[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6551982,"mediaKeyId","5322165-e27033c46b6b1dc93cd1011177820cbc","parentId",5322165,"title","Lago Vista resident says Rockwood Drive flooding threatens homes; council and staff promise follow-up","audioSeconds",1578,"startMs",164000,"endMs",1742000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5322165-e27033c46b6b1dc93cd1011177820cbc&start=164&end=1742","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5322165-e27033c46b6b1dc93cd1011177820cbc/thumbnail_164000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6551982/Lago-Vista/Travis-County/Texas/Lago-Vista-resident-says-Rockwood-Drive-flooding-threatens-homes-council-and-staff-promise-follow-up","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6551982-51609963014148b9c3b05d6a47db2006/orig.mp4?Expires=1770442712&Signature=M5~buNUHczVLw8VTYjYF38WZLac3wzaGwfc0v~zMZxGscDqsmcdT77PFEg9i7ZRBBWq~gOx5hoTdt~ALLFgkKxWRXhz-FP~WYgSZrxjBUD3z3n8C80mt062XXHZ52z7qVoHtydP5AByRCWqpjSaFpF77X2graFtuXYQz5pkOYC9jpFs4DoAEeTK1QqeVemRsc9rZGYR9V0TzcnT0~85k9HQd27e2kbIQQkNGSq2nN2RTSic9VVzAqkhlbascAFVGw~0txxynDjpD3ATx3OZ7w4VgFHqtb~Ms25R73EP7W63D3jUTv3FcLmGPAoqg8iwNdOdGYMGuWg23kA34N74mow__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Lago Vista","date","2025-07-07T00:00:00Z","article","Sean Cunningham told the Lago Vista City Council that severe storm runoff channeled from the golf course and an empty lot is inundating properties on Rockwood Drive and putting his family at risk.

\"My kids were at risk over the weekend,\" Cunningham said. He described water flowing through an empty lot and into the house at 4206 Rockwood and said existing culverts \"do nothing,\" that the water rose about \"a 3 and a half foot gain\" and that videos and photos documenting the flooding are available.

City staff acknowledged the problem and described immediate and longer-term steps. Charles West, speaking for staff, said crews made emergency repairs but that the fixes did not fully solve the drainage issue. \"We're working on it,\" West said, and added that federal and state grant options are being explored. He told the council he had been on the phone with the U.S. Department of Agriculture about funding and asked residents to file damage reports in iSTAT to document losses.

Council members and staff discussed several possible responses. Councilor Owen said he would reintroduce grant requests at the next council meeting and asked West to investigate whether county or state emergency declarations could unlock funds. Mayor Sullivan told Cunningham the council had referred stormwater rules to the Building and Standards Commission, which staff said has been working on a revised drainage ordinance.

Cunningham urged the city to consider a box culvert in the driveway of a neighboring property to prevent concentrated flows from crossing Rockwood Road and entering yards. West and other council members said some of the problem is private property drainage and that homeowners may bear some responsibility, but they also said the city would continue to look for publicly funded mitigation. West said staff will follow up on potential grant opportunities and on whether the city has legal authority to compel a private property to construct a culvert.

Council members asked staff to bring a formal agenda item to a future meeting so the council could receive a fuller report and consider specific actions; a council member said a related item would be scheduled for an upcoming June or July meeting. The Building and Standards Commission was explicitly identified as the venue for incorporating resident experiences into a revised drainage ordinance.

The council and staff directed next steps that residents said they would support: documenting damage in iSTAT, sharing photos and videos with staff, and a follow-up report from West on funding options and any code or enforcement authority the city might use to address private property drainage that produces downstream harm.

Cunningham and residents said they would attend the Building and Standards Commission meeting and provide first-hand accounts as the commission finalizes the draft drainage ordinance.

Ending: Staff said they will follow up with Cunningham by email with additional information about possible grants and the city's next formal steps; the council requested a staff report on options and costs for targeted, short-term repairs and for a citywide drainage study.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Lago Vista - Special City Council - Jul 07, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Sean Cunningham told the Lago Vista City Council that storm runoff from the town's golf course and an adjacent empty lot flooded yards and entered homes on Rockwood Drive, putting his children at risk.","taxTitle","Lago Vista, Travis County, Texas","taxId",69620,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6551975,"Lago Vista council workshop centers on holding tax rate, drainage study, generators and water capacity; staff to return with specifics July 24",5575,1835000,7410000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5322165-e27033c46b6b1dc93cd1011177820cbc&start=1835&end=7410","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5322165-e27033c46b6b1dc93cd1011177820cbc/thumbnail_1835000.jpg","/articles/6551975/Lago-Vista/Travis-County/Texas/Lago-Vista-council-workshop-centers-on-holding-tax-rate-drainage-study-generators-and-water-capacity-staff-to-return-with-specifics-July-24","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6551975-31ccd6f2caeed0907d5177c5e8812dab/orig.mp4?Expires=1770442712&Signature=iQ~Iz2TFuxg79GXy6S07pf9IMoF~vk-N7BowMUNklEcp6QcYM2Q~yx6Q-bC-NsI9zYI28QK4D~swMgVg29pE9EJiaz3tV0LjajiNizzXA7Av4NaKihiU56po88HCwaZl8EOGBKhmJHSpXsmIHk~UHFvRQK-0TZN6y2VatlG9mk5GvTDhnTtPxXdg4bQ-Dac5Lsc0B2u6LEzMxQ5DG41r~uAIqON-To9KLFPlqFsNMXCtHJwSHeKXbb6ge3oc-jZYBBftqr~9EBNVwvxrQ4eT46D0zpKjRU8PIA7ybL9aB69t6Xl-DfF1rdzq8uxAGL5uMnbPJN8~wnkCAVq~nl6vdg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City manager's staff and council discussed the current and upcoming fiscal year (FY2026) budget, with discussions focused on tax-rate strategy, capital priorities and infrastructure needs.

Charles West, representing city staff, said he prefers to \"keep the tax rate where it is. No changes.\" He and several council members reiterated a prior direction that departments should submit budgets at the lower of last year's requested amount or actual spending, minus 5 percent where feasible.

Councilors and staff discussed tax-rate mechanics and public confusion over the \"no new revenue\" language. Several council members noted that a \"no new revenue\" tax-rate calculation can raise the rate even when overall tax dollars do not increase because assessed values change; councilors asked staff for clearer public messaging and outreach if the city uses that approach.

Infrastructure and safety concerns drove much of the discussion. Multiple councilors urged a citywide drainage study to identify systemic problem areas instead of piecemeal repairs. Council members asked staff to identify funding sources (impact fees, grants, or existing reserves) and to prioritize targeted repairs in the worst-affected neighborhoods.

Council members also pressed for practical measures to reduce service interruptions during emergencies: several asked staff to accelerate plans to buy backup generators for substations, lift stations and other critical facilities; council members asked for cost estimates and a multi-year implementation schedule. The staff said historic procurements and grant applications had been discussed and that specifications and grant opportunities remain under development.

The council returned repeatedly to outdoor warning systems. Staff reported previous vendor estimates ranging widely; one council member said past quotes had been in the \"$150,000 to $300,000\" range and that some recent quotes were substantially higher. Councilors asked staff to solicit several additional bids and to specifically evaluate siren placement, voice-capable units, battery backup duration and the likelihood outdoor sirens would be audible inside modern homes.

Water and wastewater capacity and plant projects were another focus. Staff discussed recent planning documents and third-party estimates for water and wastewater plant work. A staff email referenced a 2023 capacity snapshot showing permitted-capacity usage in 2023 of about 74 percent for wastewater and about 77 percent for water; councilors requested an updated capacity figure and any consequences under Texas Commission on Environmental Quality rules. West said the city had contractors assessing damage to intake barges after recent floods and that the city intends to submit reimbursement claims to the applicable state emergency-management program.

Councilors also discussed the golf course's role in effluent dispersal and whether the course should receive an explicit accounting credit for receiving treated effluent (staff said the practice of coding one staff member to effluent dispersal had existed previously but had lapsed). Financial materials circulated by a council member during the meeting showed the city's combined cash and earmarked-investment balances across funds at roughly $65 million, with more than $12 million in water/wastewater/streets impact fees and approximately $10 million in the general fund (figures were presented in a handout and discussed as part of budget-planning choices).

Economic development and the town-center concept drew discussion about funding models and whether to deploy earmarked funds (a town-center fund, real-estate reserve or targeted incentives) or to pursue public-private tools such as a tax-increment financing vehicle. Members of the Economic Development Advisory Committee (EDAC) said they are prepared to present options to council once bylaws are finalized.

Council direction and next steps: staff said the city manager will provide the proposed budget by the July 24 council meeting; council asked departments to justify any requests that exceed the \"lower of\"/minus-5-percent guideline, to provide CIP status information (a CIP dashboard), and to return with precise cost estimates for generators, sirens and a citywide drainage study.

Ending: The council set a schedule for further review; staff will circulate updated capacity numbers for water and wastewater, provide bid or estimate summaries for emergency generators and outdoor warning systems, and present a follow-up report on funding pathways for drainage repairs, effluent dispersal accounting and town-center options.","At a budget workshop, staff recommended keeping the tax rate unchanged (\"no new revenue\" approach). Councilors asked for a citywide drainage study, generators for pump/lift stations, outdoor warning-siren options and updated water/wastewater capacity figures; staff set a goal to deliver the proposed budget by July 24.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6551980,"Council approves Resolution 25-2138 appointing Scott Dunlop as development services director",154,1677000,1831000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5322165-e27033c46b6b1dc93cd1011177820cbc&start=1677&end=1831","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5322165-e27033c46b6b1dc93cd1011177820cbc/thumbnail_1677000.jpg","/articles/6551980/Lago-Vista/Travis-County/Texas/Council-approves-Resolution-25-2138-appointing-Scott-Dunlop-as-development-services-director","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6551980-ccf12ecdada756335db547d59ab9d760/orig.mp4?Expires=1770442712&Signature=JuSI3~VbOQfbtIELa656jamaFT15XMyx6wa7VtJ9-YnXLCEIDNPQ9Q66IgTY5yyY5-fG0aRZyG-WHxJx~jrKv-ud5w8lq9MjAA-YolCru-cALC74bR-t-uvkSGTh6O9gx92DjETxjNvSpsgK2E5MNQcUquW72Qf4XyGQAYjRLE9oqZWZAQYIzDUiqhDiyb3cjrTjQpHz-ujb3y-q~hPygXt~W2kTWHeKPn3wKgszxFYB0jKeDCccTj-QOvPQTsS91tg7MN2gp1DKLgmkbWc5xK-Ar515oenRs7prgeOZ5lxKZoEmbHwVk17DVKv9ZrCVi6wyn5b5OWQv9-vcYbK6Dw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lago Vista City Council voted to approve Resolution No. 25-2138, confirming the city manager's appointment of Scott Dunlop as the city's development services director in accordance with the city charter.

Charles West introduced Dunlop to the council and recommended the appointment, saying he had met Dunlop with staff and believed Dunlop \"will be a good fit for us\" and that Dunlop is \"very knowledgeable. He understands the challenges he's fixing to face.\" Council members speaking in favor praised West's speed in filling the position and said Dunlop's experience in growing communities should help the city manage development.

Mr. Roberts made the motion to approve Resolution 25-2138 and Mr. Song seconded. The mayor called for the vote and members present voted \"aye.\" No opposition was recorded.

Dunlop is expected to begin work at 7 a.m. Monday following the council vote.

Ending: Council instructed staff to complete any onboarding steps required by the city charter and to make introductions to departmental staff.","Lago Vista council unanimously approved resolution 25-2138 to appoint Scott Dunlop to lead development services; council praised his experience and he is scheduled to begin Monday at 7 a.m.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Lago Vista resident says Rockwood Drive flooding threatens homes; council and staff promise follow-up

Lago Vista council workshop centers on holding tax rate, drainage study, generators and water capacity; staff to return with specifics July 24

Council approves Resolution 25-2138 appointing Scott Dunlop as development services director