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Providing community relations to East Manor residents with-in the boundaries east of FM 973, south of US 290, north of FM 969, and west of the Travis County Line |
At the Austin City Council meeting on June 21, the City Manager's Office presented a preliminary "Presentation and Update" on the 2853-acre Webberville property it owns located within our Park Springs Neighborhood Association boundaries. Assistant City Manager Bert Lumbreras called the site "ideal" for a waste water treatment plant, Austin Energy power plant, or solid waste (landfill) services. [see slide 5] For many reasons (see below) we believe it's absurd call such uses "ideal".
Park Springs Neighborhood Association will continue to fight any noxious use of this property. We've been warning for more than a year that the City of Austin was considering a landfill on the site, but as recently as mid-May, Mayor Will Wynn insisted that Austin had "no plans" for developing the land.
The land includes the homestead of John Webber and his wife, possibly the first emancipated Black woman in the Republic of Texas. We believe that what is listed as "unknown building remains" [on slide 20] is actually his home, sometimes known as "Fort Webber" - a priceless historical treasure.
Portions of the land are within the 100-year flood plain [see slide 17]. The property contains many springs. It drains into the Colorado River [see slide 12], which is a source of drinking water for communities downstream.
The Village of Webberville offered to purchase the land from the City of Austin, but Austin refused.
Our Association is committed to fighting any plan which would despoil this land and harm the environment of eastern Travis County (and others downriver). Please also read the other postings on the " Landfill" section of our website and join our effort to protect our neighborhood!