Water and recreational opportunities are of great value in Hays County. Proposition A, Our Parks and Open Space Bond, is a chance on election day to look back without regret years from now, knowing we seized this opportunity for the future of our land and water.

We will recover from current challenges, but our opportunity cannot wait to preserve this iconic landscape, to protect our water, and to create parks, trails, and activity centers that are needed across the county. Development and escalating land values mean we have to act now.

The last parks bond in Hays County was 2007. That $30 million was multiplied by matching grants and funds, so that the impact we enjoy is even greater than promised: Jacob’s Well Natural Area, Dahlstrom Ranch, Blue Hole Regional Park, Five Mile Dam Park, and over twenty public parks, sports complexes, and trails.

Then, as with a proposed $75 million now, the County will issue bonds over a decade, conscientiously, without raising our tax rate, as population and valuations grow. If the land and water could speak, they would tell us: vote yes. Look at the list of recommended projects—Coleman’s Canyon Preserve (and the Wimberley Bat Cave), Sentinel Peak Preserve on the Blanco River, the Violet Crown Trail, Cape’s Fishing Pond, and other important park lands across the county. They bring open space and conservation, hiking and biking, urban parks, and flood mitigation.

Useful links to find out more:

Hays County is in the process of updating the Hays County Transportation Plan. The Virtual Open House asks for public input to identify safety needs, improve regional connections and mobility, and plan for future growth and development over the next two decades. There is little discussion of the preservation of scenic byways or strategic land conservation.

The Transportation Plan seems like only one element of needed planning. A comprehensive look at County planning would balance Transportation, Water, and Land elements. Protecting water resources, limiting development in sensitive areas, and preserving the scenic qualities of the Hill Country are essential to maintain the quality of life and economic viability of Hays County.

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