Commissioners approve final plat for nine-lot Wonder Hill subdivision after traffic questions

Washington County commissioners on May 27 approved the final plat for the Wonder Hill subdivision, a nine-lot development along Wonder Hill Road in Precinct 2.

County planning staff presented the final plat showing nine lots ranging from about 2.0 to 2.47 acres with an average lot size of roughly 2.22 acres; staff said setbacks and septic approvals had been verified. Commissioners asked questions about traffic and driveway access because a recent traffic count showed about 650 vehicles per day on the segment of Wonder Hill Road in question.

A county planner told the court the site has good sight distance and that the county’s traffic analysis did not show a substantive truck-bypass pattern; most larger vehicles observed in the study appeared to be service vehicles. Commissioners nonetheless expressed concern about cumulative access points onto busy county roads and discussed whether the county needs a broader policy or roundtable to address increased driveway cuts and development along rural roads.

Staff said the minimum frontage and setback requirements were met, and the developer had provided larger than-required setbacks (50 feet versus a 25-foot minimum in at least one area). Commissioners approved the final plat by motion; no recorded opposition was noted in the public record.

County staff said the subdivision approval does not immediately change state highway access controls at U.S. 290 and noted a previously discussed TxDOT project to lengthen acceleration and deceleration lanes was not moving forward at this time. Commissioners asked staff to continue monitoring traffic and visibility issues on county roads as more subdivisions are proposed.