The party looking to develop single family housing around Lake Nasworthy is simply known as Fleet Equipment Leasing LLC in City of San Angelo documents. The owner utilized SKG Engineering's Herb Hooker as its public face.
There are two Fleet Equipment firms in Eastland, Texas, the location of the phone number listed in Planning Commission documents. Both have Marc W. Walraven as the registered agent. Fleet Equipment Management Company Inc. lists three board members, President Joe L. Walraven, Vice President Marc W. Walraven and Secretary/Treasurer Regina K. Bosma.
Realtor Rodney Fleming has owned/managed rental property around Lake Nasworthy and stands to profit from the sale of single family homes in "The Canals at Lake Nasworthy."
The property abuts the walking loop of Gun Club Road/Hillside Drive. Councilman Fleming placed that item on City Council's agenda. For development to occur walkers and runners have to go. Fleming called for the number to be minimized by eliminating parking. This would be the second phase of reduced parking undertaken by the city to address "the problem" of local citizens exercising in an area of natural beauty.
In the late 1980's I saw runners and walkers pushed out of Dow Park in Lake Jackson for high end housing. Such changes happen in stages. Will San Angelo be a repeat? How will Gun Club Road residents react to heavy construction equipment, followed by increased traffic? Will the Canals employ an exclusive real estate agent, one who helped them get the zoning change as a City Council member? These things remain to be seen.
Correction 10-17-13: The engineering firm on this project is SKG Engineering, not KSA Engineering as I originally stated. My apology for this error.
3 comments:
I attended the Lake Nasworthy Plan meeting on Monday evening. Fleming has several people from the Lake Nasworthy Home Owner's Association who live on Gun Club Road all worked up.
I mentioned to Mr. Fleming that the use of funds from the Lake Nasworthy fund to build pipe fencing to block parking in the area is not allowed under the provisions outlined in the San Angelo City Charter. Mr. Fleming replied that he has had lawyers look at the issue and said there is a way around everything.
The city used the Lake Nasworthy fund to build pipe fencing and gates in the south pool area. This is not allowed under the provisions outlined in the San Angelo City Charter.
If you look at the content and scope of Gateway Planning's proposal I say this was an improper use of the Lake Nasworthy Fund and falls under the jurisdiction of the San Angelo Development Corporation.
The San Angelo Standard Times report on the meeting contained very little factual information on what actually transpired.
P.S. I have been looking for a copy of the original referendum put to the voters back in Sept. 2004.
The San Angelo Development corporation only has responsibility for those projects that are funded by or involved with the 1/2 cent 4B sales tax. Those projects must be voter approved. The gateway plan does not qualify as a 1/2 cent sales tax project and therefore SADC has not jurisdiction there.
As far as the Lake Nasworthy fun is concerned, here is the section from the charter.
"B. No portion of the principal of the Fund shall be expended for any purpose unless authorized by a
majority vote of the qualified participating voters of the City of San Angelo at an election held for that
purpose.
C. Ninety percent (90%) of the annual investment income from the Fund may be used by the City of San
Angelo to pay for lake and river improvements, services to enhance water recreation and the elimination of related litter and pollution. Ten percent (10%) of the annual investment income shall be added to the principal of the Fund. A public hearing must be held on the proposed uses of the investment income during the budget
and budget amendment process."
No part of the principal has been used for any purpose yet. The gateway plan was paid for out of the investment income and probably does fall under the heading of "lake and river improvements" or "services to enhance water recreation." At least that was the legal opinion given at the time the council voted to approve it.
The special election in 2004 was strictly for the 4B 1/2 cent sales tax. The ballot language was on the last page of the sales brochure the city put out. I've uploaded it to slide share at
http://www.slideshare.net/conchoinfoJimT/hcstd?utm_source=ss&utm_medium=upload&utm_campaign=quick-view
This was amended in the 2010 election that removed the sunset date for the 4b sales tax so that would need to be looked at as well. Most new 1/2 cent sales tax projects must now go before the voters. The gateway plan wouldn't qualify.
The Lake Nasworthy Trust was approved in 1997 with some changes in investment management passed in the 2007 charter review package.
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