Hays County has the ability to secure 533 acres of El Rancho Cima, with land on both sides of the Blanco River. This purchase would give the public…
On May 22, HB 1806 was voted through by the Texas Senate, clearing the way for the San Antonio Water System to sell 1,500 acre feet of water across county lines from Bexar into Kendall. Despite vigorous and organized opposition by local leaders - including Cow Creek Groundwater Conservation District chairman Milan J. Michalec, who protested the bill before committee members in Austin – HB1806 will reverse water management law established in 1993. After its passage, Michalec spoke strongly against…
Last week Boerne’s Milan Michalec, chairman of Cow Creek Groundwater Conservation District, was in Austin speaking against House Bill 1806. Authored by Senator Donna Campbell, HB 1806 was the subject of a public hearing in the Agriculture, Water and Rural Affairs committee. It is intended to authorize the San Antonio Water System to sell water into particular, adjacent counties. One of only three of the seven committee members were present for the hearing, Dist. 18 Senator Lois Kolkhorst spoke, objecting…