Palo Pinto commissioners require groundwater study before considering development plat

Sep. 26—PALO PINTO — County commissioners on Monday paused a developer's plan to require evidence that 10 new homes he hopes to build will have adequate water in the drought-challenged county.

"You can't be selling property where there's no water," Precinct 2 Commissioner Mike Reed said after the court told developer Chris Moore to conduct a groundwater study and engineering report on his 10-home development on Grimes Road south of Salesville.

"There has to be water and sewer (service) in place, or the availability," Reed said.

Commissioners took the action after a 25-minute closed-door consultation with County Attorney Maegan Kostiha. The county's legal counsel said Moore's request, though coming in separate lots over more than one application, together met the 10-lot threshold for requiring the water study.

"I think it's a requirement at this point," Kostiha said when open session resumed. Kostiha said the section of the county's Model Subdivision rules seeks to protect "the health and safety of the public."

Commissioners would seem to have their hands full with homebuilding continuing at a fast pace.

Public Works Director David McDonald reported issuing 29 septic permits during August. The permits are the best indicator of new home construction and improvements.

"That's the most we've ever done in one month," McDonald said.

The court on Monday also reinstated the county burn ban, on the recommendation of Emergency Coordinator Ricky Hunter.

Hunter noted forecasts of limited rainfall in the coming week.

"Things are going to be starting to dry out again starting this week," Hunter said, noting Gordon already is in Stage 3 Drought (the rest of the county is in Stage 2).

Hunter also reported three fires had been investigated since his last report two weeks ago. There were none on the Texas A&M Forest Service online incident map by Tuesday morning.

Commissioners on Monday also approved the tourism budgets of the Mineral Wells, Strawn and Possum Kingdom chambers of commerce.

The organizations need the county's blessing on tourism spending because they use hotel occupancy taxes collected by the county.

Jeff Hinkson, with the Strawn chamber, credited a partnership with the Mineral Wells chamber for sending a production crew for Bass Reeves, a series about one of the first Black U.S. Marshals of the post-Civil War era.

Hinkson said he had shared more than 40 sites with the television crew, adding "our best estimate" was the production could bring $1 million to the area.

Mineral Wells Area Chamber of Commerce Tourism and Marketing Director Rose Jordan said Palo Pinto County is becoming known in Tinseltown.

"It's a small community in Hollywood," she said. "So they talk, and the word gets around. ... We're seeing lots of filming. They have been here scouting for a new one that's part of the series called, 'Land Man.'"

Jordan also said she is recruiting "scouts" to take visiting production crews throughout the county.

"So when they call me, I can send them to your scouts," she said.

Meanwhile, she said, the recent Mineral Wells chamber move to the downtown Poston's Building is paying off in foot traffic.

More than 400 visitors are stopping by each month, she said.

Hinkson also reported the Strawn chamber has joined the Texas Midwest Community Network of 54 cities in 33 counties focused on economic development and tourism.

He also said the chamber plans to paint murals in downtown Strawn, taking a page from Mineral Wells.

At the Possum Kingdom chamber, Executive Director Staci Williams reported a long-range plan to replace a billboard at Farm-to-Market 2353 and Park Road 36 with a digital board.

"It's been there a long time," she said of the sign, adding the early effort has attracted one bid, at $80,000. "We are just in the planning stages."

Also Monday, County Clerk Janette Green reported her massive deed records indexing is on track to reach back to 1933 next year. Later, she said in two years she hopes to have the deeds indexed to 1857.

Vital records including birth, marriage and death documents already are indexed.

"All that stuff will be online," she said. "If they like that convenience, they can be at home in their pajamas looking up documents."