Residents urge cleanup of Zarsimora Creek, city staff say property is privately owned and costly to maintain
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Summary
Residents pressed the city at a Jan. 25 town hall to clean an overgrown creek area near H-E-B they said attracts trash and homeless encampments; staff said the creek is privately owned by a defunct corporation and that condemnation would transfer long-term cleanup responsibility to the city.
At the Jan. 25 Leon Valley town hall, several residents described Zarsimora Creek near the H-E-B shopping area as overgrown, littered and a frequent site of homeless encampments, and they urged a cleanup.
Residents said the greenbelt and creek make the nearby marketplace appear unkempt and requested more maintenance and enforcement. One resident noted private businesses across the boundary (including H-E-B, Chick-fil-A and a storage facility) were better maintained than the creek area on the Leon Valley side.
Public-works staff told attendees that the creek is privately owned by a defunct corporation, and that the city has repeatedly sent letters that were returned unclaimed. Staff said the city has organized periodic cleanups (including an upcoming Surabash event) and has begun talking with nearby businesses about sharing cleanup costs. Staff also said that condemning the property so the city would own it is an option but would expose the city to ongoing maintenance costs and a significant financial risk.
No council action was taken at the town hall; staff said they would continue outreach to property owners and businesses and coordinate volunteer events to address urgent litter and encampment issues.