Helotes approves larger detention ponds at Bryce Wood after resident reports new flooding

Helotes City Council on April 10 approved a replat of portions of Bryce Wood Subdivision Unit 5 to enlarge two detention ponds after a nearby resident said construction had changed historic drainage and left standing water on her property.

The action, moved by Council Member Sanders, removes residential lots to expand detention areas in an effort to reduce overland runoff and erosion. Council voted to approve the replat by voice vote with no recorded no votes.

Resident Leanna Lara, who identified herself as a Flores-area resident at 11320 Sunset Boulevard, told council the construction had diverted water and deposited silt and caliche onto her property. “There is still water in that holding area where whereas before, naturally, it drained within a day or so,” Lara said. She said the new ponding has remained after recent heavy rain, raised concerns about mosquitoes and animals, and sits close to a household well.

Council members and staff said Public Works has issued citations and fines to the developer for erosion-control problems and has been in contact with affected homeowners. Justin (staff), who said he had been onsite, told Lara the developers had agreed to clean affected properties when construction is completed and offered to exchange contact information to follow up.

An on-site consultant engineer described the design changes to the council. He said the developer enlarged the ponds (the transcript records both a statement that the contractor was giving up two lots and a later explanation that four lots were removed and added to pond area) and added roughly 300 feet of dissipator channel to reduce flow velocity at discharge points. “Any water coming from the pond will go into that channel ... and it will go out along the 300 feet at the same time instead of concentrating, which is reduced velocity and reduced erosion,” the engineer said. He also said the new design is sized for a 100-year storm.

Council members cautioned that enlarging detention ponds increases temporary storage but does not change the total volume of runoff generated by a given rainfall event. “It will help in some way. It does not change the volume of water that needs to [leave] the property. It will just mean more to retain,” a council member said.

The council approved the replat (Item 9) after discussion. The approval includes the revised plat language to remove lots and enlarge the two pond areas; no separate vote was recorded on cleanup or enforcement. Staff and council said they will follow up with developers and Public Works to monitor cleanup and erosion-control compliance.

The council opened the item as a public hearing, heard Lara’s comments during that hearing and then took the action during the regular agenda.

Council action did not specify a timeline or a binding remediation schedule in the motion; staff said developers had given a verbal commitment to clean up properties when construction is complete.

The vote on the plat was carried by voice vote; no roll-call tally was read into the record.