Neighbors In Paradise - LCRA HPR meeting

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LCRA HPR MEETING 12/7/04

Joe Lessard, facilitator of the Southwest Travis County Planning Group was the first of the LCRA sponsored groups to speak. He reported that the group is new and has no results yet (it isn't even fully populated yet).

Terry Tull of the Regional Water Quality Protection Plan also had nothing substantial to report. He did say that a 2nd draft plan has been posted on the group's website.

Keenan Smith of the Hamilton Pool Road Forum valiantly presented those recommendations that the group had been able to reach consensus on - basically broad and/or tough for the board to even consider.

Gene Lowenthal

Powerful, well organized testimony was given by the Hill Country Coalition's Christy Muse, the Hamilton Pool Road Scenic Corridor Coalition's Gene Lowenthal and the SOS Alliance's Colin Clark. Gene was especially effective, allowing his anger (perhaps for his first time publicly on this issue) to drive an impassioned presentation.

The arguments made by these three should have been sufficient to sway a vote our way but, at this point, nothing we could say would have mattered. This board's mind was made up and Joe Beal sat there, smugly holding all the cards.

DEVELOPERS (OR DEVELOPER'S PROXY) WHO ARE REQUESTING WATER

Alex "Sandy" Wood reads a prepared statement on behalf of the absent John Hatchett. It says that even though he is requesting water (for his very low density development), he would like LCRA to wait for planning groups to finish before approval.	Rebecca Hudson (whom I could not seem to get into focus) made an unnecessary, redundant, terse speech in support of proceeding immediately with the plans to subsidize her outrageous development with the water line sweetheart deal.	Rusty Signor claimed environmentalist status for his use of a minimal rainwater sysyem to supplement his development's bad wells	Bill Formby pretty much dittoed the other developers.

GOOD GUYS		BAD GUYS

A good number of audience members stand in response to Christy's call for Hill Country Coalition members to identify themselves.		Randy Goss (left) doesn't look too happy, the "surface water now" guy on the right looks like he's gonna barf and super bad guy Joe Beal looks like he's going for his gun (see the "wanted poster" for another version of this).

In fact, most of the 300+ people in attendance were strongly opposed to passage of this resolution. But did the board care?		My guess is that not too many of them did. Here they are voting to seal the fate of Hamilton Pool Road.
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		Our boy Joe does not seem to be having fun yet. But then, what does make this guy smile?

Karen Ford, one of the 300 or so good guys in attendance.	Steve Beers, who was called up as "Steve Beans" jokes that they'll both give you gas	Scott Holland, one of the many speakers from the Peacock Ranch family.	Maryann Holland, another Peacock person (do we detect a theme here?).

Roger Kew of the Friendship Alliance asks Joe Beal if this is his last big deal before retiring.	David "Waterguy" Venhuizen focuses on the unenforcability of the water contract's environmental protection clauses.	Charles Harrison, another Peacockian speaker.	And another Harrison. I'm guessing there's fixin' to be development on that ranch.

Brigid Shea tells how, as a consultant to Joe Beal and the LCRA staff, she has strongly recommended that they do their water service expansion in the preferred growth corridor to the east of Austin. Do they listen?	Dick Kellerman speaks from his long experience as a fighter for the environment.	Linda Ellis, who sold about 200 lots in West Cave Estates, has long been a staunch supporter of the water line. Wonder why?	William Biggs seems like he'd be an unlikely supporter of the water line, being situated along Rocky Creek downstream from Hudson's development. Go figure.

Ira yates, one of the many members of the Hill Country Coalition in attendance, is a rancher and large landowner as well as a hard worker on behalf of protecting the Hill Country from sprawl.	Yeah, that's me with boombox in hand, doing my version of Jimi Hendrix' "Hey Joe" for the dastardly Joe Beal. My version says "Hey Joe, where you goin' with that pipe in your hand?" to which Joe replies "I'm goin' to pave the Hill Country. It's all part of my master plan." The pic was printed in The Austin American Statesman and will be replaced as soon as someone sends me a better one.	Bill Austin spoke on behalf of Saddletree Ranch, claiming that 72% of the property owners there were interested (before learning of the $10,000 hook up fee and $75 per month minimum water charge) in finding out more about the water line. So? Who wouldn't be interested in finding out more? What's surprising to me is that 28% were not interested in even finding out more.	This is Janice Stoley. I'm not quite sure what prompted her interest in supporting the water line. From the make-up of just about all the other pro-line speakers, I'd have to guess it has something to do with money.

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