By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
A woman who owns a home near property being developed just south of the Del Rio city limits recently complained about the development to Val Verde County Commissioners Court.
“There’s a subdivision being built, and I have many complaints about that,” Deirdre Chattler, a property owner in the area, told the court during its citizen comments section on May 9.
County Judge Lewis G. Owens and his wife Sylvia Owens own the property Chattler was discussing.
“Several issues, I think, need to be considered, primarily the integrity of historic south Del Rio. I think it’s being devalued by putting a subdivision in this area. I’ll say subdivisions go on the north side of town, but this area is known for its large home areas, and I think it’s a devaluation of the whole area,” Chattler told the court.
“I don’t know . . . if people even want to live in an area (where) there’s a horse pasture on one side, and illegals who are coming in constantly,” she added.
Chattler went on, “Also, things like environmental studies, that whole area was a haven for wildlife, deer, foxes, coyotes and the fauna of the area, the cactus, the trees. It’s all being demolished, so I don’t know if an environmental study needs to be done about that. Also a traffic study.
“It’s a little asphalt-topped road, which would certainly not be able to handle any additional traffic. I don’t know if the county is going to be investing in upgrading the streets. Also, because of the houses that will be going in there, there will be plumbing, electricity, all the amenities that you need, and I don’t know if annexation is the next step for this area,” she said.
Chattler said she was the only area resident at the meeting, but assured the court she spoke for others.
“I’ve spoken to the neighbors who are impacted by this, and none of the people are happy about this subdivision going in,” she claimed.
“Also, things to be considered: People with children. What schools are they going to be going to? Does that mean buses to pick up the kids? Where are the kids going to play? There are no parks in that area. Where are they going to be playing, on the streets, in other people’s property? It’s going to be a whole change to the area, and I understand it’s been purchased and paid for, and I don’t know if anything can be done about it, but I would certainly like to know if a halt can be made while further studies are made,” Chattler finished.
Elected officials typically do not comment during the court session on citizen comment, though in recent meetings, Owens and the commissioners have commented under the “judge’s comments” and “commissioners’ comments” section at the end of the meeting.
Owens did not comment during the May 9 meeting, but spoke later to the 830 Times about Chattler’s complaints.
“This property belongs to Lewis and Sylvia Owens, and as Lewis and Sylvia Owens, we have developed several properties within the city of Del Rio and outside of the city limits,” Owens said in an interview after the meeting.
Owens said he “has been a part of developments,” either on his own or working for someone else, since 1981.
“We have done this for a living since then. My dad, in the 1970s, had a couple of parcels of land that he developed, and I would say I was a part of that too, since I helped with those,” Owens said.
Owens said he continued land development work before he was elected county commissioner or county judge.
“I did this to make a living. I was in construction also, built homes, built subdivisions, did paving, concrete work, you name it. This isn’t our first rodeo,” Owens said.
He said he and his wife had looked at purchasing the property just south of the city limits with another group of investors, but the other investors eventually backed out.
“The only way we could buy that piece of property was if we bought two tracts off the previous owners, which were the DiBlasis. One of the properties was the tract of land across Bedell from the post office, and the other one was this one, so Sylvia and I bought the one in south Del Rio in 2019-2020, and one of the groups we are partnered with bought the property across from the post office,” Owens said.
He added he and his wife actually bought two pieces of property in south Del Rio, a 23-acre parcel off Qualia Lane and another tract off the Qualia Relief Route.
Owens said developing a piece of property for residential lots is a process.
“Before we bought it, we needed to make sure there was water, make sure that there was sewer, that utilities were available,” Owens said.
He said the subdivision off Qualia Lane would include some of the biggest home lots he has ever done.
“They’re 125 feet by 160 feet, 125 feet on the street side, 160 feet deep,” he said, adding that he and his wife could realize a larger profit if the lots were smaller.
“We looked at putting smaller lots down there, and if all I was concerned about was dollars, that would have been the way to go, because I would have made more money, but you have to take into consideration everything else around there. How are you going to affect other people’s property?” Owens said.
He noted the only restriction on the land he purchased is that it be used for residences.
“It doesn’t tell you mobile homes. It doesn’t tell you apartments. It just says residential use,” Owens said.
Owens said he anticipates creating 20 home sites for the first phase of the subdivision.
“By the time we get done with that, if everything works out right, we’ll probably do 40,” Owens said, adding he may reserve some of the land if his children want to build homes there.
“At the end of the day, it’s my decision. I get that she (Chattler) doesn’t want to see that land developed because she doesn’t want neighbors. I can get that, but the property’s been for sale for years, and it’s for sale today,” Owens said.
Owens said after he bought the property, he hired an engineer, Abner Martinez of Amistad Consulting, to lay out the subdivision on paper.
“And then there’s a process. You’ve got to go before the city because you’re going to be hooking up to their water and sewer, so it has go before the utilities commission. It has to go before the city. Then it has to go before the county. Everything we had to follow, we’ve followed,” Owens said.
“Again, could I make the lots smaller? There’s nothing that would stop me, but we tried to make the lots big enough that I could still make money and the people who live around there would still be happy. We’ll put restrictions as to the square footage of the house, masonry at least on three sides,” he added.
Owens reiterated the land is still for sale.
“I don’t mind leaving it. I’ve got a number in the back of my mind that I’d walk away with and go across the street and build my own house,” he said.
—
Contact the author at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com
NEWS — Woman lodges complaints about Owens’ subdivision
By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
A woman who owns a home near property being developed just south of the Del Rio city limits recently complained about the development to Val Verde County Commissioners Court.
“There’s a subdivision being built, and I have many complaints about that,” Deirdre Chattler, a property owner in the area, told the court during its citizen comments section on May 9.
County Judge Lewis G. Owens and his wife Sylvia Owens own the property Chattler was discussing.
“Several issues, I think, need to be considered, primarily the integrity of historic south Del Rio. I think it’s being devalued by putting a subdivision in this area. I’ll say subdivisions go on the north side of town, but this area is known for its large home areas, and I think it’s a devaluation of the whole area,” Chattler told the court.
“I don’t know . . . if people even want to live in an area (where) there’s a horse pasture on one side, and illegals who are coming in constantly,” she added.
Chattler went on, “Also, things like environmental studies, that whole area was a haven for wildlife, deer, foxes, coyotes and the fauna of the area, the cactus, the trees. It’s all being demolished, so I don’t know if an environmental study needs to be done about that. Also a traffic study.
“It’s a little asphalt-topped road, which would certainly not be able to handle any additional traffic. I don’t know if the county is going to be investing in upgrading the streets. Also, because of the houses that will be going in there, there will be plumbing, electricity, all the amenities that you need, and I don’t know if annexation is the next step for this area,” she said.
Chattler said she was the only area resident at the meeting, but assured the court she spoke for others.
“I’ve spoken to the neighbors who are impacted by this, and none of the people are happy about this subdivision going in,” she claimed.
“Also, things to be considered: People with children. What schools are they going to be going to? Does that mean buses to pick up the kids? Where are the kids going to play? There are no parks in that area. Where are they going to be playing, on the streets, in other people’s property? It’s going to be a whole change to the area, and I understand it’s been purchased and paid for, and I don’t know if anything can be done about it, but I would certainly like to know if a halt can be made while further studies are made,” Chattler finished.
Elected officials typically do not comment during the court session on citizen comment, though in recent meetings, Owens and the commissioners have commented under the “judge’s comments” and “commissioners’ comments” section at the end of the meeting.
Owens did not comment during the May 9 meeting, but spoke later to the 830 Times about Chattler’s complaints.
“This property belongs to Lewis and Sylvia Owens, and as Lewis and Sylvia Owens, we have developed several properties within the city of Del Rio and outside of the city limits,” Owens said in an interview after the meeting.
Owens said he “has been a part of developments,” either on his own or working for someone else, since 1981.
“We have done this for a living since then. My dad, in the 1970s, had a couple of parcels of land that he developed, and I would say I was a part of that too, since I helped with those,” Owens said.
Owens said he continued land development work before he was elected county commissioner or county judge.
“I did this to make a living. I was in construction also, built homes, built subdivisions, did paving, concrete work, you name it. This isn’t our first rodeo,” Owens said.
He said he and his wife had looked at purchasing the property just south of the city limits with another group of investors, but the other investors eventually backed out.
“The only way we could buy that piece of property was if we bought two tracts off the previous owners, which were the DiBlasis. One of the properties was the tract of land across Bedell from the post office, and the other one was this one, so Sylvia and I bought the one in south Del Rio in 2019-2020, and one of the groups we are partnered with bought the property across from the post office,” Owens said.
He added he and his wife actually bought two pieces of property in south Del Rio, a 23-acre parcel off Qualia Lane and another tract off the Qualia Relief Route.
Owens said developing a piece of property for residential lots is a process.
“Before we bought it, we needed to make sure there was water, make sure that there was sewer, that utilities were available,” Owens said.
He said the subdivision off Qualia Lane would include some of the biggest home lots he has ever done.
“They’re 125 feet by 160 feet, 125 feet on the street side, 160 feet deep,” he said, adding that he and his wife could realize a larger profit if the lots were smaller.
“We looked at putting smaller lots down there, and if all I was concerned about was dollars, that would have been the way to go, because I would have made more money, but you have to take into consideration everything else around there. How are you going to affect other people’s property?” Owens said.
He noted the only restriction on the land he purchased is that it be used for residences.
“It doesn’t tell you mobile homes. It doesn’t tell you apartments. It just says residential use,” Owens said.
Owens said he anticipates creating 20 home sites for the first phase of the subdivision.
“By the time we get done with that, if everything works out right, we’ll probably do 40,” Owens said, adding he may reserve some of the land if his children want to build homes there.
“At the end of the day, it’s my decision. I get that she (Chattler) doesn’t want to see that land developed because she doesn’t want neighbors. I can get that, but the property’s been for sale for years, and it’s for sale today,” Owens said.
Owens said after he bought the property, he hired an engineer, Abner Martinez of Amistad Consulting, to lay out the subdivision on paper.
“And then there’s a process. You’ve got to go before the city because you’re going to be hooking up to their water and sewer, so it has go before the utilities commission. It has to go before the city. Then it has to go before the county. Everything we had to follow, we’ve followed,” Owens said.
“Again, could I make the lots smaller? There’s nothing that would stop me, but we tried to make the lots big enough that I could still make money and the people who live around there would still be happy. We’ll put restrictions as to the square footage of the house, masonry at least on three sides,” he added.
Owens reiterated the land is still for sale.
“I don’t mind leaving it. I’ve got a number in the back of my mind that I’d walk away with and go across the street and build my own house,” he said.
—
Contact the author at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com
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