Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Urgent! - Town Hall Meeting - 7 pm Thursday, April 25th at Wimberley Community Center

URGENT TOWN HALL MEETING

                                                 
O'QUINN RANCH SLATED FOR MASSIVE DEVELOPMENT

7:00 PM - THURSDAY, APRIL 25TH

  • The 5,000-acre Needmore Ranch (the former O'Quinn Ranch) adjacent to Wimberley could become a free-standing town thanks to MUD* legislation introduced and fast-tracked by State Senator Donna Campbell and State Representative Jason Isaac.
  • Campbell and Isaac are intent on jeopardizing our scarce water supply and the treasured Blanco River to benefit one single property owner.
  • Most MUD legislation seeks local official support. This one did not. The companion bills (SB 1868 and HB 3918) are strongly opposed by elected Hays County and City of Wimberley officials and by local property owners.
  • Hays County Commissioner Will Conley and County Judge Bert Cobb have written letters opposing the MUD, and the Wimberley City Council has unanimously passed a Resolution opposing the MUD.
    • The boundaries of this MUD were set to exclude the ETJ (planning area) of the City of Wimberley to avoid having to ask for the city's concurrence in creation of the MUD. Bill sponsors also bypassed Hays County Commissioners Court.

ATTEND THIS MEETING TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT !

  • Hear from our State Officials who have introduced this special purpose legislation creating a MUD for one property owner, Mr. Greg LaMantia, from McAllen.
  • Your presence will help send a message to these State Officials.
*Municipal Utility Districts are created to facilitate development of property outside cities. They have the power to levy taxes, seize property by eminent domain, sell debt, and build subdivisions all under the direction of an appointed - not elected - board of directors. 
  
Needmore Ranch
Rep. Isaac is trying to push HB 3918  through the Special Districts Committee on Wed. April 24th before the Town Hall meeting April 25th Thursday night.  We need as many people as possible to contact the committee members prior to the hearing this Wed. April 24th. Please email and call all the members of the House Special Purpose Districts Committee and Senate Administration Committee and tell them you and your local elected officials oppose these bills! Ask them to bring these bills to the House and Senate floor for debate. Ask  Senator Campbell and Rep. Issac to debate the Needmore MUD companion bills (SB 1868 and HB 3918) in front of the legislature and the public.


 State Representative Jason Isaac - jason.isaac@house.state.tx.us - 512-463-0647 


State Senator Donna Campbell - donna.campbell@senate.state.tx.us - 512-463-0125



 HB 3918 by Isaac - Needmore Ranch Municipal Utility District #1 is set for public hearing on Wednesday, 4/24 at 8:00 am in Room E2.014 at the Capital in Austin.  It is one of several bills that will be heard by the committee that day.  To register to speak at the hearing, you enter the Capital and find a screen that will allow you to sign up for the hearing electronically.  They no longer use cards.  You must know the bill # - HB 3918 - to sign up to speak before the committee shown below. 

Rep. Dennis Bonnen is the Chairman.



We need lots of contacts from people to all members of this committee before the public hearing date stating opposition to HB 3918.   


HOUSE SPECIAL PURPOSE DISTRICTS COMMITTEE  - Clerk: Steven Schar   steven.schar_hc@house.state.tx.us   Phone: 512-463-0277   
Position
Member
Chair:
Vice Chair:
Members:


SENATE ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE

Sen. Kevin Eltife - kevin.eltife@senate.state.tx.us - 512-463-0101 - Chairman


Sen. Carlos Uresti - carlos.uresti@senate.state.tx.us - 512-463-0119
Sen. John Carona - john.carona@senate.state.tx.us - 512-463-0116
Sen. Kelly Hancock - kelly.hancock@senate.state.tx.us - 512-463-0109
Sen. John Whitmire - john.whitmire@senate.state.tx.us - 512-463-0115
Sen. Tommy Williams - tommy.williams@senate.state.tx.us - 512-463-0104
Sen. Judith Zaffirini - judith.zaffirini@senate.state.tx.us - 512-463-0121
___________________________________________________________________________________________


  
Chairman, Vice Chairman and Members House Special Purpose District and  Senate Administration Committees,

SB 1868 and HB 3918 which resides in your committees has the following points of opposition:

  1. Hays County Commissioner Will Conley opposes this bill which will create the Needmore Ranch MUD #1 in his district.
  1. Hays County Judge Bert Cobb opposes this bill because the Hays County Commissioners' Court has never been contacted by Senator Donna Campbell. 
  1. Mayor Bob Flocke and the Wimberley City Council oppose this bill. 
  1. Citizens of Wimberley and Hays County oppose the proposed MUD and have called an emergency Town Hall Meeting April 24th at 7pm at the Wimberley Community Center.  
SB 1868 also has the following additional problems
  • Support of local elected officials was never obtained.
  • Needmore Ranch does not need a MUD because a significant part of the ranchis within Wimberley's ETJ and is entirely within Hays County jurisdiction.  Both entities have very adequate subdivision regulations to guide any development project, if that should be the final decision of the owner.
  • Overdevelopment of the 5,000 acre Needmore Ranch could have significant impacts on water quality and quantity for local land owners, local springs such as Fern Bank Spring, and the Blanco River including impact on the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone and scenic Little Arkansas.

Please do not pass SB 1868 when it comes before your Senate Administration Committee.  IT IS STRONGLY OPPOSED!

Thank you for your consideration,  
 FORWARD THIS EMAIL  

For immediate release: April 21, 2013

Wimberley area citizen's group calls for emergency Town Hall Meeting.

Wimberley - In response to the rushed legislation in the state legislature to grant a MUD (Municipal Utility District) on a 5,000 acre property just east of Wimberley, Citizens Alliance for Responsible Development (CARD) has called for an emergency 

Wimberley Town Hall Meeting
7 p.m. Thursday, April 25
Wimberley Community Center
14068 Ranch Road 12 in Wimberley

The legislation was introduced and is being rushed through the current legislature by State Senator Donna Campbell and State Representative Jason Isaac, to the benefit of one person, McAllen businessman Greg LaMantia. This is over the vigorous objections of County Judge Bert Cobb, County Commissioner Will Conley, and all members of the Wimberley City Council. 

Also objecting are many citizens of the Wimberley area, who could be adversely affected by this legislation. None of the local leaders were consulted on this legislation, as tradition, good sense and civic welfare dictate.

Granting a MUD will allow virtual city stature to the park-like 5,000-acre Needmore ranch (formerly O'Quinn Ranch) located adjacent to Wimberley. The property is one of the most beautiful and environmentally sensitive holdings remaining in Hays County. MUD status would allow the owner the power to levy taxes, sell debt, and build subdivisions all under the direction of an appointed - not elected - board of directors. 

CARD - a not-for-profit volunteer organization dedicated to maintaining the Wimberley Valley's character and property values FOR ALL - is sponsoring the meeting, and has invited Isaac and Campbell to explain how their legislation, Senate Bill 1868 and House Bill 3918, will benefit the people of Wimberley and Hays County, or anyone other than the owner of the property. Also invited are Cobb, Conley and all area citizens to present their views.

Attached is a copy of a flier-email release being circulated by CARD and other concerned area organizations and individuals. Also attached is a letter from Commissioner Will Conley. 

Media: for further information on the Town Hall Meeting:

Louis Parks, CARD chair: 512-289-8666, Louis.parks@gmail.com
Jim McMeans, CARD steering committee, 512-847-6578. jrmcmeans@msn.com
City of Wimberley Mud Resolution
Conley Lamantia...l ltr pg 2

Posted by at 11:59 AM

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