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Bexar County leaders appeared before the public in Helotes Thursday night for a budget town hall meeting, but most attendees were there to ask hard questions about the controversial water treatment plant for the proposed Guajalote subdivision.
A large group packed the meeting, asking questions of county leaders as to why they would consider the approval of a Public Improvement District — or PID — that would help pay for the proposed water treatment plant. District 3 County Commissioner Grant Moody said a PID to fund the plant would be unusual.
“Well, we actually have a lot of PID's for subdivisions, but this would be the first PID we've ever seen with a wastewater treatment plant that I'm aware of, and so it's very unique, very different, and we're trying to understand all the the concerns and issues that the community would have,” he said.
County Judge Peter Sakai said he respects the concerns of area residents.
“I want the residents to understand we heard loud and clear and I will make a decision first based on what the law is and what the law allows me to do and to represent the citizens and their opinions tonight," he said.
After the meeting, several members of the Scenic Loop Helotes Creek Alliance expressed disappointment at what they called the county leaders' lack of knowledge about the project.
Emory Bluhm is Chair of the Scenic Loop - Helotes Creek Alliance.
“Every single state Representative in Bexar County, all 10 representatives have signed off in a bipartisan fashion requesting that TCEQ deny this permit for Guadalote Ranch," Blum told TPR
"When we talk to our Bexar County commissioners, they're not aware of what is even going on, and I think that's a huge opportunity and a huge disservice to the citizens of Bexar County," he said.
The planned Lennar subdivision near Scenic Loop and Babcock roads would place 2,900 homes on about 1,100 acres. The wastewater treatment plant could dump as much as one to four million gallons per day of wastewater into Helotes Creek.
Opponents say the wastewater plant could contaminate the Edwards Aquifer, which provides water for 1.7 million residents across 13 South and Central Texas counties.
