Convenience Road

They're just plowing on ahead, aren't they?

http://img208.imageshack.us/my.php?image=munchroadty9.jpg

"I want restaurants, gift shops, long parking lots," he said. God willing, he added, maybe even a Holiday Inn"

http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/04/13/news/babylon.php

(I will post the following to the hpr blog as well)

Perhaps some of you had heard a recent rumor that LTISD had its sights on the Grumbles property here on HPR for the proposed location of a new sportsplex and bus barn.
Well, it is no longer rumor.

I met with the Grumbles family last Friday. They are extremely upset and distraught about a letter from LTISD dated 12-28-06 identifying their property as a possible site for needed new school facilities (a lit multi sports complex and bus barn).

In the letter LTISD has requested permission from the Grumbles to do a survey and an environmental assessment by the 3rd week of January.
The family is adamant about NOT selling, but, of course, if condemned by LTISD, there is not much they can do.
They fear being forced out of their family home by power of eminent domain.

Richard Grumbles called the LTISD attorney Friday the 5th, Susan Bohn, and told her his family does NOT want to sell or be removed from their family home of more than 100 years, nor would they permit anyone on their property for any reason without a court order. He asked that they please look elsewhere.

My thought was that perhaps after Richard adamantly told them "NO, please go elsewhere, we won't sell", they actually might have respected the family's wishes and moved on to other properties farther west out H71, perhaps in the Spicewood and Briarcliff area where folks are clamoring for LTISD school facilities.

Unfortunately, yesterday the family learned from Susan Bohn, LTISD counsel, that LTISD will be seeking a court order to pursue the survey work and environmental assessment on their property.

The Grumbles are well aware that they can be condemned and forced out. They would like the support of the HPR community to let LTISD know that we oppose-
-using the power of eminent domain to throw our neighbors off the land that their family has lived on for generations
-this location on HPR (an already overburdened 2 lane road) in the contributing zone of the Barton Springs Zone of the Ed's which would be swarming with school buses and needing extensive impervious cover for such a facility
-lit ball fields which will eliminate what is left of our dwindling dark night time skies

It is an inappropriate and unwanted location for such a facility.

As a fence line neighbor with the Grumbles, their interests are certainly mine and I hope those of the HPR community. What is perhaps most frightening to me is the idea that any of us are powerless and can lose our home and property by the simple brute force power of condemnation exercised by a small group of people.

How fortunate we are to have a neighbor with a large tract of land who is not eager to sell out!
I plan to do everything I can to gather support for the Grumbles so that their home and property is not condemned, and to urge LTISD to find a more suitable location for their facility.

I am gathering the email addresses of the LTISD school board and Rocky Kirk the school Superintendent and I will forward them on to you. If anyone has these email addresses please distribute them.

LTISD General Counsel is:
Susan K. Bohn
3322 Ranch Road 620 South
Austin, TX 78738
512) 554-6489
fax 533-6003

This is the link to the LTISD school board. lhttp://www.ltisdschools.org/SD/Dist%20Leadership%20Board.htm

If anyone knows anyone with influence who can help redirect LTISD, please contact them. In the meantime please make your neighbors aware of this situation and write or email the LTISD Board and Rocky Kirk and express your concern.
I will get the email addresses out asap and keep you posted.
Thanks,
nell
263-0409
626-9283