This story provides context for yesterday’s story found here.
By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
Val Verde County Commissioners Court members on Wednesday took action to clarify who is responsible for the installation of streetlights and other amenities in new subdivisions outside the Del Rio city limits.
County Judge Lewis G. Owens Jr. began by saying the court previously discussed requiring developers to install streetlights in new subdivisions but had not addressed who is responsible when a subdivision is created along an established road.
Owens used his own subdivisions as an example, saying it was his opinion that because he created new streets, he was responsible for installing streetlights.
“As a developer, I ended up paying for the lights because I created a street, so I think that if a developer or anybody goes to do a subdivision and you’re going to create a street, then you must do the mailboxes, the lights, stop signs, signage, everything like that,” Owens said. “But if you’re not creating a street, then how do we make them put up a light?”
Owens said if a property is replatted to sell smaller tracts and is adjacent to a street that already has lights, the developer should not have to install additional lights.
“We have two examples, two members of the court right now that have subdivided tracts along existing streets, and I don’t believe that it’s right — whether you’re a member of the court or not — I don’t believe that we should make a developer put up lights on an existing street that already has lights,” Owens said.
He added that if a street has no lighting, the court may have “failed” in the past to address the need.
County Commissioner Pct. 3 Fernando Garcia said the issue would significantly affect Precinct 3, which contains large areas of undeveloped land along county roads.
Garcia said if a developer subdivides land along an existing road with no lighting, the added residents would create new demand for services.
“They are creating new demand for services and demand for streetlights,” Garcia said. “I think they should put up streetlights, even if there is an existing road, even if they’re not creating new streets.”
Garcia added it would be impractical to install lights preemptively along miles of undeveloped roads.
“I would burn my entire budget putting lights on over 130 miles of road in Precinct 3 in anticipation of something being subdivided,” Garcia said.
County Commissioner Pct. 4 Gustavo “Gus” Flores noted that in the case of Cienegas Road, which was discussed later in the meeting, lights already exist and the request involved upgrading light arms to improve roadway illumination.
Owens proposed a compromise: If a developer subdivides property along an existing road that has no streetlights, the developer must pay to install lighting on the portion being developed.
“If there’s no lights, (the developer) has to put them in?” Garcia asked.
“On the portion that they develop,” County Commissioner Pct. 1 Kerr Wardlaw said.
Garcia agreed to the proposal.
County Commissioner Pct. 2 Juan Carlos Vazquez seconded Owens’ motion.
County Attorney David Martinez said he believed the intent was clear but noted that additional clarification or a future agenda item might be necessary to address specific roads and lighting requests.
The court later considered individual items related to streetlight installation and upgrades along Cienegas Road.
The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com
