Home Care In Helotes, TX

About Helotes

On the northwest side of San Antonio, just minutes from Sea World of Texas lies Helotes, Texas. The town was incorporated in 1981 but this area has been on the map since the nineteenth century. The name ‘elotes’ (meaning corn on the cob) or Helotes was used as far back as the early 1700’s. Records reflect reports of attacks by Apaches and one governor even wrote a report on the scalping of a Spaniard who was out looking for stray horses.

These days, Helotes is a charming community with a small town feel despite its proximity to San Antonio. Monthly market days, great little shops, family events and the famous John T. Floore Country Store continues to draw some of the top musical talents around.

See & Do

Helotes is small and doesn’t boast theme parks or wild adventures. But what it does have is quality and charm. The Helotes Creek Winery is no exception. It offers at least 35 different types of wine; all of which are made right there in Old Town Helotes. The winery is known for being a friendly comfortable place to visit while you sample a wide selection.

Party

Josabi’s and John T. Floore Country Store make up the nightlife in Helotes. Both are live music venues. The newer Josabi’s sits on over seven acres just outside of Helotes and features a full size bar, wedding rental facilities are also available. Considered by locals 'the ultimate Texas Honky Tonk,' John T Floore Country Store was listed as one of the "50 Things Every Texan Should Do" Don't be fooled by its name. When it was opened by John T Floore in 1942, it began as dance hall and cafe serving ice cold beer and good food. Simply referred to as "Floore's" by the locals, it has hosted the likes of Willie Nelson, Patsy Cline and Merle Haggard.

Shop

Helotes hosts Old Town Market Days on the first Saturday of every month. You can find all sorts of great ideas for gifts or just pick up something for yourself. The market is open 10:00 am – 5:00pm. Shoppers find everything from handmade jewelry, fresh produce, arts and crafts and more!

Shops like All That Glitters and Simply Yours offer a wide variety of merchandise. Choose from accessories, jewelry and apparel.

Lennar Homes is one step closer to breaking ground on Guajolote Ranch development after TCEQ executive director gives green light.

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HELOTES, Texas — A developer is one step closer to breaking ground on a project that will release millions of gallons of treated wastewater into Helotes Creek.

Lennar Homes, a national development company, plans to build 2,900 houses on 1,160 acres of property near Scenic Loop Road and Babcock Road.

To support the Guajolote Ranch development, Lennar Homes would need to build a wastewater plant.

“SAWS was concerned about the project, so they did not grant wastewater service because of concerns about the aquifer,” said Annalisa Peace, the executive director of the Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance (GEAA). “They did grant water service because they were required to.”

Earlier this month, the executive director of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) released a decision letter saying the permit application “meets the requirements of applicable law.”

TCEQ commissioners will decide whether to approve, modify or deny the permit at an upcoming meeting.

If the permit is approved, Peace fears the project will impact health and habitat.

“There is nothing the size and scope of this project [in that area],” said Peace. “When it’s built up, they are talking about dumping a million gallons of treated sewer every day. This water, if you release it into Helotes Creek, is recharging the Edwards Aquifer. Even if it’s traveling seven miles, [the wastewater effluent] doesn’t clean itself up. You are basically polluting our aquifer.”

About 2 million people get their drinking water from the Edwards Aquifer.

At a public hearing last year, dozens of residents begged TCEQ commissioners to deny the permit.

The GEAA, San Antonio Metropolitan Health District, City of Helotes, City of Grey Forest and several state lawmakers have voiced opposition to the development.

A spokesperson for the TCEQ told KENS 5 no one was available for an interview. However, the spokesperson said the permit would have limits and conditions designed to protect human health and aquatic life. We are told the application process is still in progress, and those who commented on the application will be able to submit a request for reconsideration or a hearing by Feb. 12.

“It’s far away from drinking standards,” said Peace. “So, we will be contesting the permit.”

On Feb. 7, more than 100 landowners in the Grey Forest area packed into a meeting.

“It is not a done deal," said Ron Green, who chairs the GEAA board. "There are some that think this is already over with; that is not the case. Much remains to be seen and that’s why there is a good turnout at this meeting. The Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance is helping in the effort to identify those people who may be able to be awarded status in a potential contested case hearing.”

Elizabeth Toepperwein, Lynette Munson and Jane Sams live near the proposed development site.

"The pipes will be discharging [wastewater] right near my fence," said Toepperwein. “We have been good stewards of the land for nearly 120 years. For seven generations.”

The family worries their new neighbor won't have the same priorities.

"I have a very shallow well, so I will probably be impacted," said Munson. "This will be devastating. The challenge with all of this is not just about the water, it really is about our way of life. It is not clean, drinkable water. It will have a smell, but we also have dirt banks. We are talking about erosion, it will tear the land up."

Michael Schick's property borders the Guajolote Ranch.

"It will be a nonstop stream of effluent," said Schick. "The greatest concern is that there will be a fountain of airborne pathogens that could be dangerous to the public. We are talking about forever chemicals. You don't have to swim in the water or drink the water to be at risk."

The decision letter states the TCEQ's goal is not to eliminate contamination, but to make sure contaminants don't pose a risk to human health or habitat. According to response 21, the TCEQ has "not investigated the potential effects of emerging contaminants, which includes pharmaceuticals and PFAS, in effluent."

"It would be like saying, 'We are still looking at asbestos and lead paint, but go ahead and put it in your house and we will wait until we find out it's dangerous,'" said Schick. "It will be too late. There is a difference between the letter of the law and the spirit of the law. In this case, they are not fulfilling the spirit of the law which is their mandate to protect the public from harm.”

Lennar Homes has not responded to our request for comment.

Lennar Homes is looking to build nearly 3,000 homes in the city. But its plan would involve pumping 1 million gallons into the creek on a daily basis.

HELOTES, Texas — Up to 1 million gallons of treated sewer could soon flow through Helotes Creek every day if a permit is approved by the state.

It isn't without controversy, however, and it comes as Lennar Homes looks to build 2,900 homes on 1,160 acres of property near Scenic Loop Road and Babcock Road. The proposed Guajolote Ranch development would help address housing needs in Bexar County, after the U.S. Census Bureau recently ranked San Antonio the fastest-growing city in the country.

But the new housing comes at a cost many aren’t willing to pay.

“We were down here every day,” said Jennifer Webster, pointing to Helotes Creek on Tuesday afternoon. “We have a little swimming hole right here. We would come down here to catch crawfish and fish.”

Webster’s parents bought a property on the banks of Helotes Creek in the 1960s. She spent her entire life on the property near Old Bandera Road and Floore Drive.

Now it's her own children who play in the creek when it flows. Unfortunately, it isn't flowing very much these days.

“There is no water in it right now,” Webster said. “So if 100% of the water that was coming through here was from a wastewater treatment plant, I just have a lot of concerns on how that would affect my well. I don’t have city water, I have a well; that’s my only source of water. I would be concerned about the animals around here, and I would be concerned about my property value.”

Lennar Homes recently applied for a Texas Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (TPDES) permit from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). In Tuesday, the commission held its first public meeting to gather input.

A few hundred people from Helotes and neighboring communities attended, and dozens waiting in line to voice their frustration.

“This isn’t about, ‘Not in my backyard,’” said Michael Schick, who lives next to Guajolote Ranch. “This is about, ‘Not in my water faucet.’ And it’s not about, ‘You’ve ruined my view.’ It’s about, ‘You could potentially ruin my health and the health of too many people.’ This is a serious issue.”

Annalisa Peace, executive director of the Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance, said Lennar Homes's plan to build a treatment plant and release hundreds of thousands of gallons into the Helotes Creek water system would impact all of Bexar County—and not in a positive way.

“What you are doing is recharging the aquifer with sewage effluent, which we think really degrades the water quality,” Peace said.

A spokesperson for the TCEQ told KENS 5 developers must meet stringent standards.

At the meeting, a consultant for Lennar Homes said the plan is more environmentally friendly than installing a septic system.

“What we are doing is so many orders of magnitude more protective of human health and life in the aquifer than putting a septic system in,” said Troy Hotchkiss, engineering manager for Integrated Water Services. “I would say we are putting in a treatment system that will improve the environment and reclaim the water. Water is a commodity. So, the idea here is rather than import more water, we can reclaim the water and reuse it for irrigation or what have you.”

Lennar Homes must first obtain a permit to discharge the wastewater before applying for a permit to reclaim it. However, a TCEQ spokesperson said the agency cannot force a developer to seek the second permit.

“The immediate impact would be on the stream,” said Ronald Green, a groundwater hydrologist. “It’s going to be degraded with a low-oxygen content, it will have algae, it’s not going to smell very good. The other issue is the greater impact, from my perspective, and that’s if it sets a precedence in northwest Bexar County.

"Then, other developments will come in and you will have more and more effluent coming in. That will get into the Edwards Aquifer and degrade it.”

“There’s not enough guarantees that this is not going to cause a lot of harm,” said Marylee Williams, a Helotes resident. “Helotes Creek runs into Leon Creek, which goes through Leon Valley and San Antonio. There’s a lot of animals that drink water out of it. Florida University has been doing research that shows the fish they are harvesting have two to five pharmaceuticals in them.”

The permit application process is lengthy. TCEQ officials said it could take several months, if not years, to reach a decision.

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Apartment complex will be located off Highway 16 between Bridgepoint Rd and Triana Pkwy

HELOTES, Texas – Plans for a new development in the Helotes area have been granted approvals by the necessary agencies however, there’s a major backup. Residents in Helotes are not on-board and want the proposal dismissed.

The development in question is a nearly 300-unit apartment complex and four commercial businesses located off Highway 16 between Bridgepoint Road and Triana Parkway. The proposal was submitted by the Sixizzotti Family Limited Partnership.

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“We strongly and seriously petition and object to the proposed construction of 297 apartments known as the Ranch Creek Apartments and commercial premises,” said Jenica, who lives in the Triana Subdivision, which is feet away from the proposed project. She spoke in front of the Bexar County Commissioner’s Court on Tuesday, August 23.

“In the past two days, my neighborhood has been able to collect 420 signatures from residents in our neighborhood regarding this, and if we had more time, we would probably have many more,” Jenica said. “We also have close to 400 signatures on an online petition that was started just last night.”

As of Monday afternoon, the online petition has accumulated 1,115 signatures in opposition to the development.

According to the online petition, “The land in question sits in a flood zone. Once the land is covered by non-porous concrete, even with retention ponds, it will only flood worse, causing the surrounding homes and Highway 16 to flood in times of severe weather.”

Along with runoff concerns, those who live in Helotes said they worry about the traffic and wildlife in the area.

“We understand that the U-turn intersection between Bridgepoint and Triana Parkway, currently used by residents exiting the Triana neighborhood, will be relocated further north on Highway 16,” Jenica said at the meeting. “As there is a curve in the road further north on Highway 16, this has the potential to increase the risk of accidents with more traffic entering the highway from the proposed apartment complex and set of commercial suites.”

However, during Tuesday’s meeting, Bexar County Director of Public Works Renee Green said the traffic impact analysis was approved by the Texas Department of Transportation.

“(The development) does front a state highway, which is TXDOT’s jurisdiction,” Green said. “They did review the traffic impact analysis. There are two entrances and exits on that property, itself, not Bridgeport. So that is being taken care of. They did approve this. I have a letter from TXDOT approving the traffic impact analysis. I also have a letter from the City of Helotes since it’s in their ETJ. Their city engineer approved the traffic impact analysis.”

A spokesperson with the City of Helotes said the proposed apartment complex is not within its city limits, and therefore cannot approve or reject plans for the project. Because it sits in its Extra Territorial Jurisdiction, the city is limited to what it can regulate.

“The City’s only jurisdiction for land regulations in the ETJ is tree preservation/landscaping, traffic impact analysis (TIA), and exterior signage,” the spokesperson said.

According to the online petition, “The area where these apartments are proposed is currently home to heritage oaks, coyotes, bats, salamanders, foxes, bobcats, deer, wild pigs, various bird species, including the Golden Cheeked Warbler and a plethora of other wildlife.”

“It is our desire, this area, be designated a natural wildlife sanctuary as soon as possible,” Jenica said.

But Green insisted the documentation supports the proposed subdivision and meets the minimum requirements and checks all the boxes.

“We did confirm on the environmental side of this, that all the required documentation (was completed),” Green said. “They certified that in fact, they had completed the environmental assessment that would be in the lap of U.S. Fish and Wildlife.”

Ultimately, the Bexar County Commissioner’s Court voted to delay the construction of the 297 apartment units and the commercial businesses.

“I’d like to make a motion that we postpone this to a later date,” Precinct 3 Commissioner Marialyn Barnard said.

“This will give you some time to sit down with them and try to work out something that might be good for both of you,” Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff said. “What’s important is trying to reach a community agreement.”

A timeline was not established.

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The Helotes City Council on Thursday voted 4-1 to approve the design plans of a proposed 24-hour gas station and convenience store on a rural stretch of a city road some citizens want to protect from commercial development. Councilmember Linda Salazar was the only dissenting vote.

The vote was not the final approval for the project, but it allows the QuickTrip Corp. to move forward with its plans to build the 5,300-square-foot convenience store at the intersection of Scenic Loop and Bandera roads.

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Some residents have said the gas station will "disrupt the city's charm," and they earned an early victory on Feb. 1, when the city's planning and zoning commission unanimously rejected QuikTrip’s original design because of ordinance violations and concerns that the look of the gas station would not "fit" Helotes' aesthetic.

Since then, the company revised its design plans to include an 8-foot monument sign that adheres to city code and more Sonoma stacked stone, which city buildings are known for. Those plans were then presented to the council on Thursday.

City councilmembers said QuikTrip is "respecting" the city by not including signs on Scenic Loop Road, even though it is legally allowed to. The site for the potential intersection is filled with trees and greenery and serves as an entry point to the picturesque 7-mile Scenic Loop Road.

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During Thursday's meeting, Salazar acknowledged that the land is zoned for commercial development but said she would like to see small businesses move into the area. She said residents have reached out to her to share their opposition to the gas station.

"The upshot of the discussions I've had with the citizens is that we don't want Helotes to be Northwest San Antonio, we want Helotes to be Helotes," Salazar said in the meeting. "We understand the area is zoned. Businesses will be there, but (family-owned businesses) are the type of businesses we want to attract — the family businesses that shut down at the end of the night and the lighting goes down."

QuikTrip operates more than 900 24-hour locations in mostly the midwestern, southern and southeastern regions of the United States.

Over 280 people have signed a Change.org petition to "save" the scenic loop that also urges residents to boycott the gas station.

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James Chester, 42, a resident of the city, told the Express-News that it's already "scary" to turn left onto Bandera from Old Town Helotes because of traffic congestion. The area is across from where the proposed gas station would be built.

"I don’t think the city council has thought this through at all," he said. "It’s not what we need or want in the gateway to the Hill Country."

David Wanders, QuikTrip's real estate project manager, said during the council meeting that a traffic analysis has been approved by state agencies.

QuikTrip's next step will be to submit a plat application for review. A preliminary version will go to the planning and zoning commission. A final version will be presented to the council for final approval.

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Feb 25, 2022