Callahan County hearing draws mixed reaction to proposed manufactured-home rental community regulations

Callahan County Commissioners Court held a public hearing April 27 on draft regulations for manufactured-home rental communities as residents pressed for stricter limits while at least one developer said such housing is coming regardless.

The Judge opened the hearing at 9:00 a.m. and said the court would consider "the strongest" regulations the county can legally adopt. Shane, the attorney advising the court, explained that the draft mirrors requirements in the Texas Local Government Code, chapter 232.007, and that counties have limited authority compared with cities.

Several residents voiced safety concerns. Property owner John Bayou said a proposed development near 604 North, adjacent to a ballpark, could overload local roads and water systems and pose fire risks, warning, "Somebody will die" if traffic and emergency access are not addressed. He asked the court to require that such developments be sited in commercial areas or be subject to stronger safeguards to protect neighbors and property values.

Doug Weddington, assistant pastor at Bible Baptist Church in Clyde and a former child-protective-services worker, said developments near the ballpark could expose children to risks and urged commissioners to consider community impacts. "It can bring in riffraff," Weddington said, and he recounted concerns he has seen working in protective services.

Speaking for developers, real-estate operator Sam McClellan said workforce housing is already arriving and argued that placing short-term worker housing in the county is preferable to workers driving through and renting in residential neighborhoods. "They're coming," McClellan said, urging rules that do not make county development harder than city guidelines.

Several commenters asked practical questions about utilities, sewage and enforcement. The draft includes requirements for engineer certifications, water-utility approval and sewage planning, and the court noted that septic systems are subject to TCEQ inspection procedures. The draft also specifies a plan fee of $500; residents asked whether the county could impose per-unit fees or other developer contributions to cover infrastructure burdens, and the attorney said the statute limits what counties may impose.

Online commenter Susan (who identified herself as an RV-park resident) urged the court to consider management accountability, noting that ownership and management can be opaque when properties are held by out-of-area entities. She also referenced a state measure (referred to in the hearing as Senate Bill 785) that she said will take effect Sept. 1, 2026, and urged the county to examine what additional authority or regulation might be available.

County advisers repeatedly emphasized the limits of county power. Shane told the court the proposed regulations "close the loophole" that previously allowed manufactured-home rental communities to avoid subdivision-like requirements, but he added that counties cannot impose zoning or the broader land-use controls that cities exercise.

No formal action was taken on the regulations at the hearing. A commissioner moved to adjourn the public hearing; the motion was seconded and the court adjourned after the public remarks. Commissioners said they will consider public comments and the legal limits described by counsel when drafting any final rules.

The next procedural step is for county staff and counsel to incorporate public input and state statutory limits into a final draft for the commissioners to consider; no adoption vote occurred at the April 27 hearing.