FAQ PART I
>ACCESS
Q: Will the development be gated?
A: No.
Q: Will the parkland be open to the public?
A: The parkland will be open or partially open to the public on a schedule that we will work out in conversation with the public, Citaspel residents and the City of Wimberley.
>APARTMENTS
Q: Won’t apartments ruin our neighborhood versus a development of only custom homes?
A: Apartments and attached single family housing (duplexes, triplexes and quads) support housing choice and affordability for a broader range of community members. A mix of incomes actually strengthens community bonds.
>SCALE
Q: Why propose three-story homes?
A: (1) We will take steps to reduce the perceived scale of the buildings, (2) if we were to build the existing program in only two stories, we could not meet our goal of 50% site dedicated to parkland, and (3) we will be careful not to obstruct any neighbors’ views, and (4) the more compact our footprint, the less impervious cover, the better it is for groundwater conservation, which is a project priority and a community priority.
>SHORT TERM RENTAL
Q: Will short term rental visitors be disruptive and destructive?
A: There will be a single point of responsibility for any short term rentals in the community: the Citaspel HOA. A uniform set of rules will be enforced by an onsite caretaker deputized to evict unruly guests, will help ensure quiet for us and our neighbors.
Q: Is there an upside to the community for short term rentals?
A: Yes. More visitors means more dollars into the local tourism economy. Also, if second / vacation homes are staying vacant part of the year, then there is a reduction in traffic congestion.
>TRAFFIC
Q: How will this project impact traffic?
A: With its central location and range of housing options, the project will offer local housing alternatives to driving from surrounding communities, thus reducing traffic.
Q: Where will traffic be routed?
A: Traffic will be routed through a safe, existing, signalized intersection on RR12.
Q: How much traffic will the project generate?
A: A traffic engineer will be preparing a detailed traffic impact analysis (TIA). But being right on RR12 with a preexisting traffic signal is a good start.
>WASTEWATER / SEPTIC
Q: Is the site suitable for septic?
A: Yes. The residential area will be sited on a rocky, moderately sloped area which, although more challenging than a flat site, is certainly a manageable condition for septic. The septic aerobic fields will be built using imported (local) soils held in place with stone retaining walls. The landscape architects are planning these fields to be planted with a mix of native Hill Country grasses and wildflowers that will become a recreation area and grazing area for a few horses. Our civil engineer attests there will be positively no effluent drainage downhill or pollution into the groundwater. Averting such outcomes is a project priority. The Citaspel wastewater system aims to be a model for conservation developments across the region.
>WATER
Q: How will the proposed development conserve water?
A: We will follow the aggressive One Water protocol of the Wimberley Valley Watershed Association.
Q: Where will water be sourced?
A: Water is available at the site from Wimberley Water Supply Corp, with additional water from rainwater catchment and greywater treatment and recycling.