Pflugerville residents upset about limestone blocks blocking lake access

PFLUGERVILLE, Texas - Residents of the Villages of Hidden Lake community are bummed about change.

"It's not that open anymore," said Max Herrera. "I could take my dog to this beach right here because that's as far as I could go."

Changing access to Lake Pflugerville is a concern, specifically for those like Herrera, a Vietnam veteran, who have a little more trouble getting around.

A fence recently went up along a nearby neighbor’s property, closing off one access point. Then, limestone blocks were put up at one of the public access ways.

Other access routes now have wooden poles installed. Resident Tony Gauquier is concerned they are a precursor to limestone blocks.

"My main job was to transport students from one area to another area to a health center, so they would be able to take their mats," said Gauquier, who used to work with people who have disabilities. "And many of them did not have full accessibility with their legs, so we had them in wheelchairs for transport."

Because of his experience, he’s speaking up about the limestone blocks that now sit at the end of a cement path heading to Lake Pflugerville. 

"As you can see, if you're coming in a wheelchair, you basically have to do a very wide turn," said Gauquier. "And if you've ever tried to operate wheelchairs on sand and mud, it's extremely hard to do."

Gauquier said many people in their community are wheelchair users. He was told the blocks were put there to block golf carts from driving through. 

MORE 7 ON YOUR SIDE STORIES:

• Be wary of unsolicited calls, emails during open enrollment period
• Austin residents complain of unwanted guests, noise and trash at unlicensed rentals
• Austin man says he was drugged, robbed of thousands of dollars after night out in downtown

"I don't believe that any city or any entity should be trying to block public access ways," he said. "I think that was a poor use of resources. It could have been used for other things." 

According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, when parks or recreation facilities are built or altered, they must align with ADA standards which do require inclusion of various features, including accessible routes.

The City of Pflugerville responded to FOX 7 Austin's request for comment with the following statement:

"The City of Pflugerville installed limestone blocks at Lake Pflugerville to restrict access to the park and address safety issues arising from unauthorized vehicle use (carts, ATVs, and vehicles) on the park's trails and land. The City has used limestone blocks to prevent access across the park for over 15 years. This past summer, The Parks and Recreation Department transitioned from wooden posts to limestone blocks as a proactive measure to deter vandalism, damage to posts, and reports of individuals driving around the posts at the access point in question. 

The damage to public property and the park's trail system raised serious safety concerns and the need for a more secure solution to prevent unauthorized access and potential accidents. Additionally, the offsetting of the blocks at the park access point across from Hees Lane was also implemented as a safety measure. There is a manhole cover at the end of the sidewalk that is not level with the trail; therefore, the strategic placement of the blocks ensures visitors go around the cover, preventing potential accidents. The fence that blocks a previous access point from the neighborhood to the park was installed by the property owner on their land rather than on any right of way. 

The Lake Pflugerville Park design meets ADA requirements for accessible park access with the concrete path off Masi Loop. However, it's important to note that regardless of the granite blocks, the other access points cannot qualify as ADA-compliant, as they consist of either grass or decomposed granite. Nevertheless, the spacing of the granite blocks does align with ADA standards. The safety and well-being of our residents remain our top priority, and we are committed to ensuring that our parks and community spaces are accessible to everyone."

Have a story idea or problem you need help with? Email 7OYS@fox.com.