A proposed San Antonio-area development is exposing the city’s growth dilemma: how to build fast enough to meet housing demand without poisoning the water supply.
Lennar Homes’ Guajolote Ranch, a 2,900-home project near Scenic Loop Road in northwest Bexar County, secured a key wastewater permit despite fierce local opposition, the San Antonio Business Journal reported.
The permit from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality allows discharge of up to 1 million gallons daily into Helotes Creek, a tributary that feeds the Edwards Aquifer, which is a drinking water source for more than 2.5 million people across 13 counties, according to the Edwards Aquifer Authority.
Critics fear contamination, noting the aquifer’s porous limestone makes it highly susceptible, and runoff from sprawling subdivisions could accelerate pollution and erosion. Former UTSA professor and geologist Stuart Birnbaum called TCEQ’s focus on limited contaminants “blinders.”
TCEQ’s decision sparked a backlash from the Scenic Loop–Helotes Creek Alliance, which is backed by 15,000 letters from residents and lawmakers opposing the development.
Guajolote Ranch has also become a flashpoint for affordable housing concerns. Even though San Antonio stands to face a 70,000-unit housing shortage by 2030, the homes in the community, expected to list between $300,000 and $700,000, will be unaffordable for many San Antonio residents, 30 percent of whom are below the poverty line.
“It’s hard to understand why a seventh project is essential,” alliance chair Randy Neumann told the outlet, pointing to slow sales and discounts at Lennar’s nearby subdivisions.
Lennar’s plan for Guajolote Ranch includes 50 percent open space and a public improvement district. It’s seeking $138 million in bonds to fund roads and utilities, which will cost homeowners more than $1,000 annually. County commissioners and the City Council are expected to vote on the PID this fall.
Despite a softening market, Lennar is pressing ahead, issuing new bid solicitations through Pape-Dawson Engineers in October. Company officials didn’t respond to requests for comment.
Developers argue that rising construction costs and scarce land closer to the city make projects like Guajolote inevitable. But environmentalists counter that each approval weakens protections for the Hill Country’s fragile ecosystems.
“Approval here sets a precedent,” Birnbaum said, warning that adjacent Medina and Kendall counties could be next.
— Eric Weilbacher
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