December 13, 2022 Hood County Commissioners' Court

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The Hood County Commissioners' Court met on December 13, 2022, to address development regulations, the proposed Yellow Viking solar farm, county operations, and capital purchases. The court heard extensive public testimony regarding the solar project's potential environmental and property value impacts, approved partial updates to development permit regulations while deferring acreage requirements to a dedicated workshop, and approved several subdivision plats and development projects. The court also approved vehicle purchases, employee reclassifications, a bond redemption, and authorized payment of NetData service fees to prevent service interruption, while addressing budget adjustments including elimination of an administrative assistant position.

• Call to order and invocationThe meeting was called to order and opened with an invocation by Kim Irwin, executive director of the Brazos Pregnancy Clinic.
• Public participation proceduresThe judge reminded attendees of the requirement to fill out public participation forms for both comments at large and agenda-specific remarks.
• Santa House presentation postponedA special presentation involving Santa and Mrs. Claus (the Harless and Mr. Holland) was postponed due to Jay Riley's absence from storm damage at his mother's house in Bluffdale.
• Pecan Plantation fire and EMS generator requestRay Taylor, president of the Pecan Plantation fire and EMS board, requested county assistance for a generator to replace an outdated one at the EMS station, which serves as backup EOC to Hood County.
• Bald eagle protection concerns regarding solar farmTrisha Kennemur spoke on behalf of bald eagles across the river from Pecan Plantation, citing the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act regarding the proposed Yellow Viking solar farm.
• Public decorum enforcement and removalJudge stopped a speaker, Steve Biggers, who attempted to make accusations against the court, citing the court's policy against demeaning individuals and insults to the court's integrity.
• Solar farm property value impact analysisJohn High Smith, representing the Save the Brazos group within Pecan Plantation, presented numerical analysis of potential property value losses from the Yellow Viking 2 solar project.
• Solar panel degradation and environmental toxicity concernsRobert Tabor, with 36 years in the semiconductor industry including 33 years in compound semiconductor design and distribution, raised concerns about solar panel reliability and toxic materials.
• Risk-benefit analysis and tax abatement concernsNathan Carricker, an airline pilot and Pecan Plantation resident on the board of directors, argued the tax abatement provides no benefit while risks are significant.
• Grid reliability and solar panel failure impactsDeborah Thorne, with aerospace industry background in research and development on the B2 bomber, expressed concerns about grid reliability when large solar projects connect to the electric grid.
• Energy storage battery cost and grid evacuation analysisDavid Ferris, with undergraduate degree in physics and master's degrees in MBA, statistics, and logistics, presented financial and practical concerns about solar energy storage and grid vulnerability during emergencies.
• Consent agenda approval and animal control donationsThe consent agenda was approved unanimously; the judge commented on substantial donations to Animal Control by Robert and Sammy Williams.
• Cross Ranch replat approvalThe court held a public hearing and approved the replat of Cross Ranch Tracks 12R, 13R, and 13R1 in Precinct 4.
• Development regulations update hearingThe court convened a public hearing to discuss updating and revising development permit regulations, subdivision regulations, and infrastructure development regulations for manufactured home rental communities.
• Development permit and subdivision regulation revisionsClint presented changes to development and subdivision regulations that he has been updating himself to avoid an expensive engineering consultant cost.
• Public comment by Lisa Bordeaux on groundwater and acreage requirementsLisa Bordeaux, representing the Comanche Peak Coalition, expressed concerns about groundwater depletion and requested increased acreage minimums for rural subdivisions with individual wells.
• Public comment by Courtney Coates Blackman on subdivision moratoriumCourtney Coates Blackman expressed support for a 90-day subdivision moratorium to allow time for studying regulation changes and their impacts on water and infrastructure.
• Commissioner discussion on unintended consequences of acreage expansionA commissioner raised concerns about potential unintended consequences of increasing minimum acreage requirements, specifically that developers might respond by creating centralized water systems supporting higher-density development.
• Well production and multi-family definitions from groundwater districtsA commissioner explained that groundwater districts regulate wells based on production capacity, not just acreage, and that multi-family versus single-family designations determine allowed connections.
• Public comment by Carolyn Reeves on rural character and water concernsCarolyn Reeves, a resident in the Comanche Peak area who relocated from California, expressed concern about losing rural character and experiencing water issues similar to California's overcrowded conditions.
• Commissioner discussion on taking claims and density paradoxA commissioner articulated the legal and economic constraints on acreage restrictions, noting that ten-acre minimums might face legal challenge as a taking and could paradoxically produce higher-density development.
• Judge comments on the need for a workshop and partial regulation approvalThe judge indicated that only partial approval of Clint's revisions was feasible, proposing approval of the fee and language changes while deferring the acreage issue to a dedicated workshop.
• Commissioner Andrews on water studies and comparative analysisCommissioner Andrews supported requiring groundwater studies for new development and suggested studying other counties' approaches to balance density and water availability.
• Discussion on existing 10-acre development precedentMultiple commissioners and residents noted that at least one developer in Hood County already offers 10-acre lots in two existing subdivisions, demonstrating market viability and removing the argument that 10-acre minimums are economically infeasible.
• County attorney perspective on regulation authority and proceduresMatt Mills, the county attorney, stated he had not reviewed the regulations in detail before the hearing and indicated the court could adopt the revisions as presented without requiring a full regulation overhaul, then conduct a separate workshop on acreage policy.
• Procedural discussion on approval, workshop scheduling, and public noticeThe court explored how to proceed with partial approval of regulations while scheduling a dedicated workshop on acreage requirements, with clarification on legal notice and hearing procedures.
• Development permit regulations motion and adoption processThe court approved updates to development permit regulations and scheduled a workshop for public comment on increased acreage.
• East Lake phase one final plat approval in Precinct 2The court approved the final plat for East Lake phase one on West Landing Road in Pecan Plantation, creating 12 lots.
• Prime Granbury preliminary plat approval in Precinct 4The court approved the preliminary plat for Prime Granbury at 2825 Alta Vista Court, proposing nine lots with 630 linear feet of public asphalt streets.
• December invoices and accounts payableThe county approved payment of December invoices totaling $864,271 after review of all expenditures over ten thousand dollars.
• Elimination of administrative assistant position from commissioners' budgetThe court eliminated the administrative assistant position from the commissioners' budget and reallocated the remaining salary and benefits, except $1,200 retained for commissioner training.
• Sheriff's office TICOLE training coordinator reclassificationThe court reclassified an unfilled detention officer position as a full-time Sheriff's Office TICOLE training coordinator at $42,848 annually, effective January 1, 2023.
• TCDRS plan agreement for 2023The court authorized the county judge to sign the TCDRS plan agreement for plan year 2023, reflecting the $600,000 contribution voted November 29th.
• Hood County Clean Air Coalition 2023 funding contributionThe court approved a $25,000 contribution to the Hood County Clean Air Coalition from General Contingency funds for fiscal year 2023 air quality efforts.
• Termination of Sodexo vending agreement and approval of Vending Concepts contractThe court terminated the Sodexo vending agreement for the Justice Center and approved a new contract with Vending Concepts after Sodexo failed to deliver machines or provide services.
• Cancellation of Emergency Management shed contract and rebid authorizationThe court cancelled the Emergency Management shed contract with New Core Building Systems and authorized purchasing to rebid the project as a turnkey RFP 2023-002.
• Constable Precinct 1 vehicle purchase approvalThe court approved Constable Precinct 1 request to purchase a new 2023 Chevy Tahoe two-wheel drive not to exceed $57,000 from Fund 55.
• Sheriff's Office purchase of six 2023 Tahoes with equipmentThe court approved the Sheriff's Office request to purchase six new 2023 Tahoes with required equipment at total cost of $424,000 from Fund 55.
• Hood County limited tax bond series 2014 redemption resolutionThe court adopted a resolution directing early redemption of Hood County's outstanding 2014 limited tax bond, saving taxpayers approximately $14,000 by paying two years early.
• Final payment to Net Data and Tyler technologies phase transitionsThe court addressed final payment obligation to Net Data of $152,324 for full-year service or face service cutoff December 31st, while Tyler Technologies implementation continues across departments.
• NetData server port shutdown and service impact assessmentCounty IT staff conducted a weekend test by shutting off the NetData port to the server to evaluate which services would be affected by a potential disconnection.
• Specific service impacts and estimated additional costsDrew provided details on concrete service disruptions that would result from disconnection, including payment processing and compliance reporting issues.
• Funding source dispute and auditor's proposalThe auditor proposed using Fund 68 monies to pay the additional NetData fees, but the county judge expressed concern about the appropriateness of that fund source and requested time for research.
• Motion and authorization to pay NetData feesThe court made a motion to pay the NetData fees immediately to prevent service disruption, with the auditor and county judge to work out the final funding source.