Southwest Austin | January 2021

2 0 2 1 S P E C I A L E D I T I O N

ANOTHER STORY TO FOLLOW IN 2021 City Council stresses need for progress in homelessness x

Dripping Springs to review twomajor developments Two separate residential projects being planned in Dripping Springs could bring a total of 1,348 new single- BY NICHOLAS CICALE single-family homes on a 283-acre tract north of the Blue Blazes Ranch property at 1601 W. Hwy. 290. According to the plan, 67 acres

Austin’s rising population of people experiencing homelessness was the top priority of City Council heading into 2020 but took a backseat as the pandemic spread locally. Austin’s mayor and City Council said they wanted to begin seeing actionable timelines and progress made in 2021 on helping people exit homelessness. The city will refocus its hotel and motel conversion strategy it began at the end of 2019 to oer transitional housing and social services to its homeless population. During the pandemic, the city leased ve motels as “protective lodging” sites aimed at keeping people experiencing homelessness o the streets and out of crowded shelters. Those will remain open into 2021. Meanwhile, local and state eorts to reinstate a camping ban in Austin continue. Gov. Greg Abbott said Jan. 21 he expects to announce a plan that would ban camping statewide, and a local group submitted a petition in January that, if approved, would put the question of reinstating the local ban to voters in May.

spokesperson Steven Pierce said the developer has been working with the city since late 2019 to plan the proposed development, which will ultimately need to be approved by City Council through a planned development district agreement. The current proposal shows less density compared to earlier plans, with a 24-home reduction, Pierce said.

family homes, 91 acres of parkland and additional infrastructure to the city’s residential core. Dripping Springs City Council on Jan. 12 received updates on two proposed concept plans for separate projects northeast of downtown— Wildridge and Cannon Ranch. Both projects will be reviewed by the city’s development and oversight boards in the coming months, and ocial development plans will return to council in the future. Since plans are still preliminary, there is no estimated construction timeline for either project. Wildridge Previously known as the Cynosure project, the proposal includes 973

will be used as park space, with trails connecting to the future Rathgeber Natural Resource Park to the east of the community. A small retail component is also included for the project, which is being developed by Meritage Homes. Cannon Ranch Located north of West Hwy. 290, Ashton Woods Homes is planning a 375-unit residential community on 100 acres. The community would also have 24 acres of parkland dedicated to the city and a neighborhood trail system that would connect to Founders Park and downtown Dripping Springs, according to the proposed concept plan. Ashton Woods Homes

WILDRIDGE

FOUNDERS PARK RD.

CANNON RANCH

290

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SOUTHWEST AUSTIN DRIPPING SPRINGS EDITION • JANUARY 2021