Plans for a juvenile mental health hospital at 13722 Kluge Road, Cypress, have stalled in water permit hearings.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality held a public meeting on Aug. 23 to hear comments and concerns from local residents on Texas Providence Investments’ attempt to gain water access for its proposed mental health facility.

At this point in the process, engineers from TCEQ have recommended that a permit can responsibly be given.

“We believe this permit, the way it has been issued, would protect the water of the state,” said John Onyenobi, an engineer with the water quality division of TCEQ.

In the public comment period, many residents of nearby neighborhoods—including White Oak Lake Estates—voiced their concern for potential flooding. Citizens said concern existed for future floods, which could involve medical and human waste if a psychiatric hospital is to be constructed. In addition, residents voiced concern with Texas Providence Investments and their past treatment and operations of other psychiatric facilities.

Summer Trevino, a teacher with Cy-Fair ISD, was among the speakers who supported the facility. She said the juvenile psychiatric facility could help serve students in the area in need of mental health treatment.

A follow up meeting with additional opportunity for public comment is in the works, TCEQ officials said. TCEQ is working to set a date and will provide notice of the meeting to all parties signed onto the project's mailing list. The meeting will also be posted in local newspapers, as per Texas law.

After the public comment period is over, all written and spoken comments will be responded to in a document called the executive director’s response. This response will be mailed to everyone who provided a comment. The commenters will then have the opportunity to respond and request a contested case hearing.

At that point, TCEQ commissioners can decide whether to send the Texas Providence Investment’s permit application to the State Office of Administrative Hearings for a contested case hearing or to decide on issuing the permit immediately. According to TCEQ’s website, a total of 54 requests have been made for a contested case hearing as of Aug. 31.

If the permit is sent to a contested case hearing, the SOAH judge will hear the case without a jury, much like in civil court. The SOAH judge will then make a non-binding recommendation to the TCEQ commissioners on whether or not to grant the permit.

The TCEQ commissioners will then make their final decision.