Walker County commissioners on Aug. 25 took action on a set of planning matters including plats, permit extensions, bond and frontage-variance requests and floodplain determinations.

Key actions: the court approved several plats and exemptions, denied at least one bond-reduction request for a subdivision still lacking final engineer certification, denied one subdivision variance request related to the Republic Grand Ranch extension when the applicant was not present, approved a one-year permit extension for Republic Grand Ranch LLC earlier in the agenda, and handled multiple lot- and frontage-variance requests after staff presentations and public comment.

Planning staff described specific shortcomings in one long-running subdivision project where certification and final inspections remain incomplete. An applicant asked for a 10% maintenance-bond reduction on a project that staff said had outstanding punch-list items, missing engineer certifications and continued concern from the county’s bonding company after several years of delays; the court voted to deny the bond-reduction request.

In other matters the court approved administrative finding requests related to floodplain management for a structure at 99 Kings Point Road after staff reviewed permit history and elevation certificates, and approved variance requests to allow certain boundary adjustments under state Local Government Code provisions when applicants provided documentation or when existing wells were already in place.

On smaller matters, the court approved an interlocal agreement update with the City of Riverside on routine services, a request to allow a high-school agriculture department to build a trailer using budgeted funds, and routine subdivision plat approvals when staff recommended approval.

Several applicants — including property owners and developers — attended to present engineering and survey updates. County staff repeatedly emphasized that the court will not release bonds or final approvals until required certifications, final inspections and the necessary documentation are received.

The court recorded votes or announced motions carried or failed for each item on the record and directed staff on follow-up steps where appropriate.