Call to Action: Help Us Restore Our Trees, Our Sky, and Our Community! 
We need your support! Sign this petition to hold Catamount/NexMetro (Avilla Rio Oaks) and the City of Liberty Hill, accountable for the unlawful destruction of protected heritage trees and the violation of our community ordinances. Together, we can demand the replanting of hundreds of native evergreen Live Oak trees, restore our local ecosystem, and reclaim our dark, starry night sky — free from intrusive artificial lighting.

What Happened?
Our homes and neighborhoods — Summerlyn and Summerlyn West — were once beautifully shaded by lines of majestic, native evergreen trees along County Road 263. For decades, these trees offered protection, beauty, and habitat for local wildlife, while preserving our dark skies from light pollution.

Since acquiring this property, Catamount/NexMetro has systematically removed these protected trees, disregarding their historical, aesthetic, and ecological value — and in direct violation of multiple city ordinances.

The Facts:
04/2022: Liberty Hill adopted a Protective Tree Ordinance.
06/2022: Public hearings rezoned the property into city limits, requiring compliance with tree protection laws. We were assured these trees would be preserved, with required easements.
12/2022: Liberty Hill passed a Dark Sky Outdoor Lighting Ordinance and strengthened tree protection regulations.
11/2024: Construction activities introduced unshielded light fixtures, strobing security cameras, and light trespass into our homes — in violation of lighting ordinances.
04/2025: Following complaints, some lights and cameras were moved, but the trees were already gone.
04/2024 – Present: Despite repeated communications, Liberty Hill city staff have acknowledged "discrepancies" but have taken no meaningful enforcement action against the ordinance violations.

Why This Matters:
Evergreens like Live Oak trees are vital to our ecosystem, air quality, ambient temperatures and create healthier, more breathable environments — removing up to 368 lbs. of pollutants per tree annually (USDA Forest Service).

·       The removal has damaged property values, disrupted wildlife, and left our homes vulnerable to heat, wind, and erosion.

·       Concrete surfaces can reach over 122 degrees, while green spaces rarely exceed 86 degrees. More trees and roots equal less heat and more life.

·       City-approved construction plans require the protection or restoration of damaged landscaping to "equal or better condition.”

What We Are Asking For:

Full restoration of the destroyed tree line using Liberty Hill’s protected tree list: Live Oaks, Cedar Elms, Magnolias — planted densely every 5 to 9 feet.

·       Full compliance with the Protective Tree Ordinance and Outdoor Lighting Ordinance.

·       No artificial lighting added along CR 263 — preserving the natural dark sky.

·       No additional concrete, no sidwalks along the Summerlyn/West side of CR263 - use what ground is left to plant native evergreen trees. 

Our community chose these neighborhoods for their natural beauty, heritage trees, wildlife, and peaceful skies. We refuse to allow corporate negligence and city inaction to permanently damage what makes our home special.

Join Us — Sign the Petition
Help us fight for our community’s ecological integrity, dark skies, and natural heritage. Sign today and stand with us to demand accountability, restoration, and responsible development that honors both people and the environment.

Together, we can make a difference.