Comal County Pct. 4 Commissioner Jen Crownover said she’s felt like a broken record for years, telling constituents there’s nothing Commissioners Court can do to slow explosive area growth or protect the county’s dwindling water resources.
Nothing’s changed—Austin still calls the shots on development—but she believes it is time for Texas legislators to give county governments more power to deal with the consequences of their laws.
Crownover headed to College Station Monday to work with colleagues on a draft resolution asking the legislature for limited authority to control development. The resolution was first introduced at June’s South Texas County Judges & Commissioners Association meeting.
“We desperately need our state leaders to pursue this matter in a much more urgent and meaningful manner, and my fellow judges and commissioners are working hard to be heard,” she said.
“Without water, none of the rest of it will matter anyways, right?”
Resolution Language on County Land Use Authority:
“Whereas, counties have no significant land-use authority and whereas, substandard and obnoxious development can reduce the value and investment of adjacent property owners, and whereas counties should have a limited ability to protect the current landowners and public health and safety, and whereas appropriate development is inhibited and discouraged by substandard and appropriate development
“Now, therefore be it resolved, that the South Texas County Judges and Commissioners Association requests that the Texas Legislature grant limited, local option authority to Texas counties to ensure more compatible development within the county to protect our landowners and public health and safety, and prevent overuse of natural resources, such as ground and surface water.”
We have needed this for five years