Council decided Thursday not to allow a major northwest-side subdivision and wastewater plant after pushback over its potential impact on the Edwards Aquifer.
SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio City Council voted Thursday to halt the proposed Guajolote Ranch subdivision on the far northwest side near Scenic Loop and Babcock Road.
The development would have spanned more than 1,100 acres and could include roughly 3,000 homes, along with a wastewater treatment plant that opponents said could have threatened the Edwards Aquifer, a major drinking water source for the region.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality granted developer Lennar Homes a wastewater permit following a hearing in October. Supporters argued the project would have prompted much-needed housing growth, while critics argued it would increase pollution in nearby waterways.
Environmental advocates with the Helotes Creek Alliance filed a lawsuit against the TCEQ, seeking to reverse the permit approval. The lawsuit, filed January 21 in Austin, aims to slow the project’s progress.
Council’s vote focused on whether to create a new municipal utility district, which would allow the developer to partner with its own utility providers to operate the wastewater system.
Opponents warned the development could’ve sent more than one million gallons of treated wastewater per day into Helotes Creek, potentially impacting the aquifer that serves an estimated 2.5 million people.
The issue was discussed during a special council meeting last month, where several local leaders and some council members expressed concerns about the permit.