Vote: No to Lake Travis floating homes

AUSTIN (KXAN) - In a unanimous vote, Travis County Commissioners have decided to not allow floating structures to be built on Lake Travis.

In a resolution read by commissioner Karen Huber, commissioners voted unanimously in favor of the action after hearing from residents and business owners along Lake Travis who were opposed to floating structures. No one in favor of the project attended the meeting.

“I want to make sure it’s clear we are not talking about navigatable house boats; we are talking about habitable floating structures that are permanetly anchored,” said Huber. “This is not about one project, although one did spark this. This is about the potential for problems considering the problems we’ve had on Lake Travis.”

Dozens of residents filled commissioners court Tuesday. More than a handful of them spoke to commissioners encouraging them to approve a ban of floating structures saying the proposed marina proposes safety hazards, water quality issues and fire danger.

Developers John Shipley and Brian George are planning a $15 million marina project called Lost Canyon Resort, complete with boat slips, club house, swimming pools and more. The proposed structure is in the Cypress Creek arm of Lake Travis. Many business owners and residents living along the lake in Jonestown are opposed to the structure.

Lower Colorado River Authority has implemented a moratorium on floating structures on the Highland Lakes until October 31. Individual counties can decide how they’d like to move forward. Travis County tackled the issue Tuesday.

“FEMA has already fully evaluated the concept of floating the concept of floating housing in flood plains," said Margo Mermelstein. "Lake Travis sits in the center of the flash flood capital of the world. With these flash floods occur there is no warning. Waters rise so quickly and with such force docks are ripped from their anchors, pontoon boats become projectiles, and all sorts of debris careens downstream hitting anything in its path.”

Dave Evans, a member of the fire safety committee on the Comanche Trail Community Association , expressed concerns. He said if a fire breaks out, it’s a life-or-death situation and asked the court to ban floating structures.

“There is no physical access road to the hillside,” said Evans. “If there was a fire, 50 families or so would be trapped at the top of the hill with no way to get down, that presents a real hazard.”

“We don’t need to be adding man-made risks to our hillside," said Christopher Maze.

"The Travis county commissioners can decide whatever they want," said developer John Shipley. "We have met with the commissioners and obviously don't agree with what they've said. We are not trying to build behind any residences. We are trying to build within a marina."

Shipley says right now they are planning to turn in their marina permit but don't have a date or timeline for when that will happen.