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About Us
Citizens Alliance for Responsible Development (CARD) believes our region's true wealth lies in its unique character and natural beauty.
Our Vision
The Texas Hill Country developing in ways that preserve its character, open spaces, clear flowing waters, clean air and dark night skies.
Our Mission
CARD promotes sensible growth in the Wimberley Valley and western Hays County to preserve and protect our rugged natural areas and rural Hill Country character along with the local economy.
Our Values
To provide reliable information, while being nonpartisan and evenhanded in our approach to issues.
What We Do
CARD supports and encourages sustainable development and practices that protect local natural resources such as Blue Hole, Jacob's Well, Cypress Creek, the Blanco River and the Trinity Aquifer.
| - We advocate for the "Growth Corridors Plan" that preserves central Hays County/northern Comal County with low-density rural development, open space, and minimal demand for infrastructure (For details, see Transportation). |  | |
CARD works with elected officials, developers and others to preserve these natural resources.
CARD informs and educates about impending threats to the future of our community, and works with others to encourage active participation to protect this land we all love.
| - We rally community participation in important local issues related to the environment and development to strengthen the people's voice in shaping our community. | | |
How We're Organized
CARD is a small, all volunteer, not-for-profit, non-partisan organization of Wimberley and western Hays County citizens with no government funding and no commercial backers. We are an issue advocacy group, and we do not endorse political candidates. CARD is registered with the Texas Ethics Commission as a General Purpose Committee, and files reports with the Commission twice a year . The CARD Steering Committee (SC) meets monthly and sets the goals and actions of CARD. The organization has no employees, and all members are unpaid volunteers. The elected officers of CARD are the chair, vice-chair, secretary and treasurer.
The Steering Committee members serve on four permanent subcommittees: Water, Residential/Commercial Development, Transportation/Roads, and Communications/Outreach/Education
Each member of the Steering Committee serves on one or more subcommittees. Each subcommittee tracks and informs the Steering Committee about its area of focus, and makes suggestions for action. (See Officers and Steering Committee on our About Us page.)
Our History
Citizens Alliance for Responsible Development (CARD) formed in 2008, when a group of concerned citizens organized a public meeting to inform residents about the plans for True Ranch Subdivision, which had been platted for 435 one-acre lots. When citizen after citizen spoke out in opposition to such dense development in the Wimberley Valley, the developer withdrew his plat and later refiled as Mustang Valley with only 77 larger lots.
This successful outcome made the meeting planners realize that there was a need for a citizen group that would monitor and inform fellow citizens about planned developments and related issues in western Hays County. As a result, CARD was formed and its mission statement and by-laws were drawn up and adopted.
Since then, CARD has remained focused on its mission. We have sponsored two successful Wimberley EcoFests. We’ve attended and spoken out for responsible development at meetings of the Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District board, the Hays County Commissioners Court, the Wimberley City Council and others. We’ve held successful petition drives related to our mission, giving area citizens the chance to be heard by county and state officials. We’ve published relevant articles and letters to the editor in local publications. We periodically e-mail CARDtalks with relevant information to an extensive list of interested citizens and have developed and maintain this website.
What You Can Do
CARD welcomes the support of Wimberley Valley citizens who support sustainable development. Details on our Get Involved page...
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