Golf course civics lesson: Texas Latinas foil PGA plans

[CShine]

Settled by the Payaya Indians more than 300 years ago, San Antonio was originally named Yanaguana, or "place of refreshing waters," because of the richness of the resource. In those abundant waters, local developers recently saw the potential for emerald golf greens and 800 permanent jobs in recreation. But here, where water has always been fiercely protected, the idea of building a huge golfer's paradise atop the Edwards Aquifer was controversial from the get-go. What surprised many residents was that the battle, in the end, may have been swayed by a group that is hardly known as the local power brokers: Latina women.

The 2,600-acre project, known as the PGA Village, would have been set over the recharge zone of the Edwards Aquifer, one of the world's most pristine and profuse aquifers. At 180 miles long, it is the water source for 1.7 million people. Concerned about possible water contamination, Latina community leaders organized house parties to discuss the issues. Neighbor-to-neighbor conversations resulted in new coalitions. Environmentalists joined with neighborhood associations, limited-growth advocates united with churches, and scientists teamed up with social-justice organizations. The momentum eventually unseated a developer-friendly city council.

<snip>

Not everyone sees the result as a win for San Antonio. The city, after all, lost a lucrative development that other cities are now vying for. What is clear is that for some Latinas here, what began as a battle over water has become a lesson in civics, and in the power of grass-roots activism. Clean water is particularly important to Hispanics, as many have immigrated from countries where it is not always easily accessible. And for Hispanic women especially, who are the traditional caretakers of health issues in the home and family, clean water is a hot-button topic.

"People who come from Mexico don't take clean water for granted. It's very important to them," says Annalisa Peace, a board member of the Aquifer Guardians in Urban Areas in San Antonio. "In this case, some incredibly strong Latina women stepped up and did a very good job educating the community on the issue."


http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0624/p02s01-uspo.html

[fudge stripe cookays]

1. Good for them!

There are other jobs to be had than playing caddy or waiter to some snotty rich asshole in golfing togs.

These ladies are a force to be reckoned with. Bravo to them for protecting the Aquifer. I was furious when development started building malls and the like directly over it in Austin years ago.

FSC

[LeftyChristian]

3. Caddy isn't that bad

FSC, sorry to disagree, but I was a caddy during college and it helped pay for my education. Those snotty rich assholes in golf togs gave me tips for cleaning their clubs and loading and unloading their clubs which in turn paid for my books and tuition.

[LeftyChristian]

2. Cut off nose to spite face

As a native San Antonian who lives less than 5 miles from the proposed PGA village site, I will have to say that the article left a giant question mark. What is going to replace the void left by the PGA over the Edwards aquifer recharge zone?

Environmentally unrestricted housing developments. If saving the aquifer and clean drinking water was the issue, the Latinas should have pressured the developer to sell the land to the state or the federal government to prevent ANY development. Instead, they left the door wide open for the developer to build several thousand homes on the site where John and Jane Q. Public can fertilize their yards (with whatever they want) and dump chemicals such as dirty oil and coolant from auto maintenance, which will filter right down into the aquifer.

While I admire the grass roots campaign, the Latinas shot themselves in the foot. Instead of protecting it from one entity that would have drawn considerable environmental scrutiny they now must find a way to police thousands of homeowners. One small victory has led to a future nightmare.

Gas stations located over the recharge zone must triple tank their tanks in case of any leakage or spills of the primary tank. No building can be built over four stories high over the recharge zone. The PGA has an image to uphold and wouldn't dare try to cut corners on environmentally safe fertilizers and pesticides. I don't think that the average homeowner has an etensive knowledge of what is and isn't environmentally safe for the recharge zone.

[mbperrin]

4. No, apparently the homes were part of the killed deal.

"Other cities such as Las Vegas and Phoenix are now gunning for the prestigious development, which includes a golf school, two 18-hole golf courses, a luxury hotel, and hundreds of homes."

Seems it would be a simple matter to zone the area NO development of any kind, especially with the current makeup of the board. I'm never sure we need another golf course anyway, with millions of Texas children with no health insurance and poor school facilities.

[hughee99]

5. Wouldn't the millions of

Texas children benefit from the developement, as it would generate tourism and tax revenue? The money that was going to be spent on the project was not public money, so it's not like we can just reallocate it to education and healthcare. To zone the area for no development would ensure that no revenue can be collected from there, and no jobs would be created. This isn't really a complete victory for the "little guy", they are just sacrificing one thing (economic development) to ensure another (clean water), but it was their choice to make, and I'm glad that they stood up rather than having it just pushed on them.

[LeftyChristian]

6. ?

What does building a golf course have to do with uninsured children and poorly funded schools? Not making a connection.

[alarimer]

7. not much

The people who would have benefited from this are the wealthiest of the wealthy. Do you really think poor people could afford the green fees at this course? From what I understand it was supposed to be an "upscale" development- which is just code for rich and white. So good for them! The water is better suited for other purposes than a golf course which uses millions of gallons a day. The aquifer is extremely slow to recharge.

[LeftyChristian]

8. Maybe I am missing the point

The problem is not what water they use over the recharge zone, but what kinds of chemicals are used on the land directly over the recharge zone which will eventually find their way into the aquifer.

Seems to me that "just because I can't afford it" is a fairly close minded approach to the possibility of millions of dollars being infused into the San Antonio and South Texas economy. Everyone would have benefitted from this development. Class warfare has nothing to do with this and unfortunately that was the ultimate driver in killing the PGA village, not environmental concerns.