Two state lawmakers representing Burnet County have asked the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for a public meeting on a proposed rock-crushing plant that would be built just outside of Burnet.
State Sen. Pete Flores (R-District 24) and state Rep. Ellen Troxclair (R-District 19) made the request in a joint letter to the TCEQ regarding Asphalt Inc. LLC’s plan to build the permanent operation at 3221 FM 3509 in Hoover’s Valley. The site is west of U.S. 281 between Longhorn Cavern State Park and the city of Burnet’s Delaware Springs Golf Course.
Asphalt Inc. has applied for an air quality standard permit from the TCEQ.
The lawmakers requested a public meeting be held in Burnet County so residents could easily attend.
Locals concerned about another rock-crushing plant in the county held their own meeting on Sept. 1. About 200 people attended the event, which was organized by the group Save Burnet. It plans to hold another community meeting at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14, at Hill Country Fellowship Church, 200 Houston Clinton Drive in Burnet.
In their Sept. 3 letter to the TCEQ, Flores and Troxclair said residents need an opportunity to voice their concerns and learn more about the project.
The TCEQ has received 265 public comments so far on the proposed plant since its permit application was published on Aug. 20. The project has already completed the state commission’s technical review, raising the urgency for public input, said Fores and Troxclair.
Residents have 30 days (until Sept. 19) from the notice publication date to submit their written comments. Comments may be mailed to TCEQ’s Office of the Chief Clerk at MC-105, P.O. Box 13087, Austin, TX 78711-3087; or submitted electronically by entering the application’s registration No. 176835 on the TCEQ website.
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The Lake Buchanan Communities Alliance is requesting changes to Burnet County’s mass gathering permit in the wake of April’s weeklong Texas Eclipse festival at Reveille Peak Ranch, which reportedly kept nearby residents up all night.
The alliance sent officials an open letter on Aug. 26 asking that the permit for large events require “reasonable hours of operation” for amplified sound and decibel readings for compliance—and that both of those are enforced.
The Burnet County Sheriff’s Office is in charge of the mass gathering permit system and already in the process of amending it.
“We are definitely looking at altering (the mass gathering permit),” BCSO Chief Deputy Alan Trevino told DailyTrib.com. “One of the things we’re considering is putting a timeframe on when music can be played, depending on the day of the week. We’re also looking at different options for decibel and bass levels.”
Burnet County’s current mass gathering permit does address noise, mandating it never exceed 70 decibels on the “A” sound scale at the perimeter of the permitted event, a standard set by the American National Standards Institute.
According to Trevino, the festival was likely the largest gathering the county has ever seen.
Burnet County Judge James Oakley also acknowledged the festival’s scale in an interview with DailyTrib.com and said it was a “learning experience.”
“We’ll be better prepared for any future permits,” he added.
The county is not currently processing any mass gathering permit applications, according to Oakley and Trevino.
Lake Buchanan Communities Alliance President Wayne Shipley told DailyTrib.com he could hear the music from the eclipse festival at his home on the west side of Lake Buchanan. The event took place at Reveille Peak Ranch, a large outdoor recreation facility on the east side of Lake Buchanan at 105 Burnet County Road 114.
According to the alliance’s open letter, which was signed by Shipley, residents surrounding Reveille Peak Ranch were inundated with loud music at all hours of the night throughout the festival’s duration.
“Several of our members reached out to us and wanted to know if we could do anything about it,” Shipley told DailyTrib.com.
The major requests in the alliance’s letter are:
the inclusion of reasonable hours of operation for when amplified sound is allowed to begin and when it is required to end;
that decibel readings are taken at the property line where the event is taking place in order to check for compliance;
and that compliance with the mass gathering permit is strictly enforced.
The Lake Buchanan Communities Alliance is a coalition of neighborhoods surrounding Lake Buchanan in Burnet and Llano counties that was formed to represent the mutual interests of its members. To learn more about the group, email info@lb-ca.org.
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Residents gathered at the Burnet Community Center on Sunday, Sept. 1, to protest a proposed permanent rock-crushing facility to be built just outside of the city limits. Asphalt Inc. LLC has applied for an air quality standard permit from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for an operation at 3221 FM 3509.
The facility would break down large rocks and concrete for use in construction materials. Some residents are worried about its impact on the environment and community. According to SaveBurnet.com, which organized the meeting, concerns include air and water pollution, noise pollution, and increased traffic from heavy trucks carrying gravel on the farm-to-market road.
“People like to think, ‘It’s over there. Who cares,’” said Fermin Ortiz, a founding member of Texans for Responsible Aggregate Mining and a speaker at Sunday’s meeting. “But we need to stop industrialization of the Hill Country. it’s our Texas Hill Country, all of ours, and we have a responsibility to protect it. And that’s why we should be engaged and involved.”
The TCEQ is reviewing Asphalt Inc.’s permit application. The state commission will consider public input before making a final decision. Residents have 30 days from the notice publication date of Aug. 20 to submit written comments. Comments may be mailed to the TCEQ Office of the Chief Clerk at MC-105, P.O. Box 13087, Austin, TX 78711-3087, or submitted electronically through the TCEQ website.
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La Ventana homeowners could be on the hook for thousands of dollars more in 2033 when a $2.18 million bill is due for public infrastructure built when the Marble Falls neighborhood was developed in 2005.
The city is currently caught between the LLC that holds the rights to the yearly payments and the homeowners who are responsible for them, and officials are seeking the best path forward.
Property owners in the neighborhood located south of the U.S. 281 bridge are obligated to pay the combined $2.18 million to the La Ventana Public Improvement District LLC by the end of the contract date in 2033 to satisfy the developer’s initial investment. The developer fronted the money to install streets and utilities under the condition that future homeowners would gradually pay it back.
The city is responsible for collecting and managing La Ventana PID payments and ensuring the full amount is repaid. The yearly payments are passed on to whomever owns a home in the PID. Sellers are legally required to inform buyers of the payments.
A public hearing on proposed changes to the payments is 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 3, at City Hall, 800 Third St. in Marble Falls.
A recent analysis of the La Ventana PID payment plan determined the full $2.18 million would not be paid back by the end of the contract. To remedy this, the city and its contracted public improvement district administrator, P3 Works, proposed adding large, one-time payments at the end of the terms of the contract in 2033.
In total, property owners currently owe $229,312.25 to La Ventana PID LLC. Some owe as little as $35, others as high as $24,957.52, depending on the size and purpose of their property. These amounts are to be paid back in installments leading up to 2033.
Many homeowners saw large “balloon payments” tagged on to the end of their terms after making consistent payments at much lower rates for years. These balloon payments can be several thousand dollars, depending on the circumstances of each property owner.
The Marble Falls City Council held a previous public hearing on the annual PID payments on Aug. 20 but delayed a decision due to concerns of residents who felt blindsided by the proposed changes.
La Ventana homeowner Randy Kruger explained to DailyTrib.com that he was only notified about major changes to his PID payment six days before the hearing. His annual payment had been $536.67 for years, but the council added a $11,032 payment for 2033 into the proposed plan.
“I didn’t have much time to figure out what was going on,” Kruger said.
He’s not the only one dealing with a balloon payment. Many property owners are facing swollen payments in 2033, including:
The owner of Parcel 82660 will go from an annual payment of $571.67 to $6,381.39 in 2033.
Lot Class A-2026 CO’s annual payment of $536.67 balloons to $7,492.43 in 2033.
The owner of Parcel 70703 has paid an annual installment of $536.67 but will face a $6,819.03 payment in 2033.
According to Marble Falls Deputy City Manager Caleb Kraenzel, the city is legally obligated to satisfy the terms of the 2005 La Ventana PID contract and ensure the full $2.18 million is paid back. He said that without these proposed balloon payments, that can’t happen and it could open up the city to legal consequences.
“The City understands that this situation has a real financial impact on La Ventana owners, especially those that may not have been aware for whatever reason that their property was subject to (PID payments), but the City has worked hard to minimize the financial impacts of these changes to the (payment plan) on owners while still upholding its obligations under the ordinance and the (public improvement district’s) creation documents,” reads a written response to DailyTrib.com from Kraenzel.
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discussion or action on the adoption of a new departmental manual and patrol division standard operating procedures manual for the Llano police department
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Burnet County department heads outlined their financial needs during a public hearing on the proposed 2024-25 budget at the Commissioners Court meeting Tuesday, Aug. 27. Afterward, commissioners approved 14 budget amendments.
Burnet County Auditor Karin Smith said no changes were made to the total value of the budget, just cuts and reallocation of already existing funds.
The meeting concluded with $58,241.42 taken from unallocated funds, $76,314.25 from fuel reserves, and $26,000 from several, smaller line-items to cover the amendments.
The proposed fiscal year 2024-25 budget will be fueled by an estimated $38.11 million in revenue, of which $33.36 million will come from general property taxes. The 2023-24 budget saw $34.36 million in total revenue, $30.11 million coming from general property taxes.
The 2024-25 budget is contingent upon the approval of the proposed tax rate of 0.3541 cents per $100 valuation, which has not yet happened. It’s the same rate as 2023-24 but will generate 9.11 percent, or $3.81 million, more value this fiscal year due to an overall rise in property values as well as new property.
A separate hearing to finalize the tax rate is Sept. 10 at 9:30 a.m. in the Burnet County Courthouse.
Burnet County Judge James Oakley commented on the outcome of the meeting in an interview with DailyTrib.com following the budget work, stating that, overall, there was $15 million in requested increases to the 2024-25 budget and only $3.1 million in new revenue from property taxes to satisfy new requests.
“There were some cuts made, we got creative on ways to accommodate some of those requests … but we did this without raising taxes, and I feel very proud of what we were able to accomplish today,” he said.
Among the key changes to the 2024-25 budget were adjustments to titles for several employees, pay increases for staff from multiple departments, an increase in funding for vehicle maintenance in the Burnet County Sheriff’s Office, and a part-time mental health clerk position to be added to the magistrate’s office.
Chief Magistrate Tamara Tinney, Capt. Matt Kimbler from Jail Administration, Chief Deputy Alan Trevino, and District Attorney-elect Perry Thomas voiced their requests and negotiated with the Commissioners Court, appealing for amendments to their respective portions of the overall budget.
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The Marble Falls City Council on Aug. 6 approved a resolution establishing the city’s official platform on 20 legislative issues expected to come up in the 89th session of the Texas Legislature, which begins in January 2025. The resolution supports policies that would reinforce the authority of local governments and opposes those that would reduce local regulatory authority.
The platform outlined in the resolution will be passed on to the Texas Municipal League, which advocates for a large coalition of cities before the Legislature. The platform was also sent to state Sen. Pete Flores (District 24), state Rep. Ellen Troxclair (District 19), and state Rep. Andrew Murr (District 53).
Marble Falls is not limited to the platform approved in the resolution. Stances can be amended as issues arise or circumstances change. The resolution only serves as a guide for the city and its collaborators.
Of particular note is the city’s desire to see Texas House Bill 2127 and Texas Senate Bill 2038 revoked.
HB 2127, also known as the Texas Regulatory Consistency Act, or the “Death Star” bill, was passed in 2023 during the 88th legislative session. It removes powers from local governments to regulate beyond the overarching laws of the state.
SB 2038 allows residents within a city’s extra-territorial jurisdiction to petition to leave that jurisdiction, which could reduce a city’s influence on its surrounding area and impact its ability to grow and shape development.
Below is the full scope of Marble Falls’ legislative agenda as approved on Aug. 6.
The city supports:
Inclusion of population brackets in the development of bills. Population brackets are used to differentiate between cities with varying population sizes because state laws could affect them differently. For example, a strict water conservation measure could impact a city with a population of 50,000 or less much differently than a city with a population of 250,000 to 1,000,000.
Upholding the authority and powers of local governments.
Protecting a city’s authority to manage its public rights-of-way.
Revocation of HB 2127 and SB 2038.
Allowing cities to better manage growth and development using policies based on drought conditions, permitting, resource limitations, and more.
Supporting a city’s ability to better manage water resources.
Affirming a city’s power to regulate commercial signage within its limits.
Expanding a city’s power to regulate lighting and requirements for Dark Skies conditions.
Providing tools for increased collaborationbetweenacityandtheTexasDepartmentofTransportation, including policies allowing additional funding.
Increasing transparency in the property taxation process and pushing for more accuracy in property appraisals.
The city opposes:
Weakening the power of local governments and strengthening state authority over local issues.
Restricting the ability of organizations like the Texas Municipal League to advocate for local governments.
Reducing a city’s power to regulate its extra-territorial jurisdictions.
Eliminating any source of municipal revenue, including property taxes and policies that would put revenue caps on property taxes or property appraisal caps.
Restricting a city’s ability to preserve scenic landscapes and trees.
Limiting the authority of municipalities to enforce water quality protections and standards.
Limiting a city’s ability to regulate signage within its jurisdiction.
Weakening municipal authorities to regulate land use, review site plans and plats, and pass authority to do any of this on to the state rather than the city.
Limiting or eliminating a local court’s ability to pass and enforce judgments.
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Electric bills are going up in Burnet. During its regular meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 27, the City Council revised the rate ordinance to cover the rising cost of delivering electricity to homes and businesses.
Burnet’s updated Purchased Power Cost Adjustment (PPCA) ordinance will use a new calculation method so the city can better account for lost power, which happens naturally in all electrical power systems due to inefficiencies.
“When (electricity) travels down the line, there’s resistance and some of the power is lost as heat,” said Keith McBurnett, assistant to the city manager. “This power loss has resulted in the city being unable to charge for all the electricity it buys, costing the city of Burnet approximately $357,000 annually.”
The new calculation method will adjust for lost power, which is approximately 6.23 percent. The council used the example of a household electric bill of $247.52 that would increase by $8.79, or 3.6 percent, using the new calculation.
“The main reason for the change is the fact that, previously, we were not taking into account lost power in our billing calculation and that resulted in a loss (to the city),” McBurnett said. “The lost power impacts the city in that we are not able to deliver and charge for the power that we actually buy. That’s money we can reinvest in electrical infrastructure to ensure we provide reliable utilities for citizens.”
Burnet electricity customers can review the full ordinance and other related documents on the city’s website under the Government: Agendas and Minutes section.
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The Texas Housing Foundation board hired a new CEO at its regular meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 27. Chief Operating Officer Allison Milliorn replaces Mark Mayfield, who retired from the position in July. She began the job immediately after the vote, which followed three hours of interviews with three candidates in executive session.
Also considered were Dominic “Nick” Audino, the foundation’s general counsel, and Jonathan Coreas, its director of development.
“When we were first looking into hiring a CEO a couple of months ago, we decided we had three excellent candidates in-house,” foundation board Chair Susan Hamm told DailyTrib.com. “It was a difficult decision. We were so blessed to have three excellent candidates with the same passions for our goals and values.”
Milliorn has worked for the Texas Housing Foundation in various capacities for 16 years. A trained certified public accountant, she became chief operating officer about five years ago.
The board also approved an amended 2024 budget that shows a credit of $5,215.88 rather than the original deficit of $1.2 million. The foundation’s fiscal year is from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31. The board approved the 2024 deficit budget in November 2023.
“We’ve never had a positive budget before,” Milliorn told the board. “We are on a new path.”
The turn-around came at a price, she admitted. Sixty staffers were told via Zoom on Aug. 2 that their jobs would be terminated as of Oct. 31. Of those, 15 were in Marble Falls, including employees in the property management division and the Community Resource Center, which is funded by the Texas Housing Foundation.
Seven of those 15 people have found new jobs. Milliorn said the foundation is working with the rest to help place them in new positions. All property management employees have been rehired by the three management companies taking over THF’s properties statewide on Sept. 1. Employees will retain their seniority and accrued vacation time in the transition.
“It has been pretty painful for a period of time, and it will be painful for a while longer” Milliorn told DailyTrib.com after the meeting. “But we have a plan in place. I have no concerns that it will right itself.”
To make that plan work, the THF has changed its basic philosophy of property ownership to include partnerships with developers for its affordable housing complexes and finding low-cost space for its community resource centers.
The new resource center model is underway in Kingsland, where a CRC is expanding into a building owned by First Baptist Church of Kingsland. The Sharing the Harvest food pantry and the Pregnancy and Life Center will also use the space and help financially with a needed facelift.
Another new partner in Kingsland is the Hill Country Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Centers, which is headquartered in Kerrville and serves 19 counties, including Llano and Blanco counties. Work should be completed by November for a grand opening event that will include a hot Thanksgiving meal.
The building is being leased from First Baptist Church for free.
“I love that we are putting funds into services rather than a building,” THF board member Dave Edwards (Hays County) said at the Tuesday meeting. “And I love that we are on budget.”
The property ownership change reverses a previous trend when the Texas Housing Foundation ended outside partnerships and bought all of the affordable housing properties outright. Now, those sole holdings (properties owned 100 percent by the foundation) will be offered to developers in limited partnerships. Outside companies will handle all property management.
“We won’t have majority ownership, but we will have majority control,” Milliorn said at the meeting. She added that the developers must be “missionly” aligned with the THF to be considered for partnerships.
The Texas Housing Foundation develops affordable housing in rural communities while connecting residents with needed community services through its Community Resource Centers. Some CRCs are located on rental properties, where nonprofits are given space to work one on one with clients. (Clients do not have to be residents.)
Another change underway is to charge minimal rent to nonprofits using CRC space, either in an apartment complex or at a center like the one in Marble Falls.
“We have been giving that space away at no cost,” Milliorn said. “We won’t be charging a ton of rent, but we need to find a model to help pay utilities and cover needed repairs.”
THF administration staff plan to improve the foundation’s finances and develop a reserve by selling its building at 1101 Broadway in Marble Falls and moving offices to the Community Resource Center next door.
“We will never give up the CRC building,” Milliorn told DailyTrib.com.
The THF property is not currently on the market.
“We have some (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development) restrictions to take care of before we can sell,” she said.
The administration is drawing up new finance policies, which will be presented to the board for a first read in October and possible approval in November. That is also the timeline for developing and approving the 2025 budget.
“The CRCs are taking the brunt of a lot of these changes,” Milliorn said at the end of the Tuesday meeting. “We will be providing the same level of service, but the buildings will be changing.”
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