Forestar (USA) Real Estate Group, Inc. has filed suit in the 335th Judicial District in Lee County against the Lost Pines Groundwater Conservation District and its Board of Directors (Case No. 15,369). The suit is 1) an appeal of the Boards’ decision to deny Forestar’s application for 33,000 acre-feet per year of the 45,000 acre-feet per year of groundwater it requested, and 2) a claim for the taking or damaging of its property, and for its damages and attorney’s fees due to the District’s actions (a takings claim).
On December 16, 2013, the Board of Directors held a rehearing on the Forestar application requesting 45,000 acre-feet of groundwater per year. The Board has previously granted Forestar a permit for 12,000 acre-feet per year.
The hearing was a well attended and well organized. We thank the Board and staff for working with Environmental Stewardship and others to ensure that the public had an opportunity to hear the arguments of the Applicant (Forestar) and District Staff prior to making public comments. We also thank the Board for allowing the public to pool its time so that we could make our arguments in a manner that could be heard and understood by the Board, the Applicant, and the Public.
At the conclusion of the hearing, the Board adjourned the hearing but did not take action on the application. Our impression is that the Board will take some time to review the information provided at the hearing and make a written response to the Applicant early next year. At that time the decision of the Board on the application will be final. The board can, however, render its decision any time before that date.
In a reversal, Forestar’s Request forRehearing was GRANTED in a Special CalledBoard Meeting.
Our message to the Board:
Nothing has changed, STANDING STRONG!We have your back.
In a special called board meeting held on November 4th, the Lost Pines Board of Directors heard arguments from Forestar’s attorney that, for the first time in public, laid out their proposal for a “phase-in staging” of permits over a 25 year period. This proposal is, in the words of their attorney, “an effort to avoid further conflict and potential litigation”. Forestar has made their position clear: Obtain permits for 45,000 acre-feet per year … or … litigate. The board voted to grant a re-hearing, but the date has not been set.
Forestar’s Request for Rehearing was “essentially denied” by Lost Pines Board of Directors.
THANK YOU BOARD for STANDING STRONG!We will have your back.
In a bitter-sweet victory, and to a standing ovation of local landowners and citizens, the Lost Pines Board of Directors “essentially denied” Forestar’s request for a rehearing of their application for 45,000 acre-feet of groundwater per year when the motion failed to get a second and no action was taken to grant or deny the request. “This [request] has essentially been denied,” said President Mike Talbot. …
An Open Letter to the
Lost Pines GCD Board of Directors from its Constituents STAND STRONG!
RE: Forestar (USA) Real Estate Group, Inc. Motion for Rehearing
Dear Board of Directors,
Forestar’s request for a rehearing on the permits LPGCD granted earlier this year was on the agenda for the Board’s September 18, 2013, meeting, but was postponed until the October 16, 2013,Board meeting. Several events pertinent to this permit have occurred since that postponement, but the message from the coalition of landowners and citizens who want to protect the future of Lee and Bastrop Counties remains the same: Stand strong in your duty to protect and conserve the aquifers under our two counties.
We have a simple message to deliver to the Lost Pines Board tonight:
“Thank you, you are doing the right thing. WE HAVE YOUR BACK. STAND TALL AND STAY THE COURSE”.
Forestar Group (USA) took initial steps on June 3rd to enable it to file suit against Lost Pines Groundwater Conservation District (District) when it formally requested “Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law” from the District (Forestar letter). We believe that Forestar is pressuring the Board to reverse their decision and grant all 45,000 ac-ft/yr of groundwater as requested, OR BE SUED. …
Big Money (Forestar) rolls out big guns (Lawyers) to intimidate guardians (Lost Pines GCD Board) into capitulating (giving them what the want) rather than protecting our groundwater resources. We need your help to let the Board know that they are doing the right thing in protecting our groundwater and WE HAVE THEIR BACK. Ask them to please “stand tall and stay the course”.
Plan to attend the July 17, 2013, meeting of the Lost Pines GCD Board at 7:00 pm at Bastrop City Hall, 1311 Chestunt Street, Bastrop, TX. We will be providing more information about this meeting and what you can do to support the Board.…
Mina Elementary 4th grade “Green Team” commented to Board
Bastrop, TX – The people of Bastrop and Lee counties gained a MAJOR VICTORY at last night’s Lost Pines Groundwater Conservation District hearings. The Board of Directors listened … and they acted on our behalf.
THANK YOU Lost Pines BOARD MEMBERS!
1) LCRA’s request for 10,000 acre-feet/year was cut back 50% to 5,000 acre-feet/year except in years when the counties are in drought conditions.
2) Forestar’s request for 45,000 acre-feet/year to export was cut back 75% to 12,000 acre-feet/year.
3) Environmental Stewardship and a group of landowners were accepted for timely filing of their request for “party status” at the End Op contested case hearing to be held before the State Office of Administrative Hearings.
…
Bastrop, TX May 8, 2013. Environmental Stewardship has requested “party status” in the contested case hearings requested by Aqua Water Supply Corporation concerning the groundwater permit application by Forestar (USA) Group seeking 45,000 acre-feet/year from the Simsboro Aquifer; End Op, LP seeking 56,000 acre-feet/year ; and the Lower Colorado River Authority seeking 10,000 acre-feet/year. …
The Forestar, End Op, and LCRA applications will harm existing permitted wells, the environment, and are far in excess of the DFC and MAG (defined below). We, a coalition of Environmental Stewardship, Neighbors for Neighbors, Lost Pines Sierra Club, and Groups United to Advocate Responsible Development “GUARD,” believe that, if permitted at all, individual permits should first be reduced to levels actually supported by the application and then all permits reduced overall as necessary to an aggregate level that, including existing permits, protects the Adopted Desired Future Conditions. In summary, if permitted at all, Forestar and End Op qualify for less than 5% of the water they are seeking. In addition, the District needs to factor in the impact of existing permits before issuing any new permits. This has not been done. …
