Home Care In Bulverde, TX

BULVERDE, Texas - Comal County just north of San Antonio is one of the fastest growing counties in the United States but growth can lead to problems.

In the town of Bulverde, a huge wastewater treatment plant could soon be built, and some residents fear their way of life may be washed away. (SBG San Antonio)

In the town of Bulverde, a huge wastewater treatment plant could soon be built, and some residents fear their way of life may be washed away.

Neighborhood groups claim the wastewater treatment plant being proposed is much larger than it needs to be for the number of homes in the development. Like putting in a dumpster when all you need is a wastebasket.

A pasture along Stahl Lane will soon be the site of the 330 home Diamante Ranch subdivision. But according to a permit application, the adjacent wastewater treatment plant could discharge up to 600 thousand gallons a day.

Nearby property owners like Eddie and Shawn Langford worry that volume of wastewater could contaminate the wells they rely on.

“Those wells cost us several thousands of dollars to drill and that's all the water we have to drink and to bathe with. We get contamination in that, and we can't even drink it," said Eddie Langford.

Application paperwork says the treated water will run through a man-made channel or ditch then into nearby Cibolo Creek. Neighborhood groups say they are suspicious about the oversized plant.

“Are they trying to preemptively prepare for further development and they're not telling any of us? Do they already have plans to tie into other locations and to treat the wastewater here?" asked Manny Maldonado of the Bulverde Neighborhood Alliance.

South Central Water Company of Houston, which applied for the permit to build the plant, did not respond to our interview request.

We also spoke to one of the developers of Diamante Ranch, Landon Kane of San Antonio, who said he had no comment.

Property owners like Langford’s are now going through the long process of requesting a hearing to argue against the permit.

But there's a sinking feeling that the battle to keep the hill country from being transformed into crowded suburbs is already lost.

“We came out here to the country to be in the country not in the city," Eddie Langford said.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality will decide on November 8th whether to grant the neighborhood groups a hearing where they can make their case against the treatment plant.

Work is underway on the newest phase of a subdivision that will bring over 400 new homes to San Antonio's far North Side from Meritage Homes (NYSE: MTH).

Documents filed with the city indicate the Scottsdale, Arizona, builder is planning 152 single-family lots immediately south of Bulverde, at the intersection of Blanco Road and Specht Road, as part of the third phase of its Estancia Ranch subdivision. Of the 65 acres that are included in the development plans, around 20 acres will go toward the new homes and 40 acres will go towards "common areas," which may include "parkland or parkland improvements."

All told, Estancia Ranch will include a total 420 homes spanning 271 acres, according to documents filed with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality in 2020.

Around the same time the builder was filing paperwork for Estancia Ranch, it announced another community, Sienna in the same area.

“Due to the major growth along Highway 281 and north of Loop 1604, there are very few development opportunities available in North Central San Antonio now," Jeremy Flach, division president of Meritage Homes, said at the time. "Sienna will give homebuyers the opportunity to live where they work and play with easy access to a hub of major highways nearby. We’ve really got something for everyone here."

The development is in San Antonio's extraterritorial jurisdiction, as land near the city's inner core is becoming increasingly more difficult for large-scale subdivisions for new production housing due to untenable land prices.

Meritage Homes did not respond to a request for comment by time of publishing. According to its website, homes at Estancia Ranch begin in the $350,000 range.

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BULVERDE, Texas — After a fire ripped through a building in the Old Village in Downtown Bulverde on Saturday morning, the owners' say it reignited overnight causing more damage.

On Sunday, the owner of The Makery, a metalsmithing studio, said the fire burned through the rafters making the roof unstable and building unsafe to look inside.

"The fire flared up again overnight," said Francesca Watson. "They [firefighters] think it started up in the attic space which is where most of the damage was yesterday."

Watson said her phone notified her of motion detected inside the studio on Saturday morning. When she pulled up the video to watch it, she saw fire and smoke inside her business.

"By the time we got here the worst of the fire was out but the damage was extraordinary," said Watson.

Among the things Watson lost included antique jewelry benches, student workspaces, specialized equipment, a wash stand from her grandmother and photo of her mother. Her husband lost his entire unsold catalog of paintings.

The couple also lost their studio cat Sterling.

"Unfortunately, she didn't make it. That's the worst because everything else can be replaced but I can't help but think she must've been so scared," said Watson.

The Makery wasn't the only business affected by the fire. The Verde Bistro, which is owned by Mari and Oscar Olivas, also suffered from heavy damaged and a collapsed roof.

"There is no way to walk around it. It's really bad," said Mari Olivas.

Despite the damage, both women are remaining optimistic, grateful to the firefighters who helped and have received support from the community. Watson said friends showed up to help board up windows and Olivas said others are helping them raise money to rebuild.

"With everybody's support I know that we'll be able to do that," said Olivas.

The Bulverde Spring Branch Area Chamber of Commerce has established a donation site to help with immediate needs and employee assistance.

SAN ANTONIO - Homeowners in Bulverde are voicing major concerns over drought conditions and the water supply in their neighborhood.

The water provider for that area has been taking water from one neighborhood to supply other neighborhoods.

“First time we’ve had issues like this,” said Dan Sawyer who has been living in the Rim Rock Ranch Neighborhood in Bulverde for four years.

Sawyer said he knew aquifer levels were low and has been trying to conserve water.

“If you notice we’re not irritating, most of the places here have stopped watering their grass,” said Sawyer.

Recently, Sawyer said he realized trucks were pumping water from a nearby water hydrant to supply other neighborhoods.

“If we’re giving water to other places, how do we know that there is going to be enough water for our needs? Not necessarily our desires,” said Sawyer.

Texas Water Utilities released a statement that reads in part:

“Due to Rim Rock Ranch’s adequate well supply, we are confident that the system has enough water to share with its neighbors who are in need. To maintain water supply in neighboring communities, which are under stage four water restrictions, Texas Water Utilities is transporting water as needed from its system in Rim Rock Ranch, which is not under any drought restrictions.”

The Vice President of Operations at Texas Water Utilities, Tim Williford, said that because the water well at Rim Rock Ranch has adequate supply right now, the company is using that well to supply water for the Windmill Ranch Neighborhood and the Kestrel Airpark Neighborhood.

“If the water has been depleting in other places, then it may be depleted here,” said Sawyer.

Sawyer said he understands other areas need water but fears that if the well at Rim Rock Ranch drops too low, something catastrophic can happen.

“If there is a fire and there is no water or insufficient water for the pumpers to pump water up here then the ire department just watches the house burn,” said Sawyer.

In the statement released by Texas Water Utilities, the company said:

“Extreme drought conditions and reduced water in the upper and middle levels of the Trinity Aquifer are affecting well water production in some of Texas Water Utilities’ Comal County systems. The good news is that the wells located in Rim Rock Ranch have enough water supply.”

BULVERDE, Texas - Lunch break at the Country Hills Veterinary Clinic in Bulverde is typically a time for workers to unwind from the hustle and bustle during normal business hours. But when Belinda Giles, a vet tech at the clinic, ate a brisket plate last December, the calm turned into chaos.

Ryan Wolf with some Cash for Kindness.

“My lips were already starting to turn blue," she told Fox San Antonio’s Ryan Wolf.

Office surveillance video captured the frightening ordeal. It showed Giles starting to choke on the bottom right portion of the screen.

“I was starting to panic," she recalled.

She remembered being completely taken over by fear. She was unable to breathe. Giles desperately threw her hands in the air and pointed to her throat, as seen on video. Lead Vet Tech Lindsay Davis was eating her lunch near Giles when she spotted her coworker in trouble.

She walked toward her and is seen performing the Heimlich maneuver. She gave her 3 thrusts from behind. It worked. The meat became dislodged in Giles throat.

Davis comforted her for nearly 30 seconds by rubbing her back. Then she can be seen walking a few steps away and slumping over on camera. It was an apparent sigh of relief.

Giles secretly nominated her hero for the CASH FOR KINDNESS award. The office manager helped with the surprise. Wolf met Jordan in the front lobby of the clinic.

“So [Davis] she has no idea, right?” Wolf asked.

“No idea,” the manager said with a smile.

“Okay,” Wolf acknowledged.

“Let’s say I'm doing a story on vet care,” Wolf told Jordan. “And maybe call like a quick team meeting?”

Jordan smile and said, “Sure!"

While he gathered about a dozen office workers, Wolf stood by in the lobby. They all walked into the area about a minute or two later. Wolf thanked everyone for helping with the “story”.

“What is your name?” Wolf asked a worker closest to him and Giles.

“Lindsay,” she responded.

“What do you like about the team?” Wolf asked her.

“We get along very well,” she said. “We all love the animals. We all put 100% effort and everything we do.”

“What about your coworkers?” Wolf asked next. “How do you feel about them?”

“I love them,” she said next.

“How long have you been here?” Wolf asked to keep the surprise going.

“Five years,” Davis said.

“Anything interesting ever happened in the five years here?” Wolf said.

“Oh, we see all kinds of animals,” she answered.

“Well, I'm not really interested in the animals,” Wolf laughed.

Davis raised her eyebrows in shock.

“I'm here because of you,” Wolf said as everyone around her started to laugh.

“You saved my life,” Giles told her when Wolf shared the real reason why he was there. “I was choking. You saved my life. You jumped in and you did the Heimlich. And here I am today. So, I want everyone in San Antonio and surrounding counties to know how special you are to me and our team."

Wolf asked Davis if she remembered her heroic actions and if she could share her experience with everyone.

“I watched her walk-by and I was like, you're not acting correctly,” she recalled. “So, I was monitoring her. And then she turns around, and she throws her hands up and I thought, I gotta do this really quickly. And then I just did the Heimlich.”

“Had you ever done the Heimlich before?” Wolf asked.

“No,” she responded.

“So, what was that like for you?” Wolf asked.

“I was very scared,” she said without any hesitation. “Yeah, I was really hoping that it was going to come out."

Wolf turned to everyone in the lobby and asked if they thought Davis deserved an award for quick-thinking?

They all shouted, “yes!”

Wolf pulled out a stack of $100 bills from his pocket.

“This is on behalf of Fox San Antonio,” he said to her. “This is yours."

Davis counted the money.

“$100, $200, $300, $400, $500 Thank you very much."

Davis and Giles hugged after the surprise.

“She's a superhero to me,” Giles said about her savior. “Definitely a superhero for me.”