There is GREAT news from the Bulverde City Council regarding Ammann Ranch development. Please read the attached agenda for the next meeting, Tuesday, Nov 10. We have read it and think that this is a dream come true.
Here are some of the highlights straight from the attached document:
The proposed amendment would effectuate the following changes to the balance of the Goldsmith tract that is as of yet undeveloped:
- The high-density portions of the project would be removed, and the project would be reconstituted as a low-density community of 1+ acre lot homesites. The overall density of the tract would be reduced from 934 homes to 309 homes, a 67% reduction in density.
- The open space buffer along the eastern edge of the property (adjacent to Persimmon Hill) will be maintained, as well as the prohibition on the creation of any connecting streets between the two subdivisions.
- Because of the increase in the size of the lots, the subdivision will be served by individual septic systems instead of a centralized wastewater treatment plant.
- The agreement especially requires the developer to utilize Canyon Lake Water Supply Corp. as their water provider. This measure will help protect the wells of existing customers in the surrounding neighborhoods. Previously, this tract was contemplating utilizing a competing water company that depends on unregulated wells in our area to supply water.
- The previous portions of the prior agreements related to the Sutherland Development are not impacted by this agreement and will remain in full force and effect.
We are all very appreciative of our Mayor, City Manager, and City Council for their ability to put this kind of agreement together.
Thank you BNCW members, neighbors, and friends for your encouragement, donations, and hard work over these past two and one-half years! Without your help, speaking out, and acting out, we would be looking at a high-density nightmare.
Sincerely, Michelle and Lea
Our Indian Creek and its tributaries
Update: On August 28, we had a successful mediation with DTB Investments. To read all about the details, click here.
Property owners near, and downstream of Bulverde’s Indian Creek need to be aware of the developer DTB Investments intention to build a sewage treatment plan for its proposed subdivision Ammann Ranch because it will create conditions that may permanently change our lifestyles. More importantly, the odds are high that the proposed sewage treatment plant will contaminate nearby homeowners’ wells, which are many Bulverde residents’ sole source of drinking water. The threat is very real for residents living near, and especially downstream of Indian Creek.
Indian Creek and its Tributaries
At first glance, DTB Investments’ plan to discharge 300,000 gallons a day of treated effluent (discharged sewage water) into Cibolo Creek via Indian Creek and its tributary #4 sounds both reasonable and attainable. However, the proposed plan rests on ideal conditions, and omits the very real possibilities that this plant will indeed one day discharge 300,000 gallons of untreated effluent into Indian Creek, creating an environmental disaster and/or contaminating homeowners’ wells, both nearby and downstream of Indian Creek from one or more of these events:
- Mechanical failure at the plant,
- Human/Plant operator failure, negligence, or honest mistake,
- Power outage,
- Natural disaster such as a flood.
Simply put, the possibility of any of those conditions is not a question of if they will happen; rather, it’s a question of when.
It’s simply impossible to design, build, and manage a sewage treatment plant that 100% prevents any or all of those possibilities. Hundreds of Bulverde residents depend on their private wells, many of which are decades old and potentially constructed when regulations for wells were much more lax. Therefore, there is a high probability that when this plant inevitably discharges raw, untreated sewage into Indian Creek – one or more Bulverde families risk catching a serious, potentially life-threatening disease if their well is contaminated. Drinking water contaminated with sewage is typically an invisible threat, and you never know your water is contaminated until it’s too late, and your family is suddenly sick.
Moreover, their plan fails to identify an actual discharge point for the wastewater. Instead of clearly indicating an exact location of the proposed discharge point, DTB only provides a general description to where it will be, which suggests a lack of planning and oversight of the overall project design.
For example, their permit filed with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) states: “effluent will be discharged to an unnamed tributary; thence to Indian Creek; thence to Upper Cibolo Creek…” yet, the actual plan calls for a pipeline to move the wastewater first uphill and North from the treatment plant, and then it will be released into the unnamed tributary. Which is it? What’s the real plan? The real discharge point?
Assuming it’s the “unnamed tributary,” that allows the wastewater to follow the natural geographic contour flowing downhill across open land adjacent to, and crossing properties in Shepherds Ranch and Persimmon Hill.
[Map Coming Soon!]
If this is correct, it creates several issues. One example is that there is no live flowing stream in the unnamed tributary or near Indian Creek. Consequently, the effluent will pool in low spots, creating breeding grounds for mosquitoes and other potential health issues notwithstanding the fact that children flock to water wherever it’s found. Do you want your children frolicking in standing pools of “treated effluent?”
More importantly, the effluent will inevitably find its way underground via one of the myriad paths our precious groundwater is recharged in this region. This area is rife with fissures, cracks and caves, all of which provide immediate paths to the groundwater thousands of residents of Bulverde depend on to live in this area.
This is not an alarmist view point. If you own a well on your property, there was a 500-foot radius sanitary easement filed with the county to protect your well from septic tank contamination. Now imagine that during one of the common flooding events around Bulverde, that now there are 300K gallons of effluent that mixes with the floodwater and potentially breaches your well’s sanitary easement, which then trickles down into your well water.
Again, everyone knows this area will see another flood. It’s a sure bet. But, if this project is allowed to proceed as currently designed, we’ll have to contend with flood water distributing a sum total of X number of days of 300,000 gallons PER DAY of effluent across the entire Bulverde region downstream of this development near Indian Creek.
Moreover, although we are gravely concerned about the real possibility that this effluent will biologically contaminate our wells, our only source of drinking water, there are additional, potentially even more harmful, contaminants potentially getting into our water. Treated effluent commonly contains other contaminates including chlorides, phosphorus, nitrogen, ammonia, heavy metals, prescription drugs, and other pathogens – all of which present serious health threats if ingested. Don’t believe that? Google: “drugs found in contaminated fish in the Great Lakes to read that “researchers have detected build-ups of human antidepressants in the brains of fish…”
The Texas Hill Country is known for the flash floods that can occur after just a few inches of rain. Indian Creek floods quickly and dramatically. Any standing wastewater and its accumulated waste will flow downhill across neighboring properties, Ammann Rd, Bulverde City Park, and Obst Rd before hitting Cibolo Creek, a major recharge feature of the Edwards Aquifer.
Don’t allow this to happen to your drinking water, don’t allow this to happen to your neighborhood. Please donate and help us continue our fight to protect OUR wells, OUR neighborhoods, OUR Indian Creek, and its tributary.
Our Indian Creek and its tributaries
Update: On August 28, we had a successful mediation with DTB Investments. To read all about the details, click here.
Property owners near, and downstream of Bulverde’s Indian Creek need to be aware of the developer DTB Investments intention to build a sewage treatment plan for its proposed subdivision Ammann Ranch because it will create conditions that may permanently change our lifestyles. More importantly, the odds are high that the proposed sewage treatment plant will contaminate nearby homeowners’ wells, which are many Bulverde residents’ sole source of drinking water. The threat is very real for residents living near, and especially downstream of Indian Creek.
Indian Creek and its Tributaries
At first glance, DTB Investments’ plan to discharge 300,000 gallons a day of treated effluent (discharged sewage water) into Cibolo Creek via Indian Creek and its tributary #4 sounds both reasonable and attainable. However, the proposed plan rests on ideal conditions, and omits the very real possibilities that this plant will indeed one day discharge 300,000 gallons of untreated effluent into Indian Creek, creating an environmental disaster and/or contaminating homeowners’ wells, both nearby and downstream of Indian Creek from one or more of these events:
- Mechanical failure at the plant,
- Human/Plant operator failure, negligence, or honest mistake,
- Power outage,
- Natural disaster such as a flood.
Simply put, the possibility of any of those conditions is not a question of if they will happen; rather, it’s a question of when.
It’s simply impossible to design, build, and manage a sewage treatment plant that 100% prevents any or all of those possibilities. Hundreds of Bulverde residents depend on their private wells, many of which are decades old and potentially constructed when regulations for wells were much more lax. Therefore, there is a high probability that when this plant inevitably discharges raw, untreated sewage into Indian Creek – one or more Bulverde families risk catching a serious, potentially life-threatening disease if their well is contaminated. Drinking water contaminated with sewage is typically an invisible threat, and you never know your water is contaminated until it’s too late, and your family is suddenly sick.
Moreover, their plan fails to identify an actual discharge point for the wastewater. Instead of clearly indicating an exact location of the proposed discharge point, DTB only provides a general description to where it will be, which suggests a lack of planning and oversight of the overall project design.
For example, their permit filed with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) states: “effluent will be discharged to an unnamed tributary; thence to Indian Creek; thence to Upper Cibolo Creek…” yet, the actual plan calls for a pipeline to move the wastewater first uphill and North from the treatment plant, and then it will be released into the unnamed tributary. Which is it? What’s the real plan? The real discharge point?
Assuming it’s the “unnamed tributary,” that allows the wastewater to follow the natural geographic contour flowing downhill across open land adjacent to, and crossing properties in Shepherds Ranch and Persimmon Hill.
[Map Coming Soon!]
If this is correct, it creates several issues. One example is that there is no live flowing stream in the unnamed tributary or near Indian Creek. Consequently, the effluent will pool in low spots, creating breeding grounds for mosquitoes and other potential health issues notwithstanding the fact that children flock to water wherever it’s found. Do you want your children frolicking in standing pools of “treated effluent?”
More importantly, the effluent will inevitably find its way underground via one of the myriad paths our precious groundwater is recharged in this region. This area is rife with fissures, cracks and caves, all of which provide immediate paths to the groundwater thousands of residents of Bulverde depend on to live in this area.
This is not an alarmist view point. If you own a well on your property, there was a 500-foot radius sanitary easement filed with the county to protect your well from septic tank contamination. Now imagine that during one of the common flooding events around Bulverde, that now there are 300K gallons of effluent that mixes with the floodwater and potentially breaches your well’s sanitary easement, which then trickles down into your well water.
Again, everyone knows this area will see another flood. It’s a sure bet. But, if this project is allowed to proceed as currently designed, we’ll have to contend with flood water distributing a sum total of X number of days of 300,000 gallons PER DAY of effluent across the entire Bulverde region downstream of this development near Indian Creek.
Moreover, although we are gravely concerned about the real possibility that this effluent will biologically contaminate our wells, our only source of drinking water, there are additional, potentially even more harmful, contaminants potentially getting into our water. Treated effluent commonly contains other contaminates including chlorides, phosphorus, nitrogen, ammonia, heavy metals, prescription drugs, and other pathogens – all of which present serious health threats if ingested. Don’t believe that? Google: “drugs found in contaminated fish in the Great Lakes to read that “researchers have detected build-ups of human antidepressants in the brains of fish…”
The Texas Hill Country is known for the flash floods that can occur after just a few inches of rain. Indian Creek floods quickly and dramatically. Any standing wastewater and its accumulated waste will flow downhill across neighboring properties, Ammann Rd, Bulverde City Park, and Obst Rd before hitting Cibolo Creek, a major recharge feature of the Edwards Aquifer.
Don’t allow this to happen to your drinking water, don’t allow this to happen to your neighborhood. Please donate and help us continue our fight to protect OUR wells, OUR neighborhoods, OUR Indian Creek, and its tributary.
Indian Creek at Ammann Road View North
Indian Creek at Ammann Road View South
2015 Flood Video of Indian Creek over Ammann Road provided by neighbor Vicki Chilton
Indian Creek Tributary #4 at Ammann Road View North of Ammann Hills Gate & Tributary #4 East Split
Indian Creek Tributary #4 Ammann Road View North of West Split
SCWSC Pipeline Map Stopped at Top of 4 at Ammann Road City of Bulverde Did NOT Approve Special Permit for (2) 4 Million Gallon H2O Storage Tanks & Pump Station Proposed at 1
Bulverde City Park West View from Bulverde Lane Flood of May 2019
Indian Creek and Bulverde Air Park East View from Bulverde Lane Flood of May 2019
Indian Creek at Ammann Road View South
www.cceo.org, Indian Creek and Indian Creek Tributary #4
Indian Creek Tributary #4 Ammann Road View North of East Split
Indian Creek Tributary #4 View South from Cibolo Way
South Comal Water Supply Company stopped Pipeline on South Side of Ammann Road
Bulverde City Park Entrance Flood of May 2019
Bulverde City Park West View of Play Field from Bulverde Lane Flood of May 2019
The Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance (GEAA) is supporting these efforts. They are a 501(c)(3) organization, so all donations are tax deductible. Your donation will support legal fees to contest this permit. There are two ways to donate:
- Donate by check (preferred). Please make checks out to GEAA and send to the following address:
GEAA
PO BOX 15618
SAN ANTONIO, TX 78212
Also, please make sure you write “Indian Creek” in the memo. - Donate by credit card online at https://aquiferalliance.org/donate-to-geaa/. Just click on the “Donate” button. Also remember to use the “Special Instructions” area and enter “Indian Creek.” This method of payment does incur a 10% processing charge.