Thanks to Linda Hambrick for writing up the minutes of our community meeting, which follow:

Minutes of the meeting of the Neighbors of Sandy Creek held on June 12^th at the Round Mountain Baptist Church.

There were approximately 40 participants for this meeting.

1. Illegal Subdivisions

Chad Moss led the meeting by first going over the short agenda.Illegal subdivisions and legal subdivisions that add to the water issues.

 

2. Aqua

Aqua and its role in the new illegal development and resubdivisions of lots and extensions of inadequate system.

These two items were discussed together.

 

Deed restrictions were discussed as a possible avenue of action against these developments. We need to get copies of all plats of the areas under pressure of new development. It is possible that there are different restrictions according to the subdivision and the phase of the subdivision plat. It would be helpful to have copies of these plats and the deed restrictions of each one for our information. Linda Hambrick pointed out that the enforcement method for deed restrictions is only through civil litigation and that requires an attorney which costs money, and that a more expedient method would be to put pressure on the county and TCEQ before resorting to this tool.

 

There was discussion about how Aqua is continuing to try to install new taps in the Chaparral development even though the county has a stop-work order on it and is supposedly pursuing the owner in court. The KVUE report was discussed and that it mentioned the law firm that is representing the people who bought lots from the developer. The relationships of the developer, Aqua, Travis County and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality were discussed in terms of our need to find the best way to have positive input as a group of property owners who are being impacted by the poor water system and the illegal development.

 

We need to develop a data base of contact names, phone numbers, addresses (both email and postal) of all entities and each contact them as often as possible. We need to do a petition to be sent to the Travis County Commissioners Court with copies to Aqua Texas and TCEQ. Linda will write the petition and get it out so that people can get signatures and Chad will work on contacts at TCEQ. Anyone who has this information should share it with all and especially Linda so that she can make up the data base. Mark Sloat, who works for the county, is a good resource for these contacts at the county. He suggested also contacting the county through their health department and their environmental quality department. These will be on the data base.

 

The idea of finding an attorney was discussed. Chad will try to contact the group that is representing the buyers of the Chaparral development to see if we might piggyback on their behalf. Other names were mentioned: Tom Buckle of Jonestown, and Bill Alshire, retired County Judge who was quoted in the KVUE news piece.

 

We will continue to correspond on Neighborhood and the new Face Book page set up by Chad, Leander Valley Community, and the page set up by Lindsay Haisley, sandycreekcommunity.org.

Linda will construct a list from the sign-up sheets from the meeting. (If you object to your info being included let Linda know to leave yours off of the public list.)

 

3. Community Pride

There was a discussion on ideas to help clean up the community. About half of those in attendance raised their hands when asked by Chad to be volunteers on a future clean up effort of the rights of way. When this comes up, all will be notified and be able to participate.

 

Recycling was also discussed and Clawson will be contacted to see if they are willing to help us with this effort.

 

4.  History of and future utilization and care of existing community center.

There was a lively discussion about the community center. Several participants had been involved through the years as trustees and it was decided that the Snodgrass’s, who conduct the elections that are held there, will act as emissaries to the Browers, who now control the center, to try to establish a plan to let the citizens become more active in helping to maintain and utilize the facility.

 

5.  Future meetings and actions to be taken resulting from this initial meeting.

After the community center issue has been resolved, we will meet next at that building. The long-range plan will be to have at least quarterly meetings there, and be able to make more use of the building.

When the petition has been written and distributed, signatures will be gathered and the petition will be sent to the proper entities.

 

A database of contacts (both neighbors and regulatory entities) will be developed and distributed.

 

We will watch the agenda of the Commissioners Court and attend in large numbers if the Chaparral development makes it to the agenda. We will also attend the City Council meeting on the 21^st to comment on the Concept Plan for the other resubdivision.

 

One of the attendees will check on Clawson’s recycling possibility.

 

Thanks for all who came out and also for the interest of those who could not attend.

 

Linda Hambrick

24604 Long Hollow Trail