SAN ANTONIO – Residents near New Braunfels are voicing strong opposition to the proposed Purlsong community development, citing potential flood risks and water shortages due to ongoing drought conditions.
The controversy began in 2024 when an 800-acre housing project was announced along Highway 46.
Angela Allen and Mary Martin, residents adjacent to the project site, expressed concerns about the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s (TCEQ) approval process.
“They’re not listening to the voice of the people and what they’re wanting,” said Allen.
Martin added, “The TCEQ they rubber stamped everything that the developer told them was accurate. They never did any due diligence, checking at all.”
Despite these concerns, Comal County Commissioner Scott Haag explained that state law requires county governments to approve platting requests within 30 days if developers meet certain requirements.
“If we were not to approve that yesterday, it would have been approved by the state, they would have just kicked it out,” Haag said.
Haag noted that if the county fails to act within the timeframe, developers can appeal to the state, which would enforce compliance to promote faster growth.
Allen and Martin remain determined to contest the development, stating, “We never want to sacrifice the important things, right? Pretty much anything and everything that goes along with irresponsible growth.”