SAN ANTONIO – Opponents of the proposed Guajolote Ranch development turned out in large numbers Friday for a San Antonio Planning Commission public hearing on Lennar Corp.’s application to create a Municipal Utility District in northwest Bexar County.
Florida-based Lennar plans to build about 2,900 homes on roughly 1,160 acres at Guajolote Ranch, west of Scenic Loop and Babcock roads. The proposal includes construction of a wastewater treatment plant that would discharge an average of 1 million gallons of treated sewage per day into the Helotes Creek watershed. That watershed recharges the Trinity Glen Rose Aquifer and contributes up to 15% of the recharge of the Edwards Aquifer, the primary water source for about 2.5 million people across multiple counties.
RELATED: State officials decline to reconsider waste water permit for Guajolote Ranch project
Lennar is seeking to finance infrastructure for the project through a Municipal Utility District, which would issue bonds to pay for facilities such as the wastewater plant. Those bonds would be repaid through taxes imposed on residents within the development. Because the site is located in San Antonio’s extraterritorial jurisdiction, the city must formally approve the MUD. A City Council vote is expected Feb. 5.
The MUD petition was filed Nov. 10 on behalf of Lennar Homes of Texas Land and Construction Ltd. by Guajolote Ranch landowners, with total project costs estimated at about $150 million. Lennar currently holds options to purchase the properties involved in the development.
Opponents argue the project poses a threat to regional water supplies and could burden future homeowners with significantly higher property taxes. Critics also point to concerns about similar MUDs in Texas, saying they have failed to deliver promised affordability while increasing financial and environmental risks for surrounding communities.