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The Picayune Magazine

For the first time in over a year, the Burnet County AgriLife Extension Office has a complete, four-person team as it welcomes new Family and Community Health Agent Mia Benge.

“In this role, I hope to help those in my community feel educated and confident in making and maintaining healthy practices that will boost their well-being and longevity,” Benge said in a Texas A&M AgriLife media release following her hire. She replaces Kailey Roberts, who left in April 2024. 

Benge aims to enhance the overall health and wellness in the community she serves through education programs on nutrition, mental health support, accident prevention, and the promotion of healthier lifestyles.

She is a native of Cedar Park and earned her bachelor’s degree in food science and human nutrition from Colorado State University. She already has experience in the field, having worked as a community nutrition educator while in Colorado.

Burnet County AgriLife, which includes the county’s 4-H program, has seen a big turnover in staffing and big vacancy gaps in recent years. 

The current Youth Development agent, Colton Ripley, has only been with Burnet County since April 2024, having arrived after the position was empty for over a year following the departure of Mikayla Herron in early 2023. Even the Extension Office’s administrative assistant, Patty Frigge, has only been on staff for about a year.

With the team complete, Burnet County AgriLife programming should see an immediate benefit.

“We are fully staffed now and that is a big deal for our youth and all of our programs,” said Kelly Tarla, the Agriculture and Natural Resources agent, who was hired in 2015. “I think things are just going to run smoother.”

dakota@thepicayune.com

Dozens of firefighters, first responders, and public servants from agencies across the Highland Lakes and beyond are stamping out the remnants of a massive fire that engulfed a tire disposal facility in Burnet on Monday, June 30. Firefighters are still digging into the tire piles and rooting out the fire, which could take days to complete.

The blaze at Reliable Tire Disposal, 3345 Texas 29 East in Burnet, was still burning on Tuesday afternoon but considered contained. Thru-traffic can traverse Texas 29 near the fire, but an eastbound and westbound lane were closed as of Tuesday afternoon. An eastbound lane may remain closed for up to three days as firefighters continue their battle.

The smoke and flames from a fire at a Burnet tire disposal facility were intense, and it took first responders about six hours to get it under control. Photo from Cassie Volunteer Fire Department Facebook page

The fire began at 4 p.m. Monday and raged through the night, sending black smoke into the sky that was visible from as far away as Lampasas. Reliable Tire Disposal was destroyed in the blaze, and its enormous stock of tires were still emitting plumes of noxious smoke on Tuesday.

Burnet Fire Marshal Johnny Caraway said a cause has not been determined but an investigation is underway.

“We don’t have a cause yet, that is going to take a while,” he told DailyTrib.com. “I don’t know that we’ll ever know the cause because everything is so burnt. There was a lot of confusion (when the fire started).”

A fire at a Burnet tire disposal facility was still burning on the afternoon of Tuesday, July 1. Reliable Tire Disposal on the east side of the city was destroyed in the blaze. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey

According to the Burnet County Sheriff’s Office, the fire could have been sparked by malfunctioning machinery.

“What we’ve been told is that it was a malfunction of one of the machines, but it is still being investigated,” Sheriff Calvin Boyd said during a media conference Tuesday. “It does just look like an accident at this point, but we investigate every fire like it’s arson.”

Caraway said Reliable Tire Disposal was open when the fire started. Staff reportedly smelled burning rubber and saw smoke, but by the time they jumped into action, the blaze was already out of control.

About 19 agencies responded to the fire, with Burnet Fire Rescue serving as the incident command. Caraway estimated about 75-100 firefighters were on the scene at the height of operations, but hundreds of first responders and personnel aided in the fight.

Helicopters made water drops to help control the dark inferno and Texas 29 was temporarily shut down due to the risk of smoke blinding drivers or the fire jumping the highway.

The fire rose an estimated 60 feet and consumed the tire disposal facility, making it difficult for first responders.

“When it’s tires, the heat is indescribable. You can’t get anywhere close to it,” said Burnet Fire Chief Mark Ingram.

Ingram and Sheriff Boyd gave a lot of credit to Burnet Streets Department staff, who used tractors to cut a perimeter around the fire, preventing it from spreading to more tires and escaping the boundaries of the Reliable Tire Disposal property.

“(Streets Department workers) cut off the backside with tractors and pushed those tires back,” Boyd said. “Had they not done that, those tires would have caught fire also and it would have been much, much worse.”

dakota@thepicayune.com

A local nonprofit can snag $100,000 from the Lower Colorado River Authority during its current round of community grants. The application period is July 1-31. 

The big prize and dozens of other grants of up to $50,000 will be awarded for improvement projects by eligible nonprofits in LCRA’s 73-county service area, including volunteer fire departments, emergency responders, libraries, civic groups, museums, and other tax-exempt organizations in addition to local governments, schools, and hospitals. The money is not available to individuals, for-profit entities, professional associations, social service projects, or limited-use facilities.

Current LCRA Community Grants applications are online at lcra.org/grants through midnight July 31. Most grants are for $25,000 or less, but several will be for projects of up to $50,000. The $100,000 is to commemorate the LCRA grant program’s 30th anniversary. A second $100,000 grant will be awarded in January 2026, the next application period.

Applicants requesting more than $5,000 in grant funding must supply matching funds of at least 20 percent of the total project cost. Projects must benefit or be available to an entire community and improve the value of a capital asset through building, renovating, or purchasing equipment.

The LCRA’s 73-county service area includes Blanco, Burnet, Lampasas, and Llano counties.

Visit lcra.org/grants for more on eligibility requirements and to submit an application. For more information, email grants@lcra.org or call 800-776-5272 ext. 3140 or ext. 1627.

editor@thepicayune.com

Layne’s Chicken Fingers, the new tenant at 2711 U.S. 281 North in Marble Falls, across from Walmart, looks like it is nearly open for business. The chicken joint first came into the public eye in March after Austin-area Layne’s franchisee Shahroz Kahn gave DailyTrib.com the scoop on the new business. The project is slightly behind schedule, originally expected to have a mid-May/early June completion date, but could be open by Aug. 9, according to Kahn. Staff photo by Jennifer Greenwell

The city of Marble Falls is negotiating with a developer on plans for a 463-acre resort-lifestyle community complete with a massive lagoon.

The proposed project, dubbed “Laguna Marble Falls,” is still in its early stages with nothing set in stone or officially approved. It could include its own 4-acre lagoon, thousands of living units, hotels, restaurants, and retail space.

The current site being discussed is 3800 U.S. 281 North in the Marble Falls city limits. The resort could potentially occupy a large rural space behind Walmart between RR 1431 and U.S. 281.

The red marker on this map shows the general location of where the proposed Laguna Marble Falls resort would be located. Google Maps

“Laguna Marble Falls promises breathtaking lake views, luxurious amenities, and unparalleled relaxation,” reads an excerpt from the project’s landing page. “At Laguna Marble Falls, we’re bringing the cool urban lifestyle to the countryside. Our vision is a thriving community where residents can enjoy a balanced live-work-play environment, all within a convenient and connected setting.”

These figures could and will likely change if a development agreement is reached with the city, but the following is currently listed on the site:

  • 3,293 multi-family units
  • 745 single-family homes
  • 321 townhome units
  • 4-acre lagoon
  • 10.2 acres of amenities
  • 219,023 square-feet of retail space
  • 41,400 square-feet of restaurants
  • 177,640 square-feet of hotels
  • 23 acres of parking
  • 142 acres of parks and trails

“Part of me says ‘it’s a great project’ and part of me has a hard time wrapping my arms around how big it is,” Marble Falls Mayor John Packer told DailyTrib.com. “I don’t have an opinion one way or another. I just want to see how some of these big pieces come together. I feel like when these opportunities come along, the city has to consider them.”

The matter has not yet been voted on by the City Council or brought forth publicly and is still in a negotiating stage. Before anything is approved, a development agreement will have to be brought before the council in an open meeting.

Packer only recently became aware of the Laguna Marble Falls project after being elected to office in May, but Deputy City Manager Caleb Kraenzel provided more insight, explaining that the city had been in negotiations with developer iLand for months.

“We are negotiating a development agreement with them,” Kraenzel said. “The thing that takes the most time is getting to the bottom of infrastructure. I think we’re all of the mind that (the impacts of Laguna Marble Falls) would be profound, but that means different things to different people.”

Kraenzel explained that the primary appeal of Laguna Marble Falls is the tourism draw, capitalizing on the city’s desire to be a destination, but he also acknowledged the elephant in the room: water.

“(Water), of course, is at the forefront of our considerations,” he said. “We’re evaluating whether we can handle it. There is more due diligence to be done, definitely for us.”

While the exact amount of water usage for the resort hasn’t been determined, Kraenzel noted that the city could likely handle it, having more than doubled its firm water contract with the Lower Colorado River Authority in 2024 from 3,000 acre-feet per year to 7,000. He also said that the city’s incoming state-of-the-art wastewater treatment plant could aid in supporting the resort and using the city’s recycled water to service it. The city’s water capacity also is further bolstered by the wells of the Capstone Ranch groundwater system, which it acquired in 2023.

Water has been of paramount concern for residents in recent years, with both major Highland Lakes reservoirs, lakes Buchanan and Travis, hovering at around half-full or less.

According to Kraenzel, the city will only move forward if it makes sense infrastructurewise and if Marble Falls as a whole will benefit from the project. He mentioned a similar instance: When the Thunder Rock development was approved, it came with the stipulation that a large sports complex and recreation center be built along with it to serve all residents.

“This project is of such a magnitude we can enter into conversations with them about funding and cost-sharing for other projects,” Kraenzel said. “They don’t want to overspend and we don’t want to leave a nickel on the table that doesn’t benefit the community.”

The Laguna Marble Falls project is not totally unique and has a sister project nearby in Leander with the same developer. Leander Springs is similar to Laguna Marble Falls and has been on and off the regional economic radar since 2020

According to a business plan for Laguna Marble Falls posted online as part of an EB-5 funding application, the project could generate over 1,100 jobs and require over $280 million of initial funding. The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program refers to a federal program that offers a green card and project funding to foreign investors who create jobs.

Kraenzel explained that a project like this would be done in phases and could take years to actually come to fruition. 

“I really can’t say at this stage (what the chances of Laguna Marble Falls happening are), but the developer at this stage has more time and investment in coming to terms with this city than is normal.”

Editor’s Note: The story originally published mentioned a possible monorail in the headline and later on in the article as one of the potential amenities of the resort. After publication, DailyTrib.com learned from sources that, while the monorail was part of the initial planning of Laguna Marble Falls, it is currently not part of the designs.

dakota@thepicayune.com

Granite Shoals residents have until July 18 to voice their opinions on how best to improve Quarry Park, the city’s largest piece of public property at 136 acres. A community survey issued by the city is open until the deadline.

The park, 2221 N. Phillips Ranch Road, surrounds Granite Shoals City Hall and already boasts many amenities: tennis, pickleball, and basketball courts; turf soccer fields; bird-watching stations and over a mile of hiking trails; shaded event spaces; vast parking; and enough outdoor space to host a rodeo, carnival, or music festival.

This massive structure provides consistent, shaded event space at Quarry Park in Granite Shoals and houses the park’s basketball courts and turf soccer fields. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey

City leaders want to know how they can make the park even better. Granite Shoals is known as the “City of Parks,” having 19 public green spaces, and Quarry Park is often referred to as “the gem” of the city.

“We certainly want to preserve all the amazing things that (Quarry Park) has to offer as well as adding additional things if we’re missing the mark anywhere,” City Manager Sarah Novo told DailyTrib.com. “We have a lot of space to work with here, so there is a lot of opportunity and potential for above and beyond what it is currently doing for the community.”

The online survey, available here, went live on June 26 and can be accessed until July 18. For more information, contact CityManager@graniteshoals.org or tom.brown@mrbgroup.com.

At 136 acres, Quarry Park is massive by Highland Lakes city park standards. More and more of the land within the park’s boundaries is being cleared to make way for more public access. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey

The questionnaire asks residents for feedback on public recreation and development at Quarry Park. They can offer their own recommendations or choose from a list of pitched improvements, such as expanding existing facilities or adding new ones like a disc golf course, a splash pad, baseball fields, football fields, an amphitheater/music venue, nature observation areas, and more.

While there are no funds set aside for the yet-to-be-determined park projects, identifying which direction to go will allow the city to pursue funding opportunities, such as grants, and start budgeting for the changes.

“Part of the design and part of the grant application is determining what the community wants to see here,” Novo said. “We’ve seen that it has become a true gathering place, and we want to represent the community’s desires as things are moving forward.”

This one-mile sidewalk extending from the residential portion of Granite Shoals along North Phillips Ranch Road reaches Quarry Park and RR 1431, providing a safe route for pedestrians. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey

The city recently cleared more land at the park to make it usable and is installing a paved, 4-foot-wide walking path that extends along North Phillips Ranch Road from the heart of the city to RR 1431, giving foot traffic a safe route to the park. 

“(The path) will be pedestrian safe and accessible, getting people from point ‘A’ to point ‘B’ and keeping them off of the main road,” Novo said. 

Quarry Park has also recently become a hot venue, hosting Granitefest in March, the 2025 High School BBQ State Championship in April, the Howdy-Roo chili cook-off in May, and the Highland Lakes Battle of the Badges barbecue cook-off June 20.

dakota@thepicayune.com

Agendas for Highland Lakes governments are posted 72 hours before a meeting so are not always ready by the time this story is published. Check the links for more information.

Tuesday, July 1

Marble Falls City Council

6 p.m. regular meeting

City Hall, 800 Third St. in Marble Falls

On the agenda:

  • update from ATMOS Energy public affairs
  • discussion and possible acceptance of 2025-27 city strategic goals
  • update on Bluebonnet Drive reconstruction project

Wednesday, July 2

Marble Falls Economic Development Corp. Board of Directors

Noon regular meeting

City Hall, 800 Third St. in Marble Falls

On the agenda:

  • assistant director and executive director reports and updates on business, real estate, project, and marketing activities
  • discussion and action on an investment in the Austin Business Journal’s Small Business Big Impact series

editor@thepicayune.com

Asphalt Inc., also known as Lone Star Paving, has the greenlight from two state agencies for a proposed, 715-acre rock quarry on Hoover Valley Road in western Burnet County, but it needs more approvals before moving forward. The rock-crushing facility has been a source of angst for area residents since news of plans broke last summer.

The Central Texas Groundwater Conservation District, which regulates groundwater use in Burnet County, still must give its OK if the quarry project wants to tap into local aquifers. According to the GCD, Asphalt Inc.’s environmental consultant, Westward Environmental, has contacted the district with preliminary inquiries. The Texas Department of Transportation also must conduct a study on the potential transportation and traffic impacts of a rock crusher in the area.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality approved an air-quality permit for the quarry on Feb. 14, and the Lower Colorado River Authority granted its own permit on June 18 under the Highland Lakes Watershed Ordinance.

The quarry would harvest and process large amounts of aggregate material, about 200 tons per hour at a pace of 2,640 hours per year, according to its TCEQ permit application.

The primary concerns surrounding the quarry are its impact on the nearby Camp Longhorn children’s summer camp, Inks Lake State Park, Longhorn Cavern State Park, and Inks Dam National Fish Hatchery, which are all within 5 miles of the proposed site.

Central Texas Groundwater Conservation District

This large sign is one of many along Hoover Valley Road where Asphalt Inc. wants to build a large rock quarry. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey

“No permits have been applied for yet,” reads a statement from CTGCD General Manager Mitchell Sodek to DailyTrib.com. “The consultant is proposing to use groundwater from well(s) drilled into the Hickory Aquifer. The applicant has yet to apply for and drill any test wells.”

Sodek explained that the district would have to issue a permit before the quarry project used or interfered with local groundwater. Before that can happen, a hydrogeologic investigation would have to take place and the district’s Board of Directors would have to consider the potential impact on the wells of neighboring landowners.

“The district has authority to regulate the amount of groundwater use from the facility both from wells and any consumption of groundwater from quarry pits that have encountered the aquifer,” Sodek said. “The district does not have authority to regulate the mining activities, which includes no regulations pertaining to mining into an aquifer.”

The amount of groundwater the quarry seeks to use has not yet been disclosed to the district. This will likely be determined by the results of a hydrogeologic study and the productivity of any wells the quarry intends to use, according to Sodek.

There is currently no timeline in place or set in motion for a groundwater use permit for the quarry.

Texas Department of Transportation

In a response to questions about TxDOT’s role in regulating the quarry from DailyTrib.com, officials sent this in an email on Friday, June 27.

“When TxDOT receives a request for a driveway permit to access the state’s right of way, we conduct a comprehensive evaluation.

“This review considers a range of factors, including environmental impacts, changes to traffic flow, and overall roadway safety. 

“Based on the findings, TxDOT may require the applicant to implement mitigation measures or incorporate safety enhancements such as turn lanes, traffic signals, or other improvements.

“We review all requests for driveway permits.”

Community efforts

The grassroots community group Save Burnet has been fighting the quarry from day one.

“It’s just so hard to believe,” Save Burnet member Randy Printz told DailyTrib.com, referring to the two big state permit approvals. “Nobody wants it.”

The TCEQ made its approval despite a significant outcry, receiving 4,000 public comments on the matter. Its own internal review board, the Office of Public Interest Counsel, also recommended overturning the permit approval, but this was ignored by the agency.

The LCRA, which was restricted to assessing potential water run-off impacts, approved its permit on June 18.

“LCRA’s role in evaluating this application was limited to determining whether it met the water quality protection standards set out in the Highland Lakes Watershed Ordinance,” reads a statement to DailyTrib.com from the river authority. “After a thorough review of the application, additional information submitted by the applicant in response to staff inquiries and consideration of more than 2,000 comments from members of the public, we have determined the application does meet the applicable requirements in the ordinance and have issued a Quarry/Mine Permit for the proposed facility.” 

The statement also made sure to note that if the terms of the permit are not met, the LCRA may revoke the permit if issues are not resolved within 10 days.

“LCRA has been very diligent, but their hands are tied,” Printz said.

Save Burnet is conducting its own research, using six air-quality monitors to establish a baseline particulate count for the area surrounding the proposed quarry site so members have data to compare to if the project comes online. Printz, who lives just down the road from the Asphalt Inc. property, has also started monitoring his well to create a groundwater baseline for any potential future impacts on the local water table.

“We are encouraging everyone to get their wells monitored,” he said.

Driving along Hoover Valley Road, just southeast of Burnet, nearly every property is adorned with signs that voice their strong opposition to the rock quarry.

“If all else fails we will be filing a lawsuit against Asphalt Inc.,” Printz said.

dakota@thepicayune.com

Marble Falls has a traffic problem, and the city is asking for “relief.”

The City Council on June 17 approved an official request to the Texas Department of Transportation for a feasibility study on a relief route in Burnet County, noting massive regional growth and a rise in daily traffic counts. 

The relief route could be a loop or a bypass around the city, a designated trucking route, a new bridge across the Colorado River, or some other solution. Procedurally, it could take a year before the request is fully processed by TxDOT, another year before a study begins, and still more years before any sort of work is done. 

“We’re trying to look at something that is a little more broad, maybe at the county level,” said Marble Falls Deputy City Manager Caleb Kraenzel, who spearheaded route talks with the council during its recent meeting. “Me, personally, I would like to see (TxDOT) do some sort of loop. I know a lot of businesses are concerned about some sort of bypass. It’s a balancing act.”

Two major traffic concerns are U.S. 281 congestion in the heart of Marble Falls, specifically near the RR 1431 intersection, and booming residential growth at the U.S. 281-Texas 71 intersection, Kraenzel told DailyTrib.com

Finding a solution to traffic woes is paramount to Marble Falls residents, according to a survey and public workshops done before the city rolled out its 2024 Comprehensive Plan.

THE NUMBERS

The latest data from the TxDOT Statewide Traffic Count Map shows a massive rise in daily traffic near major intersections between 2010 and 2023. Traffic counts on U.S. 281 just south of the RR 1431 intersection rose 24 percent from 27,000 daily vehicles in 2010 to 34,369 in 2023. Counts on 281 just north of the Texas 71 intersection went up 48.7 percent from 14,100 daily vehicles in 2010 to 23,180 in 2023.

Marble Falls leaders estimate the city’s population could double within 40 years. That assessment seems highly likely after taking into account a 23.95 percent population increase—7,594 to 9,413—between 2023 and 2024, according to the latest U.S. Census data. The city also predicts roadway infrastructure could approach or reach its capacity within 10 years based on current vehicle counts.

While U.S. 281, RR 1431, and Texas 71 all lie within Marble Falls city limits, they are completely under the jurisdiction of TxDOT. The state agency is responsible for upgrading, improving, maintaining, and fixing the major thoroughfares. 

Marble Falls cannot directly work on those roadways without collaborating with TxDOT. The request for a relief route feasibility study is one of the few actions the city can take on its own. TxDOT will now process the request and determine whether or not to move forward on the study, which must be done before the department begins a project.

“TxDOT regularly collaborates with local partners to develop and implement transportation projects,” reads a statement to DailyTrib.com from TxDOT officials. “We deeply value these partnerships, including our ongoing work with the city of Marble Falls. Transportation projects are typically identified many years before they receive funding or move into construction. A key tool we use in the early stages of project development is the feasibility study. These studies help us evaluate potential improvements to existing roadways or explore options for new routes.”

OTHER PROJECTS

While a relief route could be years in the making, TxDOT is currently addressing area traffic issues with other major projects.

  • Plans for the U.S. 281-RR 1431 intersection include adding a right-turn lane for northbound 281 traffic, rehabbing pavement, and upgrading traffic signals. The project should go out for bid in mid-2026. 
  • TxDOT is conducting an environmental and schematic study of the U.S. 281-Texas 71 interchange to determine the best course of action for improving traffic flow. This project has been extended, but the last estimate for a start date was sometime between 2028 and 2033.
  • The department is currently improving the dangerous Texas 71-CR 401 intersection near Spicewood by adding right- and left-turn lanes and a new traffic light. This project should be finished by mid-2026.
  • TxDOT is funding and handling the Wirtz Dam Bridge project, which would connect RR 1431 and FM 2147 over the Colorado River between Cottonwood Shores and Granite Shoals. The project was delayed due to the discovery of an archaeological site nearby. Construction could begin in 2026.

dakota@thepicayune.com