As Subdivisions Continue to Flourish in Fayette, Janecka Speaks Out Against Dubina Development
The coronavirus pandemic hasn’t slowed real estate development in Fayette County, especially in unincorporated areas. At last Thursday’s Fayette County Commissioners Court meeting, County leaders unanimously approved three variances to subdivide land and a re-plat of an existing subdivision.
Don Dittrich of 4-L Texas Land Company split up a 55- acre tract on US Highway 90 east of Schulenburg into five lots ranging in size from six acres to 15 acres. Mitchell and Ronda Herzog of the Round Top area cut up a 10.8 acre lot into two tracts of 2.906 acres and 7.892 acres. Norman Henry of Weimar carved an 11.37 acre tract in Dubina into four lots of 2.84 acres. All three applications stated that the owners are subdividing their property for future residential development. The Henry property and the Dittrich property are currently used for agriculture.
Former County Judge Ed Janecka attended the meeting last Thursday and spoke out against the Dubina subdivision in particular and the ongoing fragmentation of land in Fayette County in general.
“There was never a plow put in there or a bulldozer until recently,” Janecka said. “Imagine my horror one day when I was driving down the street and saw a bulldozer cutting it up into sections. Then I read on the internet that they’re selling this property for $75,000 for two-and-a-half acres.
“We’re very fond of saying that we want to keep our kids and grandkids in Fayette County,” Janecka added. “Can you imagine, if you wanted to get into the farming or ranching business, how a young person would be able to buy property in this county? The only way you can get property is inheriting it from your father or mother. Fellows, this county is being cut up into little bitty pieces and is being sold to the highest bidder.”
Janecka said he gets offers to purchase his property almost weekly in the mail.
“It says, ‘Do you want to sell your ranch. People in Houston are waiting,’” Janecka said. “First of all, I don’t have a ranch. I have a farm.”
Janecka admitted that the Commissioners have no authority to stop the division of property.
“I just want you to be aware of it, and I know you are aware of it,” Janecka said. “We’re also fond of saying that Fayette County is a great place to live. It is a wonderful place. The generations before us made this a great place to live. It’s going to be your responsibility to make sure this county continues to be a great place to live, and I know you’re up to the task.”
Under Janecka’s administration, the County implemented some subdivision regulations aimed at managing growth in the County, including minimum lot sizes for on-site septic systems and a requirement that all new lots have exclusive access to a public road. Developers have adapted by drawing flag-shaped lots with driveways reaching public roads or in some cases building new roads to county specifications and granting them to public use. Some of those adaptations may have driven up property values even further.
Later in the meeting, County Judge Joe Weber said two twoacre tracts of land near Round Top recently sold for about $90,000 an acre.
County Inspector Clint Sternadel, who handles subdivision applications for the County, said land development is spread evenly throughout the County, with a slight increase in activity recently in Pct. 4, the Schulenburg area.
“I understand (Janecka) would like to see Fayette County stay the same as it is today,” said Pct. 4 Commissioner Tom Muras. “But how far back do you want to go? In the 1800s, people were moving in here, too. I think the government should stay out of this stuff and let people do what they want with their property.”
Weber said he anticipates even more development coming to rural Fayette County as affluent city dwellers seek to leave civil unrest and concerns about the coronavirus in urban areas.
“Like it or not, they’re coming,” Weber said.
Commissioners also approved a replat of the Stargate subdivision in Hostyn. The 112-acre property was split up into 15-acre lots back in 2005 and was marketed for residential development. Few of the lots have sold since then. Sternadel said the developer wants to re-divide it into 11-acre lots in hopes of finding more interested buyers.