District of Innovation for HCISD?
Lady Tigers to build on success
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Tigers fall to Boerne Champion
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News-Dispatch Volume XXXVIII No. 17
Serving Western Hays County, Texas since 1982
page 5
75¢
Thursday, February 1, 2018
Dye test raises questions on discharge permit BY MOSES LEOS III Two weeks after a study showed connectivity between Onion Creek and the Trinity Aquifer, Dripping Springs’ top elected official is now weighing in on the matter. In an online statement, Dripping Springs Mayor Todd Purcell said connectivity between Onion Creek and the Trinity Aquifer and its impact on wells are “two separate and distinct issues when it comes to the subject of the city’s pending wastewater
discharge permit.” Purcell’s comments come after the Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District (HTGCD) provided the city its preliminary results from a dye trace test on Onion Creek. Joining the HTGCD in the test were the Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer District (BSEACD), the Meadows Center at Texas State University and the city of Austin. According to initial results of the study, a hydrological connection was found between Onion
Creek and the Middle Trinity Aquifer. That conclusion was made after dye injected in several karsts was discovered in several area wells that obtain water from the middle Trinity aquifer. According to the report, dye was found in those wells roughly 24 hours after injection and roughly a mile from the injection point. Purcell said in his statement the affected wells were privately owned and that the public water sup-
DISCHARGE PERMIT, 2
PHOTO COURTESY OF PROTECT OUR WATER
All water in this Dripping Springs Area home ran pink multiple weeks confirming Onion Creek impact on its well.
Movie theater opens as Belterra Village anchor BY MOSES LEOS III
Dripping Springs-area residents no longer have to drive into Austin to get their film fix. Sky Cinema, a new 14-screen movie theater, officially opened its doors for a “soft-opening” last week. The theater is the anchor for Belterra Village, a 93-acre mixed-use development that holds roughly 200,000 squarefeet of retail space. Bill Banowsky, creator of Sky Cinema and the Violet Crown Cinema in Austin, said he had envisioned bringing a cinema to the Dripping Springs area for several years. It offered him a way to test a new suburban cinema concept, where it can anchor a retail pad. Banowsky said the cinema also fits a “robust and growing” market in the Dripping Springs area, which includes Wimberley, Henly and Johnson City. “People in this market have wanted a movie theater and that’s clear,” Banowsky said. Banowsky said the cinema is community-focused that “embraces and is guided by the area’s family-friendly, fun, local culture,” according to a press release. The cinema will feature 14 auditoriums with stadium seating and reclining seats. Banowsky said the idea was to change the scale of the
PHOTO BY EXSAR ARGUELLO
A handfull of people crowd into Dripping Springs City Hall with protest signs in opposition to a proposed wedding venue in Driftwood.
PHOTOS BY MOSES LEOS III
Sky Cinema co-creators Bill Banowsky (left) and Robert Crane lounge in reclining seats in one of the 14 auditoriums at the first cinema in Dripping Springs.
“I’m hoping that other business investors will see that we have a large number of families out here and they need something to do ... I’m hoping our movie theater is our first step.” –Sherrie Parks, Dripping Springs Chamber of Commerce executive director
cinema to offer a more unique experience for movie-goers. Ten of the 14 auditoriums have roughly 75 seats, Banowsky said. However, he said film streaming services such as Netflix has not affected “people like us.” The fo-
cus is to give movie-goers an experience they won’t be able to find on their couch, Banowsky said. “Most cinemas are built large and they’re busy on the weekends, but terribly underutilized during the week,” Banowsky said. “We
approach it with an idea that we should have 50 or 60 seat auditoriums, rather than 200 seats, because the efficiency is higher.” He added the cinema also aims to work with local breweries and businesses in the area. According to a press release, the cinema will practice a “keep it close” culture by locally sourcing ingredients for its menu. The economic benefit from the amount of traffic to the cinema could also be a boost for area businesses. Estimated annual attendance at Sky Cinema could range from 350,000 to 400,000 tickets
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LAGNIAPPE Hays County Master Gardeners
Master Gardener Marilyn Love will present an overview of the Hays County Master Gardeners Association at the Kyle Public Library on Saturday, Feb. 3 at 11:30 a.m. She is making this presentation in advance of the upcoming spring HCMG class which starts on Feb. 23.
DS Women’s Club
The Dripping Springs Women’s Club hosts its monthly meeting Wednesday,
Feb. 21 at the Terrace Club at 11:30 am - 1 pm. Epicure Restaurant presents a cooking demonstration and provides a gourmet lunch. For a reservation contact womenofds@gmail. com. $20 for program and lunch.
Firefighters Fitness Day
Work out with local firefighters through Healthy Parks, Healthy People – Dripping Springs. North Hays County Fire Rescue, along with the Dripping Springs Professional Firefighters Association, is partnering with the city to bring you Firefighters Fitness Day on Feb. 17,
from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Dripping Springs Ranch Park.
Voter registration
Time is running out for those who wish to cast their ballot in the 2018 March primaries. The deadline for registration is Monday, Feb. 5. Residents can pick up registration forms at libraries, government offices, high schools or online. Those who wish to register can submit their forms to Elections Administrator, 712 South Stagecoach Trail Set 1045, San Marcos, TX 78666. Early voting for the March 6 Primary is Feb. 20-March 2.
Controversial wedding venue moves forward BY EXSAR ARGUELLO A 5-1 recommendation to approve a controversial Driftwood wedding venue was handed down by the Dripping Springs Planning and Zoning Commission Jan. 23, but not without protest. More than 100 people packed into Dripping Springs City Hall for a public hearing on the site development permit, with many voicing opposition to the Mark Black Wedding venue, located on a 64 acre plot of land that can hold a capacity of 600 people in a residential area. Commissioner Erich Oswald cast the lone dissent-
ing vote on the proposed project. The Dripping Springs City Council will determine the fate of the permit on Feb. 13. Mark and Michael Black, who applied for the permit, attended the meeting, along with representatives from the project’s architecture and development groups. Black said Tuesday because the permit was approved as-is, his team didn’t anticipate making any architectural changes to the venue. On Jan. 23, the News-Dispatch reported Black as having a few clients already lined up for
WEDDING VENUE, 2
$132M May bond tabbed for DSISD BY KATERINA BARTON After four months of research, a recommendation of a bond totaling $132 million was proposed to the Dripping Springs ISD board of trustees to consider for a possible May bond election. The DSISD bond steering committee presented its recommendation during a special meeting Jan. 29. The bond money will go toward updating schools and accommodating growth in the district. The district is growing by 7.24 percent each year, according to officials. The current capacity of facilities is 7,350 students, and enrollment is expected to exceed that capacity by 2020. If the growth rate stays consistent, DSISD could reach 12,000 students by 2025, according to
district estimates. Eventually a larger bond package, in the ballpark of $400 million, will be needed in May 2021 in order to address the growth at Dripping Springs High, according to Superintendent Bruce Gearing. Of the recommendations, the relocation of Walnut Elementary to share a campus with Dripping Springs Middle School was the most contentious. Some board members were concerned with the design of the potential shared campus and with the existing water treatment plant facility. All designs for the school will be finalized only if there is a call for a bond election. The committee’s recommendation also included funding for replacement
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