Citizens Against RV Park Development in Cat Spring, Texas

The undersigned are deeply concerned about the future direction of Austin County, Texas and Cat Spring, Texas, in particular. We believe the proposed 42-site RV park on Frantz Road would have significant, long-lasting negative effects on Cat Spring.

An extensive review of literature concerning what RV travelers want in an RV park revealed they are seeking: 1) nearby recreational activities, including golf, hiking and biking trails, boating and fishing, 2) nearby conveniences such as shopping, restaurants, and grocery stores, 3) onsite amenities including a store, bath house, pool, game room, laundry facilities, and playgrounds, 4) features such as well-spaced sites, shade, full hook-ups, and WIFI, and 5) easy freeway access. Most of the nearby services and amenities sought by RV travelers are not available near the location on Frantz Road. Given that the site of the proposed RV park is not near major roads and is not in an area of tourist attractions, we believe the RV park, if built, would become a place for full-time, permanent residents living in RVs.

According to the RV Industry Association, 11% of people who own an RV live in it full time. Ten million households in the United States own RVs, and over one million live in RVs full time. We recognize that Austin County is in need of affordable housing, but we do not believe living in an RV park is a good solution for permanent, full-time living. RVs are not attached to a foundation and are much more vulnerable in a storm than other traditional types of housing. For this reason, many counties and cities across the country prohibit full-time living in an RV.

An RV park on Frantz Road would significantly lower property values and negatively affect the quality of life for many homeowners on Frantz and Newberg Roads. The surrounding properties have some of the highest land values in Austin County, and the nearby homes contribute significantly to the County's tax base. We do not think an RV park can generate real estate tax revenue for the county that could offset the loss in revenue due to the decrease in values of the surrounding properties.
An RV park on Frantz Road would also change the quality of life for residents on Newberg and Frantz Roads, who frequently walk and ride bikes; they could no longer do this safely.

We feel that an RV park on Frantz Road would endanger our health, safety and welfare, given the following conditions:

1. Several signers of this document have experience pulling RVs on Frantz Road and the other nearby county roads. These experienced local RV owners state that the turn from Frantz Road onto Newberg Road is difficult to maneuver when pulling a large RV and that it is very likely there will be accidents/mishaps at the intersection of Frantz and Newberg Roads, resulting in the intersection being blocked.

2. Frantz Road is narrow and has no shoulders. Most RVs are eight feet wide. There are many places on Frantz Road where a vehicle cannot meet an RV without moving off the road and into the ditch. Several places along Frantz and Newberg Roads require an RV driver to drive in the middle of the road to avoid the trees. There are several 90 degree turns on Frantz Road, making it especially difficult to meet an oncoming RV.

3. Two of the three bridges on Frantz Road are one-lane bridges.

4. Water flows over the bridge on Frantz Road that crosses the San Bernard River two or three times during a year with typical rainfall, and more frequently during years of high rainfall. Water has frequently flowed above the guardrails on the bridge, making it unpassable for five to six hours at a time. If an RV fails to make the turn at the intersection of Frantz and Newberg Roads during a storm, everyone living on Frantz Road will be unable to leave and/or receive emergency services when water is flowing over the bridge crossing the San Bernard River.

5. Flooding in the area of the proposed RV park is an additional life safety issue. Weisuhn Engineering's report indicates that the north portion of the proposed RV park is in the 100-year flood plain. Nearby residents have witnessed flooding in the area of the proposed park

Weisuhn Engineering states that "it will be prudent for the owner to post signs for the park guests them that the eastern (northern) portion of the park is located in a flood plain and that vacating the park may be appropriate during excessive rainfall events."

6. The ditches along parts of Frantz Road, in particular fronting the site of the proposed RV park, are inadequate to handle the current flow of storm water, frequently causing water to run over the road.

7. GPS and Google Maps are not reliable in the Frantz Road area. Drivers pulling trailers are often directed to take FM 949 from I-10 to Cat Spring Road to Reichardt Road to Frantz Road, requiring the drivers pulling RVs to make four very sharp turns on narrow roads creating a dangerous driving situation.

8. Drivers using GPS and Google Maps for destinations on Frantz Road frequently accidentally take Newberg Road to the end before realizing they are not on Frantz Road. Residents on Frantz Road are very familiar with this problem and frequently tell visitors not to rely on GPS. Depending upon the starting point, Google Maps sometimes directs drivers to take Yellow Creek Lane, which is a private, gated driveway.

To our knowledge, the county does not have plans to widen or significantly improve Frantz Road or the intersection at Frantz and Newberg Roads.

We feel that the proposed site is not a suitable location for an RV park due to the condition of the existing road and its remote location far from major roads and tourist attractions.

We request that the Austin County Commissioners Court halt the development of an RV park on Frantz Road due to the condition of Frantz Road and the life safety issues described above. We also request that the Court adopt regulations pertaining to the construction, maintenance and operation of RV parks in Austin County to include a requirement for paved streets.

The decisions you make have far-reaching, long-term consequences. Your decisions set the direction for Austin County. Your decisions affect the quality of life for the residents of Austin County. Please consider our requests carefully, and please think about the Austin County you want to see 20 years, and 50 years, in the future.