\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDiscussions surrounding water conservation, availability and use by developments continue in Hays County as the Commissioners Court discussed the proposed creation of a division within the Development Services Department to review projects that require significant resources.<\/p>\n
What happened<\/p>\n
Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra placed an item on the court\u2019s April 14 agenda to consider the creation of a High Intensity Development Review Division.<\/p>\n
If approved, the item would have increased the responsibility of a current position within the Development Services Department to include evaluating developments that demand significant water, power, land or infrastructure systems, according to Becerra.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe’re only setting up the mechanism to process what we know is coming,\u201d Becerra said. \u201cWe have large industrial users coming. … We need to weave in water availability studies in addition to proper oversight of those availability studies and the power that is going to be used [by developments].\u201d<\/p>\n
The idea for a review division came from Becerra\u2019s March 27 Clear Water Summit, an event that brought local water providers, municipalities and groundwater districts together to discuss how to protect local resources, according to a news release from Becerra.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have new challenges, and we need new oversight when it comes to extreme water usage, energy grid stability and nuclear power concerns,\u201d Becerra said. \u201cWe must take measures now to ensure that we have resource stability in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another viewpoint<\/p>\n
Precinct 4 Commissioner Walt Smith raised concerns about the county\u2019s authority to review proposed high-usage developments differently from other projects. A similar concern was raised at a Feb. 24 meeting regarding a proposed moratorium on developments requiring large amounts of water<\/a>.<\/p>\n