The resolution encourages the county to seek state and federal assistance, including funding from the Texas Water Development Board’s Economically Distressed Area Program.
What’s happening?
Redwood and Rancho Vista are located outside San Marcos city limits but fall under Guadalupe County’s jurisdiction and within San Marcos CISD boundaries.
According to a 2020 study by The University of Texas Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs and Baylor College of Medicine, failing septic systems and drainage problems in the communities may be linked to the reported rise in intestinal parasites.
The resolution notes that the findings could pose a public health concern, particularly for children, older adults and individuals with weakened immune systems.
Why now?
This issue arose after the City Council considered and approved the amended development agreement for the Riverbend Ranch-Baugh Ranch-Riley’s Point Subdivision. The project includes single- and multifamily homes, along with commercial and light industrial lots. The development spans approximately 1,046 acres and sits near the Redwood and Rancho Vista communities.
During public comment, Monica Reyes Ibarra, a former Rancho Vista resident, expressed concerns that the development could worsen flooding in the area and contribute to the spread of intestinal parasites recently reported in the two communities. She specifically cited an amendment related to cut-and-fill practices.
The amendment includes updated code waivers, including an increase in allowable cut and fill from 12 feet to 30 feet. Conditions with the amendment include requiring developers to reduce rainwater runoff, block nearby drains before major work begins, and remove most sediment from post-construction stormwater.
Cut-and-fill is a process used in construction where developers cut away topsoil or earth material from one part of a site and use it to fill in low-lying areas or create embankments or slopes, according to Plateau Excavation, a development and infrastructure improvement services company.
The amendment allows the development to cut up to 30 feet of dirt from an area to level a plain elsewhere, raising floodplain and runoff concerns due to the altered topography near a floodplain.
Amanda Hernandez, San Marcos Planning & Development Services director, noted that though the city received a number of emails in opposition to the development being in the location, the city already has a development agreement in place, and staff was only talking about amendments to the agreement.
“We know that this development will happen, we know that it’s in the works,” Ibarra said. “We just ask that you please take into consideration our residents, our people, take their health into your thoughts as you really consider whether or not this development should move forward with these [code amendments].”
Following previous public comment about the situation, the City Council directed staff to create a resolution March 18 and adopted it April 1.
“In my opinion, it’s shameful that the county this neighborhood is in doesn’t step up," council member Matthew Mendoza said in the March 4 meeting.
As of April 14, Guadalupe County did not respond to Community Impact's request for a comment on the resolution.
Mayor Jane Hughson clarified that the two communities are located in Guadalupe County, not Hays County, therefore neither the city of San Marcos or Hays County can do anything to help the communities.
Mendoza said he wants the two communities to eventually get annexed into San Marcos.
The details
In 2020, the UT and Baylor Medicine study was published on the prevalence of intestinal parasites in a low-income Texas community. Referred to as “Community A” in the study, this unincorporated area is located in Guadalupe County and was later identified by residents and the resolution as the Rancho Vista community.
Rancho Vista and a neighboring community, identified as Redwood, originally approached UT for help collecting data to apply for sanitation grants, according to the study.
According to the study, an unnamed 2010 survey indicated that 98% of households in the Redwood and Rancho Vista communities relied on septic tanks, though 44% of those systems failed despite professional installation.
The 2020 study focused on the roundworm parasite Strongyloides stercoralis, which causes strongyloidiasis and can lead to symptoms like stomachaches, diarrhea and rashes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While many infected individuals may show no symptoms, those with weakened immune systems are at risk of severe illness or death if untreated.
The study tested 92 households between March and July 2018, collecting stool and blood samples from 404 individuals. Of the 97 blood samples, 16 were "seroreactive," indicating past infection with S. stercoralis. Four of these cases were children, and one was a pregnant woman.
The parasite, which thrives in warm climates and areas with poor sanitation, can enter the body through the skin, such as when walking barefoot on contaminated soil, according to Cleveland Clinic.
In addition to testing for S. stercoralis, 43 residents provided stool samples that were tested for various infections. Twenty-seven tested positive for Blastocystis, and one for Giardia lamblia, both of which are parasites associated with poor sanitation, according to the CDC.
Blastocystis causes abdominal pain and diarrhea, while Giardia can lead to fatigue, nausea, and dehydration, according to the CDC. These infections are often spread through contaminated water or food, exacerbated by overflowing septic systems.
What’s next
On April 9, the Guadalupe County public information officer said the county was not aware of any resolution related to the two communities. Community Impact provided a copy of the resolution in response but has not received additional comments.
The resolution is not binding as the city has no authority over the county, so there are no mandated next steps. The Riverbend Ranch-Baugh Ranch-Riley’s Point Subdivision development will continue moving forward with the updated requirements.
