[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6595098,"mediaKeyId","3042975-2c2eca6c9ef32a08339e028b3bb75dee","parentId",3042975,"title","Votes at a glance: Comal County Commissioner's Court actions — April 2025","audioSeconds",682,"startMs",30000,"endMs",712000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3042975-2c2eca6c9ef32a08339e028b3bb75dee&start=30&end=712","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3042975-2c2eca6c9ef32a08339e028b3bb75dee/thumbnail_30000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6595098/Comal-County/Texas/Votes-at-a-glance-Comal-County-Commissioners-Court-actions-April-2025","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6595098-0df79b4ace86f31f583511f16955e5e9/orig.mp4?Expires=1770856579&Signature=jx1ex1hOg702RBvNoxe6GwLEs57YrcJz8UqR~hsldoPNB2HIuduwskA6oV8Vif3bkFeovLcK-XnzR8x5Uqpmvt5Jdd6~P5SMBETc2wa7mmjnyPGOsVep-cZnPAjASFLWdAjlPwZZbIEK9N292MxByuUQR5ziqHCIdjoWew3HNw-Pm~kpF6v33ViECS2n~zz8t8PFNHFVt8S6jYHvR8Ftaizb-rM5VXeWdyFexRsLkgL8pwSxKiHjlfyMyVhzeRfN3SUwb8S7KYcqm~aOoidEZ3~Tt4dykxN56TKrZRUED~HhWqaxHZHZnirPwDy9arkzbQmZnNScYV3mKMYIKs69ug__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Comal County Texas","date","2025-04-17T08:29:00Z","article","At its April meeting the Comal County Commissioner's Court approved routine claims, several proclamations, accepted a land donation, approved contract and construction items, and reinstated a county burn ban. Below is a concise list of each formal action, the motion and the recorded outcome.

Claims
- Motion: “Move to approve the claims as presented. EFT is $34,159.68. Regular claims are $1,896,532.09 for a total of $1,930,691.77.”
- Outcome: Approved unanimously (motion by Commissioner Webb; second by Commissioner Leacock).

Proclamations
- National Therapy Animal Day (04/30/2025)
- Motion to accept proclamation: Approved unanimously (mover: Commissioner Leacock; seconder: Commissioner Crownover).
- Earth Day (04/22/2025)
- Motion to accept proclamation: Approved unanimously (mover: Commissioner Crownover; seconder: Commissioner Webb).

Donations and gifts
- Acceptance of gift deed conveying ~39.31 acres from Christ Church Texas LP to Comal County for a public nature sanctuary (Agenda item 7)
- Motion: Approve gift agreement and accept deed; authorize county judge to sign.
- Outcome: Approved unanimously (mover: Commissioner Crownover; second: Commissioner Leacock). See separate article for details.
- Acceptance of a $19.42 check from American Online Giving Foundation to Comal County Veterans Treatment Court (Agenda item 4)
- Outcome: Approved unanimously.

Development, plats and bonds
- Approve amendment to plat at Legends at Rancho Del Lago, Unit 1, combining Lots 59 & 60 into Lot 59R (Agenda item 5)
- Outcome: Approved unanimously.
- Accept continuation certificate for construction bond (one‑year surety extension) for Kenwood Unit 3 roads and improvements (Agenda item 6)
- Outcome: Approved unanimously.

Appointments and committees
- Appoint Robert Boyd to the Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (AAMPO) Transportation Advisory Committee (Agenda item 8)
- Outcome: Approved unanimously.

Construction/contract actions
- Approve compensable delayed change order for Jerus General Contractors for the ARPA‑funded county annex (Goodwin Annex) in the amount of $218,854 (Agenda item 9). Funds to come from project contingency.
- Motion: Authorize county administrator to execute change order.
- Outcome: Approved 4–0 (motion and second recorded; county judge absent). County staff said remaining contingency would be approximately $500,000 after the change.

Public safety and ordinances
- Reinstate outdoor burn ban for unincorporated Comal County effective Friday, April 18 at 6 a.m. (Agenda item 10)
- Rationale: KBDI/KVDI index increase and ongoing drought conditions; county fire official recommended reinstatement.
- Outcome: Approved unanimously.

Transportation and grants
- Approve Resolution 2025‑11 endorsing TxDOT projects for the AAMPO FY2027–2030 transportation improvement program (top ranked projects included FM 1863 between US‑281 and Upper Smithson Valley Road; intersection and I‑35 corridor projects)
- Outcome: Approved unanimously.

Equipment and parks
- Purchase of one drone to expand sheriff's office drone fleet (Agenda item 12)
- Outcome: Approved unanimously.
- Transfer to purchase a replaceable filter for irrigation at Jumbo Evans Sports Park (Agenda item 13)
- Outcome: Approved unanimously.

Executive session
- The court convened into closed session under Section 551.087 (economic development) and returned in open session at 11:30 a.m.; no further public action was required.

For full motions, speakers and line‑by‑line votes, see the meeting minutes and the transcript available from the county clerk.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Comal County Texas - Commissioners Court - Apr 17, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Summary of formal votes taken at the April meeting, including claims approval, proclamations, donated land acceptance, bond extension, appointments, contract change order and a reinstated burn ban.","taxTitle","Comal County, Texas","taxId",2699,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":46,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6595103,"Comal County accepts gift of roughly 39.31 acres near Canyon Lake for public nature sanctuary",80,632000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3042975-2c2eca6c9ef32a08339e028b3bb75dee&start=632&end=712","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3042975-2c2eca6c9ef32a08339e028b3bb75dee/thumbnail_632000.jpg","/articles/6595103/Comal-County/Texas/Comal-County-accepts-gift-of-roughly-3931-acres-near-Canyon-Lake-for-public-nature-sanctuary","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6595103-ca006ce4953cfb5b34d8ee9bd7bed406/orig.mp4?Expires=1770856579&Signature=TUA979DwrvMMZulKIwGfvdtj2gngmXhwJ2atJKq-G6nKN57D8v50EBho3cgm3pAmNQoy1dBf2tRMxOgPs1XQ1WMDoLvO-~HyFY8SKl0yPEQ1GX8Vft2VPgQteAeWTfXLITnhrkCTEBhRi8GaayyoZHPfthl3sJLvdH~4eUfT6kQ4FhBm3M6xZ~uh~pXnTTnQbVwf9FJxTtyKSeA6xpXoQUIOb4kj69HN5nkvG0HABA4vLbe~uzgwZ7dg8YCG-SHbNsYXV8vxBSSASnv3jdiI8H8WiFJQy7y~tNIF0-i9mKhzxMrj8fBbn6Zou3bww0JxO~x7AHkoS525pBZ1TAOAaQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Comal County Commissioner's Court on Thursday approved a gift agreement and deed conveying roughly 39.31 acres adjacent to Hancock Road and Hancock Trail on the north side of Canyon Lake to the county for use as a public nature sanctuary.

County staff told the court the parcel was offered by the Hyre family through Christ Church Texas LP; the court unanimously approved acceptance and authorized the county judge to sign related documents.

Why it matters: The county said the donation will expand public natural areas and provide trail opportunities on the north side of Canyon Lake. County staff described the tract as suitable for immediate public use because power and water infrastructure are present at the site.

Robert (county staff) introduced the item and said the property would be Comal County’s fourth park‑type property on the north side of the lake, alongside existing county tracts. He recommended approval of the gift agreement and gift deed. The court moved to accept the deed, and commissioners voted unanimously.

Members of the Hyre family attended and spoke briefly. One family member said the donation was unexpected and expressed gratitude to the county, noting they “look forward to many, many people enjoying” the land. Commissioners thanked the family and linked the acceptance to the Earth Day proclamation considered earlier on the agenda.

Action: Motion to approve acceptance of the gift deed was made and seconded; Commissioner Crownover moved, Commissioner Leacock seconded, and the vote was unanimous.

Next steps: County staff said they will work with organizations and partners to prepare a plan for trails and sanctuary development. The court took photographs with the donors after the vote.","Commissioners voted unanimously to accept a gift deed conveying approximately 39.31 acres on the north side of Canyon Lake from Christ Church Texas LP (Hyre family) for a public nature sanctuary and authorized the county judge to sign related documents.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6595108,"Comal County hears broad warnings on severe drought, long-term supply plans from regional water agencies",1080,2348000,3428000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3042975-2c2eca6c9ef32a08339e028b3bb75dee&start=2348&end=3428","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3042975-2c2eca6c9ef32a08339e028b3bb75dee/thumbnail_2348000.jpg","/articles/6595108/Comal-County/Texas/Comal-County-hears-broad-warnings-on-severe-drought-long-term-supply-plans-from-regional-water-agencies","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6595108-27e8ee2c6d7a7b13ec53e8808e84c6d7/orig.mp4?Expires=1770856579&Signature=WhuWiyGxT2SlQl~I~6d-AtCEc6Br8vHxcqkIbVncdD7vNMnnYwrQASdHTd8GTo~GIO4~~i8dusE37dDYB0fixYt0-o4FuVxRLSPQKYJ7l4QtOVdEH-YFie2lxbUtQnRatfzer6apR8kk9IGSTkSMwGef3EgDzuJNiT6zpzWin6NsPY2ZjEdKoNZ4Nbtzn5DADjYNxSNJZejeHmrMpyBDTVYIeZbHSsuV5HWPCTUn0Su2eJ3WpssIV-6WRGMz79clGQnLgBjdC7KBPqOv8mxwjLTsV2xfkp8rICeKoNqlJ8Ljo1BbUphPXO1CYBek5voPucxE~y-WOdDyu0I-yOP3ng__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Comal County officials and water managers told the Commissioner's Court on Thursday that the county is enduring a multi‑year, severe drought and presented current conservation actions, near‑term curtailments and long‑range supply projects to improve resiliency.

The presentations, given during a workshop item, came from Daryl Nichols, general manager and CEO of the Guadalupe‑Blanco River Authority (GBRA); Larry Hall, president of the Comal‑Trinity Groundwater Conservation District; Andrea Williams of Texas Water Company; and Ryan Kelso, CEO of New Braunfels Utilities (NBU). Several residents also spoke during public comment about rapidly falling lake and spring levels.

Why it matters: County residents depend on a mix of surface water and groundwater. Agency leaders said recent years’ inflows to the watershed are among the lowest on record and explained how that is triggering mandatory curtailments, accelerating infrastructure work and prompting larger, costlier regional projects to secure firm water supplies.

GBRA said Canyon Reservoir (Canyon Lake) was fully allocated under permits that allow 90,000 acre‑feet of diversion annually and that the watershed has seen “five years of a significant drought.” Daryl Nichols said GBRA has been implementing its drought contingency stages tied to lake elevation and streamflow, and that the authority now enforces mandatory reductions for contracted customers when the lake reaches the stage‑4 trigger. Nichols said the stage‑4 trigger corresponds to roughly 49% capacity (about an 880‑foot lake elevation) and that the next curtailment stage is at about 31% capacity (around 865 feet), which would require larger reductions.

“The 90,000 acre feet has been fully committed for almost two decades,” Nichols said, and described WaterSecure, a GBRA project under study that aims to develop roughly 100,000 acre‑feet of new firm water through a mix of GBRA surface rights, brackish groundwater development and aquifer storage and recovery; the project is planned for the early‑to‑mid 2030s.

The Comal‑Trinity Groundwater Conservation District emphasized long‑term groundwater monitoring and recharge limits. Larry Hall said the district has installed about 22 monitors across varied Trinity aquifer conditions and described declining well levels in some locations: “This well has dropped about 60 feet since January of 2020,” he said while showing monitored well hydrographs. He cited published recharge estimates in the 4–6% range and urged residents and officials to support recharge‑friendly practices.

Private utilities described immediate operational steps. Andrea Williams said Texas Water Company serves roughly 78,000 people and that “over half of our water comes from surface water” while about 36% is groundwater; she said the company has paused issuing new taps to protect service to existing customers and is updating its Water Availability Report and drought contingency plan. Williams said the company is pursuing infrastructure upgrades, leak detection and enforcement options tied to drought staging.

Ryan Kelso of New Braunfels Utilities said NBU’s supply portfolio is diversified and that the utility has roughly 18,060 acre‑feet contracted from Canyon Reservoir while using between 5,000 and 7,000 acre‑feet annually in recent years. Kelso described a planned aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) project to store about 7,000 acre‑feet in the Edwards Aquifer and a roughly $300 million five‑year capital program that includes aging‑infrastructure work and system expansion.

Public commenters urged stronger local limits on subdivision approvals and faster state action. Robert Luongo said, “Canyon Lake is drying up,” and asked commissioners to seek a moratorium on high‑density subdivision approvals. Linda Sisk cited pending legislation tightening water‑availability requirements, noting a Senate bill passed the Senate 31–0 and that a companion House bill was under consideration.

Discussion, not action: the workshop item was informational. Commissioners and staff said they will continue to meet with water providers and track legislative changes. The presentations stressed that while local conservation and infrastructure work can help, larger new supplies and multi‑jurisdictional projects will be necessary to maintain reliable service under continued drought and future growth.

The county asked agencies to return with updated data and recommended follow‑up briefings; no formal votes were taken during the workshop item.","Local water managers told Comal County commissioners and residents that the region is in a multiyear severe drought, outlined conservation and supply actions and described multi‑decade projects to increase firm water availability.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Comal County Commissioner's Court actions — April 2025

Comal County accepts gift of roughly 39.31 acres near Canyon Lake for public nature sanctuary

Comal County hears broad warnings on severe drought, long-term supply plans from regional water agencies