Jacob Cottingham

Hays County Commissioners Court approved $3.1 million in park improvements for the City of San Marcos Tuesday on a split vote. The measure passed 3-2 with Commissioner Karen Ford and Judge Liz Sumter voting against it. As Commissioners Will Conley and Debbie Ingalsbe sponsored the agenda item, it fell to Commissioner Jeff Barton to cast […]

Following a week of testimony and cross-examination, the contested case hearing on a permit amendment application by California-based Makar Properties’ to increase effluent discharge from the Belterra subdivision concluded Friday with both sides claiming the upper hand.   The parties were arguing over whether Belterra could discharge up to 500,000 gallons of treated effluent daily into […]

The contested case hearing before an administrative law judge pitting the Belterra development against Hays County, the City of Austin and assorted landowners is finally taking shape.   As the City of Austin brought out its first witnesses Wednesday, the line of contention between the parties was clearer. At issue are the computer models used […]

The Hays County Commissioners Court has approved left-turn lanes on State Highway 21 after bundling the improvements with the Oak Branch Drive realignment project. The court on Tuesday approved $520,427.71 for the realignment and $1,164,576 for the SH 21 project. The money will come from leftover funds raised from 2001 road bond interest.   The […]

With the $30 million from Hays County’s 2007 Parks Bond Election already whittled down to less than $18 million, the Hays County Commissioners Tuesday voted unanimously to guarantee $13 million of the remainder to be spent following the newly created Citizens Parks Advisory Team’s “vision statement.”    The statement recommends funding habitat preservation, open spaces, […]

The negotiated settlement between the developer of the Belterra subdivision and a group of cities, counties, conservation agencies and landowners remains on the table, despite its recent rejection by Hays County, the City of Austin and a group of landowners. At a preliminary hearing Monday for a contested case hearing set for July 14, the […]

The Hays County Commissioner’s Court on Tuesday got its first glimpse of the much-discussed Wimberley Government Center. The proposed center would be built out by renovating the First Baptist Church in Wimberley.   City Administrator Don Ferguson presented the converted church project, which would become a joint governmental center housing the Precinct 3 and Wimberley […]

Hays County could be forced into arbitration with the City of Neiderwald if a remedy is not found for a developer. At the center of the dispute was the regulatory authority over the proposed Studio Estates, a 257-acre tract in the extra-territorial jurisdiction of Neiderwald, which Alaska resident and US Senate candidate David Cuddy wants […]

The Hays County Commissioners Court has approved hiring Alliance Transportation Group of Austin as consultant to the newly appointed Transportation Bond Committee.   At its first meeting, the TBC unanimously recommended Alliance after hearing input from Hays County Road Superintendent Jerry Borcherding and Prime Strategy’s Mike Weaver. Alliance was chosen over Wilbur Smith Associates, the […]

Hays County Commissioner’s Court approved two park projects this week, finishing one phase of the park bond allotment, and completing all the parks, which were in the pipeline before the moratorium on new projects was imposed earlier this year. The only park not to receive funding thus far is the enormous Dahlstrom Ranch project, which […]

The Hays County Commissioner’s Court unanimously approved preliminary plans for the Key Ranch subdivision in the Dripping Springs extraterritorial jurisdiction Tuesday.   The proposed subdivision, introduced by Pct. 4 Commissioner Karen Ford, is located on 366.59 acres of land off Trautwein Road and US 290, west of the Polo Club in the Dripping Springs ETJ. […]

The proposed Loop 110 has made it onto the November Road Bond ballot in Hays County. After lengthy debates over dividing the road project into two phases and how it would be funded, the Hays County Commissioner’s Court voted unanimously Tuesday to enter into an interlocal agreement with the city of San Marcos that would […]