A 57-acre tract in south Marble Falls has been rezoned to accommodate a proposed development, referred to as “Black Jack” in current concept plans. While the project is in its very early stages, it would include lots for dozens of new homes, townhouses, and multi-family residences.
The Marble Falls City Council approved the zoning change in a 5-2 vote at its May 6 meeting. Black Jack would be built on raw land northwest of the intersection of U.S. 281 and FM 2147 East.
The council made its decision after a public hearing on the matter and a presentation from Marble Falls Development Services Director Scarlet Moreno. The 57 acres is going from a lower-density existing neighborhood zone to a higher-density transitional residential district. The former requires larger lot sizes, at least one acre, or 43,560 square-feet, for a single-family home. The latter allows for a minimum single-family lot size of 5,000 square-feet.
The general location of the proposed Black Jack development in south Marble Falls off of U.S. 281 and FM 2147 East. Courtesy image
In the current concept plan, the Black Jack tract would have 55 single-family homes, 117 multi-family units, and 278 townhouses for a total of 450 residences as well as space for three parks and walking trails. It would connect to U.S. 281 by Ridge Rock Road, which is currently a dead-end extension of FM 2147 East.
Plans are not set in stone. The rezoning decision is an early step in the development process before the project takes off.
Councilors Bryan Walker and Lauren Haltom opposed the rezoning due to a higher-density development being in close proximity to lower-density neighborhoods. Both referred to the project’s living unit equivalent (LUE) counts, a measure used in development to show the utilities necessary to accommodate an average residence with 3.5 occupants. The more residences in a space, the higher the LUEs; the fewer residences, the lower the LUEs.
“I would have rather seen a lower LUE count on that west side where it transitions immediately into that (lower-density) area,” Walker told DailyTrib.com. “I’m not opposed to the project, but for that site plan, I would have rather seen it be a little softer of an LUE count.”
Haltom agreed with Walker about the LUE count and expressed a greater concern regarding overall development in south Marble Falls.
“I shared Councilman Walker’s concerns regarding LUEs,” she wrote in an emailed response to questions from DailyTrib.com. “The increasing density on the south side of town in general is something I remain mindful of. I strive to make thoughtful, steady decisions. This particular agenda item just didn’t sit right with me.”
News stories, staff photos, and other online content are copyrighted property of Victory Media. Reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited without the express written consent of the publisher.
Marble Falls Police Department Patrol Capt. Robert Talamantes lets City Councilor Griff Morris look through the goggles used to pilot the police department’s new DJI Avata 2, a mini-drone that will be used to check and clear buildings to avoid putting officers in harm’s way. The department is looking to utilize more drone technology in the future to aid in police work. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
News stories, staff photos, and other online content are copyrighted property of Victory Media. Reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited without the express written consent of the publisher.
An air-quality permit from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for a proposed rock quarry near Burnet is now final despite a recommendation from the agency’s own public interest office to overturn its initial approval.
As of May 2, no meeting was held by TCEQ commissioners to consider three motions to overturn the permit for the Austin-based Asphalt Inc. project at 3221 Hoover Valley Road, just southwest of the city of Burnet. Under state rules, the lack of action triggered an automatic denial of the motions.
“The permit was final when the executive director issued it. With the denial of the motions to overturn, there is no further opportunity to appeal the authorization before the agency,” a TCEQ spokesperson told DailyTrib.com in an emailed response to questions.
The Office of Public Interest Counsel (OPIC), a third-party watchdog within TCEQ, had recommended granting the motions to overturn the permit approval, citing unresolved issues with emissions modeling and scientific concerns flagged by an independent meteorologist.
OPIC said the applicant’s data produced “unrealistically low” pollution estimates and warranted further review. TCEQ’s Office of the Executive Director disagreed, maintaining the standard permit requirements were met and the operation would be protective of human health and the environment.
DailyTrib.com asked if the state commission had a response to OPIC’s position. A TCEQ spokesperson replied: “The commission cannot comment outside of an open meeting. The ED’s (executive director’s) position is set out in the ED’s response brief.”
The process to determine if motions to overturn will be considered in a public meeting is handled individually by each TCEQ commissioner.
“Each commissioner reviews the permit record, motions to overturn, responses, and replies,” the spokesperson explained. “If he or she identifies an issue or error that merits further consideration, the commissioner may request that the General Counsel set the matter for consideration at an open meeting before the date the motion overrules by operation of law.”
Asphalt Inc.’s permit, approved on Feb. 14, allows for a permanent rock and concrete crusher to operate up to 2,640 hours per year, processing 200 tons of material per hour. The application drew more than 4,000 public comments and formal opposition from state lawmakers, attorneys, and residents concerned about the site’s proximity to Camp Longhorn, Inks Lake State Park, and Longhorn Cavern State Park. Now that the permit is finalized, enforcement falls to TCEQ’s compliance division.
“TCEQ will evaluate compliance based on information received, such as complaints or reports of emissions events,” the commission stated. “Investigations may be conducted to evaluate compliance with applicable requirements, including both regulations and permit conditions. If violations are documented, corrective action will be required.”
Although the TCEQ’s permit is finalized, Asphalt Inc. must still secure approvals from the Lower Colorado River Authority, Central Texas Groundwater Conservation District, and Texas Department of Transportation.
News stories, staff photos, and other online content are copyrighted property of Victory Media. Reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited without the express written consent of the publisher.
For three hours every Thursday, Sharing the Harvest in Kingsland hands out hundreds of pounds of groceries to hundreds of Highland Lakes residents. The nonprofit food pantry is in dire need of support as demand rises dramatically and funding and donations drop.
According to Sharing the Harvest leadership, the pantry is serving more individuals and families than ever, but the pipeline for critical donations, especially meat and other proteins, has dwindled in recent weeks due to funding cuts to Central Texas Food Bank and an inexplicable drop in contributed food from the local H-E-B.
Between 2022 and 2024, Sharing the Harvest saw a 62 percent increase in households served annually, from 4,939 to 8,032. In that same timeframe, it saw a 66 percent increase to individuals served annually, from 16,982 to 28,280. On average, the pantry served about 589 people on Thursdays in 2024.
Sharing the Harvest, 3435 RR 1431 in Kingsland, distributes food from 9 a.m. to noon every Thursday. Users often arrive before the pantry opens, forming long lines that stretch down 1431, sometimes extending several blocks, with wait times of three to four hours.
This aerial shot shows a long line of cars stretching down RR 1431 in Kingsland for the Sharing the Harvest food pantry, which serves hundreds of Highland Lakes residents every Thursday, sometimes resulting in three- to four-hour waits for users. Courtesy photo
“Whether (the increase in food pantry users) has to do with the economy or generational poverty, I’m not really sure,” Sharing the Harvest board member Gary Chance told DailyTrib.com. “If they’re willing to sit here and wait in line to try to get food, they need it.”
Chance and over a dozen volunteers were handing out meals and groceries to a long line of pantry visitors on May 1.
“I think there are a lot of generous hearts, but they don’t know (about the number of those using the food pantry),” Chance continued. “I think if we can get the word out about people that have to worry about a meal, I think there would be more and more folks that are willing to come in and help.”
The pantry is totally reliant on donations and is currently holding a May-July funding drive. An anonymous donor committed to matching up to $2,500 per month of the drive for donations made by any business, church, or person that has not been a consistent monthly giver in the past.
Chance and other pantry leaders want to open the facility more days a week or later in the day to serve users who have full-time jobs, but that’s not currently possible due to the lack of donations and volunteers.
“We once had seven freezers full of meat to give to our families. Now, those are sitting empty because of the shortage of processed meats,” wrote Sharing the Harvest director Cynthia Green in a media release. “We remain grateful for our community individuals with hearts of serving other neighbors.”
According to Green, the pantry routinely received weekly, 200-pound donations of frozen and processed meats from the H-E-B in Kingsland at 215 RM 2900, but that has dropped significantly in recent weeks, to 80 pounds on the high end and 17 pounds on the low end.
Green said Sharing the Harvest is one of the biggest customers for the local H-E-B, having spent $84,000 on groceries there in 2024.
Another contributing issue to bare shelves was a March federal funding cut of millions of dollars to food purchasing programs through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That had a direct impact on Central Texas Food Bank in Austin, which is a distribution center for area food pantries, including Sharing the Harvest.
According to Central Texas Food Bank communications specialist Noelle Newton, the facility lost about $5.5 million for the upcoming fiscal year due to the cuts, and 40 deliveries totaling $1.7 million worth of food, approximately 761,000 meals, were canceled.
“In the short term, we expect our partners to see fewer options and less variety of the food we have available,” Newton told DailyTrib.com in an emailed response to questions. “If nothing replaces these costs, at the end of the day, it will result in less food for families. We are going to do everything we can to ensure families do not go without, but we need everyone’s support.”
News stories, staff photos, and other online content are copyrighted property of Victory Media. Reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited without the express written consent of the publisher.
William T. “W.T.” Smith, a former Burnet County sheriff and a career lawman, died Sunday, May 4, 2025. Born in San Antonio on Nov. 19, 1940, Smith dedicated nearly five decades to public service and safety. Flags across Burnet County will be lowered to half-staff this week in his honor.
Smith served two stints with the Burnet County Sheriff’s Office: from 1993-2003 as a staff member and then 2009-16 as the elected sheriff. He retired in 2016 with a total of 18 years and six months of Burnet County law enforcement duty under his belt. He began his career with the San Antonio Police Department in 1968, contributing to the patrol, criminal intelligence, and homicide divisions.
A master peace officer and master jailer, Smith accumulated an impressive 5,882 training hours with the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Education. He graduated from Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University) with a Bachelor of Science in law enforcement and attended the prestigious FBI National Academy, session 186.
Among his many notable accomplishments, Smith led investigations in several high-profile cases, including one that ended with the closure of the Christ of the Hills Monastery in Blanco County and the arrests of five monks on charges of child sexual assault.
Before his law enforcement career, Smith served in the U.S. Army (1966-68) and saw active duty in Europe and Vietnam. His military honors include the Bronze Star, Vietnam Service Medal with two overseas Service Stars, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Expeditionary Force Medal, and Good Conduct Medal.
His service to community includes being a licensed Baptist minister and an active participant on many boards and committees.
Smith’s life was marked by his deep Christian faith, enduring marriage, and signature sense of humor. He and his late wife, Eileen, were married for 55 years after first meeting as skating partners. She preceded him in death last July.
He is survived by his three daughters—Julie Davis of Bixby of Oklahoma, Wendy Flynn of Willis, Texas, and Brandi Banks of San Marcos—as well as several grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and extended family members. His beloved Yorkie, Lulu, was his constant companion in later years.
Visitation is Monday, May, 19 from 5-7 p.m. at Clements-Wilcox Funeral Home in Marble Falls. A celebration of life service is 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 20, at Hill Country Fellowship Church in Burnet. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to organizations Smith held dear: The 100 Club of Central Texas, Highland Lakes Family Crisis Center, and CRU (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ).
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story incorrectly said Smith was survived by his wife, Eileen. She preceded him in death in July 2024. DailyTrib.com apologizes for the error.
News stories, staff photos, and other online content are copyrighted property of Victory Media. Reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited without the express written consent of the publisher.
Golden shovels ceremoniously broke ground May 5 on the largest project ever undertaken by the city of Marble Falls: the $86 million One Water Reclamation Facility. The wastewater treatment plant, a first of its kind in Texas, has been years in the making.
Nearly six years of planning led up to Monday’s groundbreaking at a city-owned site off of Colt Circle Drive in the sprawling fields and hills behind Walmart and Cinergy Cinemas. The project follows a 2019 mandate from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality that a growing Marble Falls increase its wastewater-processing capacity.
One Water should be online by 2028 and more than double the city’s current processing capacity, eventually utilizing cutting-edge technology to recycle water for reuse if everything goes according to plan.
“This is not just a new plant, it’s a new era,” said Mayor Dave Rhodes in a city-issued media release Monday. “One Water is about managing every drop wisely to create a resilient, sustainable water supply for generations to come.”
Marble Falls Mayor Dave Rhodes introduces the One Water project and recognizes key contributors during a speech at the groundbreaking ceremony. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
Rhodes has been involved with the project from its inception, and spent two City Council terms and his current stint as mayor advocating for it. He termed out of council service this year and will be replaced by incoming Mayor John Packer, who ran unopposed in the May election.
What makes the plant so unique is how it will process wastewater: The aerobic granular sludge method uses microbes to break down pollutants more quickly and effectively than traditional systems, expends less energy, and takes up less space.
The One Water facility in Marble Falls will be the first AGS wastewater plant in Texas.
“It’s pretty amazing to be able to say that we’re part of a project that is cutting edge in the city of Marble Falls,” said Robert Adams, a project manager with Plummer who helped design and guide the city through planning.
A key benefit of the plant is it will eventually allow the city to recycle its used water, reducing its dependence on the Highland Lakes and the Lower Colorado River Authority.
“If droughts continue, (the LCRA has) the ability to say ‘turn it off’ or ‘turn it down,’ and it will really change what we can and can’t do,” Mayor Rhodes explained to DailyTrib.com. “We’re looking to take control of our destiny here to the best of our ability. Water is not just what you think it is, like watering the grass and taking a shower. Water is economy. Without it, you don’t have one. You don’t have a population.”
A Texas flag marks the future site of the One Water Reclamation Facility, which will be tucked away on city-owned property amid fields and hills in northwest Marble Falls. Staff photo by Dakota Morrissiey
By the numbers, the One Water Reclamation Facility could process up to 3 million gallons of wastewater a day, which is double the current plant’s capacity, and it can be further upgraded for 6 million gallons a day down the road. This should serve the city for the next 30-plus years based on current growth trends, according to Rhodes.
Construction is planned in three phases. First comes the wastewater processing facility by 2028, followed by a preliminary purification plant to test the recycling process by 2030, and finally, pending testing results and TCEQ regulatory approval, a full-scale, advanced purification plant by 2032.
Funding for the project comes from multiple sources:
$38.5 million in state and federal grants
$40.9 million in low-interest loans through the Texas Water Development Board
$4 million from local funds
$3 million in zero-percent interest loans
Mayor-elect Packer had this to say at the groundbreaking ceremony:
“The One Water project is laying the foundation for the future of Marble Falls and represents one of the most important investments our community has ever made. An investment not just in infrastructure, but in long-term stability and our economic future.”
News stories, staff photos, and other online content are copyrighted property of Victory Media. Reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited without the express written consent of the publisher.
The central appraisal districts in Burnet and Llano counties sent out notices of preliminary property values to residents April 15. Property owners have until May 15 to issue a protest if they don’t think the numbers add up.
The property value appraisal protest process is a critical right of Texas taxpayers, and understanding the steps involved could determine whether or not you spend thousands more in taxes every year.
The protest window closes on May 15, or 30 days from the date of notice, depending on whichever is later. Not all properties are guaranteed a notice, so the May 15 date is crucial to keep on your calendar.
“A lot of people, in my mind, think (protesting) wont help, so they don’t even try,” Burnet County Precinct 2 Commissioner Damon Beierle told DailyTrib.com. “I figure if you can help lay it out in a step-by-step-method, then more people will protest.”
Beierle said the top query he gets from his constituents is regarding changes in property appraisals year to year and the resulting changes in property tax payments. He shared tips for filing a protest on his official Facebook page.
While the commissioners courts in Burnet and Llano counties set tax rates, as taxing entities, they do not assess the value of the properties being taxed. That falls to the central appraisal districts.
“We have preliminary numbers. That’s all these are,” explained Burnet Central Appraisal District Chief Appraiser Stan Hemphill.
The numbers that Highland Lakes residents see on their notices are not set in stone. They are initially determined based on numerous factors, including a sales comparison to similar properties in the area; the size, age, and location of the property; and the estimated cost to replace a structure if it had to be rebuilt.
The local central appraisal districts will accept protests until the window closes in May, then use those final numbers to create certified appraisals for their respective counties, which will allow taxing entities like cities, county governments, and school districts to begin setting their budgets for the fiscal year. The certified appraisals must be issued by July 25 under Texas state law.
Hemphill shared preliminary numbers with DailyTrib.com regarding changes in appraised property values in Burnet County from 2024 to 2025. The corresponding numbers from the Llano CAD were not available at the time of this article’s publication.
Preliminary Burnet County numbers, 2024 to 2025
Burnet County’s overall taxable property value increased 7.14 percent from about $10.98 billion in 2024 to around $11.79 billion in 2025.
The average taxable homesteads in the county’s taxing units changed as follows:
Burnet County, up 7.52 percent from $430,940 to $463,353
City of Bertram, up 5.53 percent from $269,991 to $284,928
City of Burnet, up 6.29 percent from $321,723 to $341,968
City of Cottonwood Shores, up 2.01 percent from $286,589 to $292,354
City of Granite Shoals, up 9.64 percent from $366,806 to $402,187
City of Highland Haven, up 9.14 percent from $646,933 to $706,111
City of Marble Falls, up 7.5 percent from $382,437 to $411,151
City of Meadowlakes, up 7.42 percent from $466,566 to $501,213
Burnet Consolidated Independent School District, up 9.84 percent from $304,476 to $334,438
Marble Falls Independent School District, up 9.03 percent from $371,570 to $405,145
Protests require good contact information from the protester and relevant materials to back up a protest such as photos, a private appraisal, detailed descriptions, or closing statements on a recent purchase.
If the appraisal district believes there is enough evidence warranted for a change, a “settlement” may be offered, in which the district will send an adjusted appraisal to the protester. This settlement offer must be signed and resubmitted before it can be accepted.
If the appraisal district receives a protest it does not agree with, a hearing will be set and the protester will be given 15 days’ notice before they have an opportunity to come before the district’s appraisal review board and plead their case.
Hearings are typically held from mid-May to early July before the appraisals are fully certified.
News stories, staff photos, and other online content are copyrighted property of Victory Media. Reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited without the express written consent of the publisher.
Highland Lakes voters made big decisions on leadership and propositions across Burnet and Llano counties on Election Day, May 3. Many incumbents kept their spots on governing bodies, save for a shake-up in the Llano mayoral race, and all four propositions for the $172.2 million Marble Falls Independent School District bond package passed by dominant margins.
The following results are unofficial. Races must be legitimized by election canvassing by each governing body in the near future.
News stories, staff photos, and other online content are copyrighted property of Victory Media. Reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited without the express written consent of the publisher.
A bill aimed at protecting Longhorn Cavern State Park, Inks Lake State Park, and Camp Longhorn from nearby aggregate mining has moved to the Texas House of Representatives for debate.
Introduced in March of this year, HB 5151 would prohibit rock-crushing and other aggregate production operations within 4 miles of state parks and lakes managed by a Texas river authority and within 2 miles of licensed youth camps—restrictions designed specifically to block a proposed Asphalt Inc. facility off of Hoover Valley Road in Burnet County.
Wilson, who previously represented Burnet County before redistricting in 2022, described the measure as a narrowly focused effort to protect a uniquely sensitive area.
“We need concrete. We need stone to build our roads and homes,” Wilson told the committee during the April 24 hearing. “But while we build and dig, we cannot lose sight of why folks from all over the world visit this location.”
With committee approval secured, HB 5151 goes to the full Texas House for consideration during the 2025 legislative session. If it passes there, it will proceed to the state Senate, where it must be assigned to a committee, receive a public hearing, and secure majority approval. If passed by both chambers, it will be sent to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk for his signature to become law.
News stories, staff photos, and other online content are copyrighted property of Victory Media. Reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited without the express written consent of the publisher.
This Content Submission and License Agreement (“Agreement”) is entered into by and between Victory Media Marketing LLC (“Company,” “we,” or “us”) and you (“User,” “you,” or “Submitter”) upon your submission of content through our websites’ See it, Share It form.
Submitted Content “Submitted Content” means any news tips, text, descriptions, images, photographs, videos, audio files, recordings, or other materials you upload, submit, or provide to us via the news tips forms on DailyTrib.com, KBEYfm.com, 101highlandlakes.com, or any other websites owned or operated by Victory Media Marketing LLC.
License Grant By submitting any Submitted Content, you hereby grant to Company a worldwide, non- exclusive, perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free, fully sublicensable, and transferable license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, perform, display, and otherwise exploit the Submitted Content in any form or medium (now known or hereafter developed), including but not limited to:
Publishing on DailyTrib.com, KBEYfm.com, 101highlandlakes.com, other Company websites, apps, newsletters, and social media platforms (such as Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, etc.).
Editing, formatting, or combining with other content for news, promotional, archival, or commercial purposes.
Allowing third parties (e.g., affiliates, syndication partners) to use it under the same terms. You retain ownership of the copyright in your Submitted Content, subject to the license granted above.
User Representations and Warranties You represent and warrant that:
You are at least 18 years old and have the full right and authority to grant the rights in this Agreement.
The Submitted Content is your original work or you have obtained all necessary permissions, consents, and releases (including from any individuals appearing in photos/videos or owners of any third-party materials).
The Submitted Content does not infringe any third-party intellectual property rights, privacy rights, publicity rights, or defame any person.
It complies with all applicable laws and does not contain viruses, malware, or prohibited content.
You will not submit false, misleading, or confidential information.
No Compensation You understand and agree that you will receive no compensation for the submission or use of your Submitted Content.
Indemnification You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Company, its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claims, damages, liabilities, losses, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising from your breach of this Agreement or any third-party claims related to your Submitted Content.
Moral Rights and Publicity You waive any moral rights or rights of attribution in the Submitted Content to the extent permitted by law. Company may use your name, username, or likeness in connection with the Submitted Content if applicable.
Termination and Removal Company may, in its sole discretion, edit, refuse to post, or remove any Submitted Content at any time without notice. This Agreement survives any termination.
Governing Law This Agreement is governed by the laws of the State of Texas, without regard to conflict of laws principles. Any disputes shall be resolved exclusively in the courts located in Burnet County, Texas.
Entire Agreement This Agreement constitutes the entire understanding between the parties and supersedes all prior agreements. Modifications must be in writing. By submitting content, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by this Agreement.
