Presenter
Presenter
Christopher J. Looney, Director of Planning and Community Development
Contact Info
clooney@nbtexas.org
Subject Header
SUBJECT:
Title
Approval of a resolution supporting a request from Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority (GBRA) to the Public Utility Commission (PUC) to expand GBRA’s Certificate of Convenience and Necessity (CCN) into areas of New Braunfels’ city limits and extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ).
Body
BACKGROUND / RATIONALE:
Council District: 2, and outside city limits
Applicant: Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority
Representative: Patrick Lackey, PE
Senior Engineer/Business Unit Manager
Trihydro Corporation
1011 West County Line Road
New Braunfels, TX 78130
830.626.3588
plackey@trihydro.com
Staff Contact: Christopher J. Looney, AICP
Planning and Community Development Director
830.221.4055
clooney@nbtexas.org
The subject area is generally located southeast of IH 35, on the east side of the Guadalupe River, and includes territory on both sides of State Highway 46 between Clear Springs and Seguin. It overlaps areas of New Braunfels’ city limits and ETJ (see attached maps).
This area is not currently served by a wastewater infrastructure provider, but rather is served by individually installed septic systems or “package” wastewater treatment plants. GBRA is applying to the Public Utility Commission (PUC) for permission to include the subject area within their CCN so that they may provide centralized wastewater treatment service to an area that is presently un-served or under-served. As part of their application process, GBRA is seeking support from New Braunfels since the subject area, as noted above, includes portions of the city limits and ETJ.
If approved by the PUC, GBRA plans to contract with New Braunfels Utilities (NBU) for use of their existing treatment plant(s). Therefore, sewer lines will not cross the Guadalupe River.
ADDRESSES A NEED/ISSUE IN A CITY PLAN OR COUNCIL PRIORITY:
|
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Yes |
City Plan/Council Priority: 2006 Comprehensive Plan Pros and Cons Based on Policies Plan |
Pros: Goal 1: Promote manageable growth to achieve a proper balance of economic expansion and environmental quality while maintaining the community’s unique qualities. The applicant’s request, if ultimately approved by the PUC, would provide the subject area ready access to wastewater infrastructure, removing an existing development constraint. Continued development of this area, presently popular with single-family subdivisions of varying sizes and densities, can help relieve development pressure on more environmentally sensitive areas on the west side of IH-35. Goal 35: Address community infrastructure improvement and expansion related to economic development. Providing additional infrastructure to the subject area increases capacity facilitating development, not only of residential subdivisions, but of commercial expansion in the area near New Braunfels Municipal Airport. Goal 45: Coordinate the provision of utilities with NBU and other public utilities in a timely and efficient manner to help guide development and adequately serve the demands of a growing city. As a rapidly growing area of both New Braunfels and Seguin, this area requires adequate infrastructure capacity to develop in a managed and appropriate fashion commensurate with the demand and popularity of the area. |
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.
Recommendation
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION:
The Planning Commission recommended approval of the applicant’s request at their June 6, 2017 regular meeting. The vote was unanimous.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of the resolution of support. Ready access to sewer infrastructure will hasten development, which will result in additional traffic and demands on existing infrastructure along State Highway 46. However, developers will counter with roughly proportionate improvements to mitigate that impact. Additionally, providing centralized wastewater service in this area will serve as a tool to better manage water quality within the reaches and watersheds of the Guadalupe River Basin than occurs with individual septic systems and private treatment plants.
Attachments:
• Applicant’s request letter and submitted map
• Map of the subject area
• Map of CCN boundaries
• Draft resolution