Support for Planning for Parks and Open Space

We were disappointed to read that the Hays County commissioner’s court has ended its formal association with Envision Central Texas (http://www.newstreamz.com/2011/06/15/county-drops-support-for-envision-central-texas/). We have included information below about ECT’s Greenprint for Growth to remind our readers of the value this tool has for planning in our county.

Thoughtful planning integrates input from citizens, government entities, agencies (such as ECT), and experienced professionals to help shape communities that we all want to live in and that hold the character and preserve what makes a community special.

Reflected Beauty by Shannon Brotherton, 2010 Naturescapes

 SMGA believes that planning informed by input from citizens provides an important tool for ensuring that our mission to create and conserve an interconnected system of parks and natural areas serves a broad range of needs throughout San Marcos and Hays County. We support planning for conservation of clean water and natural areas that contributes to our understanding of how to best serve residents relative to our mission.

We encourage you to speak up at government meetings, email your representatives and elected officials, and very importantly, participate in master plan processes, including the Hays County Parks, Open Space & Natural Areas Master Plan. This plan will be available for review for a 30-day period beginning sometime in July. We encourage you to support and participate in the county’s open space planning effort and will let you know when the draft is available.

About ECT and Greenprint for Growth

From http://envisioncentraltexas.org/resources/HaysGP_brochure.pdf:

ECT is a non-profit organization composed of a diverse group of citizens, including neighborhood, environmental, business leaders and policy makers, who share the common goal of addressing growth sensibly with the interests of the region's citizens in mind.

The organization has no regulatory powers and does not seek to forcibly impose a plan on the region or its local governments. Instead, Envision Central Texas will work cooperatively and in partnership with all entities and individuals to help guide the region toward a common vision for the future.

The Greenprint for Growth is a proactive tool for conservation planning that involves sophisticated computer modeling which integrates geographic data with local conservation goals to help communities make strategic, objective decisions about land conservation priorities.

Two things are certain: Envision Central Texas is not a proxy for any other entity outside of Central Texas and definitely does not endorse condemning property or forcing individuals into circumstances they don’t want. ETC’s hope is that policy makers in the 5-county area can fashion ways to induce lively, livable, workable communities where everyone benefits and rights are protected. We hope the Hays County Commissioners will someday reverse their decision and use the valuable resources of ECT and participate in ECT's regional policy discussions once again.