Feb. 23, 2005  wo stakeholder planning groups working to protect water quality and the pastoral beauty of far western Travis County may find there’s strength in numbers.
The Southwest Travis County Growth Dialog Process, led by County Commissioner Gerald Daughtery, and a community-based organization called Hamilton Pool Road Community Forum met jointly last month. The Southwest Travis County group is gathering input from the public to help develop recommendations on development and infrastructure in the unincorporated areas of western Travis County. As part of that effort, the group agreed to review the consensus recommendations the Hamilton Pool Road group had come up with and submitted to LCRA’s Board of Directors in December. Common ground
At a meeting of the Southwest Travis County panel in January, the two groups — comprising environmentalists, landowners, developers, business owners and other stakeholders — identified common issues and discussed ways to collaborate on strategies to further their goals. Among the common goals of the groups: - Water quality
- Preservation of open space
- Protecting wildlife and emphasizing the use of native plants
- Regional planning to control traffic and other growth issues.
The two groups see collaboration as a way to help strengthen their positions before local agencies when advocating their common goals. “It was said that the Hamilton Pool Road group sees the Southwest Travis group as having more direct linkages to governmental agencies and LCRA,” said Juli Fellows, one of the independent facilitators leading the Hamilton Pool Road group. “The Hamilton Pool Road group is hoping that in a sense the Southwest Travis County group will be one way they realize their shared vision.” Background
Both of these groups were formed last year after LCRA’s Board first considered contracts for the sale of surface water to development on Hamilton Pool Road. At its May meeting, the Board postponed action on the contracts. In response to public concerns about growth in the region, LCRA helped initiate community planning groups to address land-use and other issues associated with growth that were beyond the authority of LCRA. LCRA has contributed funds to support the work of both groups, as well as a third group, the Regional Water Quality Planning Project, whose work stretches across parts of Travis and Hays counties in the Barton Springs segment of the Edwards Aquifer. Continued funding
The Hamilton Pool Road group presented LCRA’s Board with recommendations on Dec. 7 with a request that LCRA support it for six more meetings. The group not only sought time to give input to the Southwest Travis County Group, it also expressed interest in working toward becoming an independent community group. Initial funding to the Hamilton Pool Road group was scheduled to end in December, but LCRA agreed to continue support for six additional meetings. Recommendations to the Board included bolstering LCRA’s existing nonpoint-source pollution ordinance and extending the ordinance throughout its service area. The group asked LCRA to promote rainwater harvesting, and encourage water reuse and conservation activities. It asked for LCRA's support in working with other organizations and agencies to control light and noise pollution, preserve the rural character of the region and manage traffic. What's next
The Southwest Travis County group, made up of 16 voting members operating under an eight-month commitment, is scheduled to complete its work and send planning recommendations to the Travis County Commissioners Court and LCRA executive management by May, said facilitator Joe Lessard. The group’s advisory panel plans to prepare draft recommendations by the first of March and then conduct a dialog with Travis County and LCRA staff before they finalize their recommendations, Lessard said. The Hamilton Pool Road group will focus its next two meetings on strategies to meet its vision for natural open spaces, clean air, dark skies and a scenic corridor. Members will spend the remainder of their facilitated meetings transitioning into an independent community group. Fellows said she expects some of the group’s 19 members may choose not to continue beyond their original four-month commitment. The goal of an independent group is to retain the group’s diversity. That means environmentalists and developers will continue to work side by side on solutions to potential problems: threats to safety, water quality and rural beauty from rapid and uncontrolled growth. “It’s not their goal to drop people who disagree. The group likely will continue to remain diverse,” she said. “They’ve seen the value of diversity.” Related links:
Southwest Travis County Growth Dialog Process
Hamilton Pool Road Community Forum
Regional Water Quality Planning Project |
