By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
Updated subdivision regulations for Montague County were approved Friday afternoon following a contentious public hearing where many local developers expressed their disagreement on test well requirementss.
Friday was the second public hearing, following a July 8 hearing. This draft of rules has been in the works since December updating rules done 10 years ago.
The hot topic has been the proposed change to require three acres instead of two when placing a water well. However, the requirement for a water availability study that would provide a monitoring and test well for any development of 100 acres came under fire. To help calm those concerns the rules were changed to allow those two wells remain with the developer and can be sold with their respective lots.
During Friday’s meeting there were about 15 people in attendance including many realtors, surveyors and land men. All who spoke from the audience were against the test wells.
After almost 90 minutes the court closed the hearing and voted 3-2 to approve the new regulations.
Commissioners Mike Mayfield and Roy Darden voted no, with the rest of the court voting yes. Both Mayfield and Darden have adamantly voiced their opposition to requiring the water study. County Judge Rick Lewis broke the tie. A separate set of rules for manufactured home rental communities also was approved on a 3-1 vote with Mayfield also voting no. Read the full story in the mid-week Bowie News.