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News-Dispatch Volume XXXX No. 7
Serving Western Hays County, Texas since 1982
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75¢
Thursday, November 14, 2019
New state law says notice not needed
But P&Z wants transparency BY CAMELIA JUAREZ New ordinances have been created by the Dripping Springs Planning and Zoning Commission in response to a new state law that puts a time crunch on planning and zoning staff. State law HB 3167 no longer requires public notice for new plat developments and allows the construction of buildings not up to code, if city planners fail to meet a 30-day deadline. Despite pressure from the state, Dripping Spring’s planning and zoning team revamped their system to keep the public involved. If developers meet new timeline requirements, the public will continue to receive notice of a new plat
State law HB 3167 no longer requires public notice for new plat developments and allows the construction of buildings not up to code, if city planners fail to meet a 30-day deadline. prior to a planning and zoning meeting through signs on the plat, newspaper notices and on the city’s website.
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Wastewater project in Wimberley to be completed by 2020 BY CAMELIA JUAREZ
“I don’t want to shift on the June 2020 goal. Though this year However, what we need is coming to an end, to accomplish that goal, officials in Wimberley we will do.” still think they can comCox said the Aqua plete the wastewater Texas contract is close project in 2020. to being finalized once Wimberley city coun- background easement cil is willing to meet connection work is as often as possible to completed. make a June 2020 dead“Not knowing exactly line, however, a timewhere we are connectline for that date won’t ing the missing piece be set until a January of that puzzle is what 2020 meeting. stopped us from finalizCity Administrator ing that contract. All the Shawn Cox said that leg work for the contract come January the has been completed. wastewater project will Once plumbers and enbe in its homestretch. gineers tell us this is the “After January 2020, route you can take, we we’re not talking about will know the costs and contracts, easement get that done and go acquisition or where to Aqua Texas and say we’re going to go, we we’re ready to finalize will know,” Cox said. this contract,” Cox said.
Run by the Creek PHOTOS BY ALBERT SANCHEZ More than 500 runners came to Dripping Springs for the Run by the Creek 5K and 10K – a fast, fun and rolling course that parallels and crosses Onion Creek. The run is made possible through The Dripping Springs Running Club (DSRC). DSRC was formed as a nonprofit organization for the purpose of making contributions to local Dripping Springs nonprofit organizations, public projects, and events. This year’s race proceeds will benefit local parks and provide funds to local organizations dedicated to promoting running and healthy lifestyles in our communities. Above, Adriana Prado (Bib 1086) competes in the 10K run, finishing 3rd in her age group with a time of 52:32 minutes. At right, Melissa Sarkar (Bib 11) gives a high five to Michelle Martin (Bib 12) at the finish line of the 5K run.
Hays County elections went ‘smoothly,’ according to Elections Administrator BY ANITA MILLER For a first time, all in all, things went smoothly. That’s the opinion of Hays County’s Elections Administrator Jennifer Anderson. The election on Nov. 5 marked not only the first time voters could cast their ballot at any Voting Center rather than having to report to the precinct in which they live, it also was the debut of new voting machines, replacing those that had been in use since 2004. “Everybody loves the new machines far more than they did the old ones,” Anderson said. “And as far as Voting Cen-
“Everybody loves the new machines far more than they did the old ones. And as far as Voting Centers go everybody was overwhelmingly happy they could go to any voting location.” –Jennifer Anderson, Hays County Elections Administrator
ters go everybody was overwhelmingly happy they could go to any voting location.” Anderson said given “all the components” of the election, “it went incredibly smooth.” She said election workers “were a little anxious up front,” but “calm, cool and happy doing what
LAGNIAPPE Wimberley Winter Wonderland
Gear up for the holidays with a holiday showcase event sponsored by the Wimberley Valley Chamber of Commerce. This Saturday, stroll through a wonderland of beautifully decorated Christmas trees, Thanksgiving and Christmas wreaths and centerpieces at the Wimberley Community Center from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Enjoy holiday music, refreshments and visit with Santa Claus from noon to 3 p.m. Be sure to bring your camera to this family fun event. There will be a Happy Hour preview for adults only Friday from 5 to 7 p.m.
Program on toxic waste issues
The Hays County Women’s Political Caucus will feature Robin
Schneider, executive director of the Texas Campaign for the Environment (TCE), at its program meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 19 at 5:30 p.m. at the LBJ Museum of San Marcos, 131 N. Guadalupe Street. She will address toxic waste issues in Texas and Hays County and the ongoing work of TCE to clean up the environment. The program is open to the public. Under Schneider’s leadership, TCE has been leading corporate, local, state and national campaigns on Zero Waste strategies and producer takeback recycling and working to hold the waste industry accountable to neighbors and community atlarge. TCE has participated in a range of other campaigns on responsible drilling, pressuring retail companies to have their suppliers adopt safer chemicals policies, closing the Grandfather Loophole in the Texas Clean Air Act and other efforts.
they were doing.” Hays voters mirrored their counterparts statewide when it came to the 10 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution, approving all but Proposition 1, and by nearly equal margins. Kyle voters decided two city council seats, re-electing Dex Ellison
to District 1 and Robert Rizo to District 3, while voters in Buda elected Terry Cummings to represent Single Member District C. In Woodcreek, voters chose Brent H. Pulley out of a field of three for a city council at large seat; and voters in the Wimberley ISD chose Will Conley for Place 4. Voters in Hays Emergency Services District No. 9 approved expanding the district. The Headwaters MUD was also approved. Prior to the start of early voting, Hays residents had the opportunity to
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‘I Live Here I Give Here’ launches 3rd annual initiative SUBMITTED REPORT
I Live Here I Give Here (ILHIGH) has announced that the Austin-based nonprofit will serve for a third year as the official Community Leader in the Central Texas region for Giving Tuesday, an annual global philanthropic event taking place the Tuesday immediately following Thanksgiving. Giving Tuesday is a worldwide celebration of generosity and promotes giving back starting at the local level after the consumer-based shopping
events of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. This year’s Giving Tuesday will take place on Dec. 3. In a call for the community to make generosity a core component of Central Texas lifestyle, ILHIGH has set a regional goal of 5 million actionsfor-good during its campaign from Nov. 1 through Dec. 3. Actions-for-good range from donations to local nonprofit organizations, volunteering and pledging volunteer hours, sharing personal stories of giving on
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