Hays County Schedules Parks Bond Election

An important initiative on the November 3 election ballot will be Proposition A, which will allow for the issuance of $75 million of bonds for the purpose of “constructing, improving, renovating, equipping and acquiring land . . . and facilities for park and recreational purposes.” The land and facilities were chosen during the past year by the County Parks and Open Space Advisory Committee (POSAC).

If Proposition A passes, the bonds would be used to purchase almost 3500 acres of new parkland and natural areas, which would approximately double the amount of parkland which now exists in the county.

It would also provide funds for the construction of exciting new facilities, such as the development of a 29-acre tract of land into a park and fishing pond, and the construction of a trail bridge over the San Marcos River nearby. The bridge would give residents along River Road easy access to the fishing pond and would also provide an important link in connecting the Emerald Crown Trail south of the river to sections of the trail going north along the Blanco River. The funds would also pay for constructing 14 miles of the Violet Crown Trail near Kyle, Patriots Hall in Dripping Springs, a nature center in Wimberley, and other projects.

Acquisition of land for parks, preserves, aquifer recharge, and flood prevention would include the 117- acre Coleman’s Canyon preserve near Jacob’s Well; the 533-acre Sentinel Peak Preserve on the Blanco River; 234 acres of San Marcos Recharge Lands, which would also help complete the greenbelt loop around San Marcos; the 1400-acre Purgatory Clean Water Preserve adjoining the existing Purgatory Creek Natural Area; the 300-acre Rathgeber Natural Resources Park; the 64-acre Kyle Fajita Fields; the 300-acre John Knox Ranch; the 844-acre Presa Grande Sink Creek Preserve; and other properties. A map of the properties is attached to this article.

Sales of the bonds would not affect County tax rates. The bonds could be issued over a period of years, but because of current economic conditions, the County would be able to pay historically low interest rates on bonds sold now.

**Click here to view POSAC’s PowerPoint presentation detailing and illustrating each project.

 

Written by Sherwood Bishop, president of SMGA and chair of the Fundraising Committee.