Why Best Practices?

Significant development is occurring in Blanco County and across the Hill Country, as the region is recognized as one of the top areas to live and visit in Texas.  Without thoughtful planning, development has the potential to adversely impact the natural infrastructure of the Hill Country that makes it such a desirable area, including our dark night skies, water availability, natural landscape, native animals and vegetation, and rural character.  Growth and wine tourism, with increasing demands on water supply, could also threaten the viability of existing farms and ranchland.  

 

Best Practices for Developments and Landowners in Blanco County were developed by BCCI in response to a grass roots effort by over 200 people concerned about the effects of developments on Blanco County.  The top concerns were prioritized into four subcategories:  Ground and Surface Water Conservation, Landscape and Wildlife Conservation, Night Sky Preservation, and Preservation of Agricultural Production and Protection of Rural Character and History.  BCCI then surveyed existing literature on approaches to address these concerns.  The best practices summarize practical approaches that can be used to successfully address the concerns. They contain brief summaries of key issues that should be considered during planning along with links to more detailed resources that can be used to create actionable plans. 

 

These best practices are intended to be evergreen.  We will update them as new information becomes available and to reflect community feedback.  Please consider adopting these best practices, as appropriate, for your own property and as you interact with developers, government officials and conservation organizations

 

How to Use the of Best Practices:

• Developers should be encouraged to adopt the best practices in any development plans.

• POA’s should implement some of the best practices, such as allowing rainwater harvesting and requiring dark-sky-compliant lighting, into deed restrictions, covenants and by laws.

• Landowners can adopt best practices in their land management plans.

• Government officials can encourage adoption of the best practices throughout Blanco County and where appropriate, reference best practices in County/City resolutions, ordinances, and development rules.