Lake Travis - Westlake Edition | June 2022

CITY & COUNTY

News from Bee Cave, Rollingwood, Lakeway & West Lake Hills

COMPILED BY JENNIFER SCHAEFER

QUOTE OF NOTE

Lakeway annexes Rough Hollow land for park use

CITY HIGHLIGHTS WEST LAKE HILLS City Council discussed possible traffic-calming measures for Ridgewood Road at its May 25 meeting, such as speed tables, speed signs and road painting. The council is accepting feedback from the community on what it would like to see, and members of the council and public spoke in favor of an “all of the above” approach to develop solutions for speeding. ROLLINGWOOD Council members adopted a comprehensive plan for the city at the May 19 council meeting. The city previously held three town halls for citizens to offer input on the proposed plan, which includes recommendations for current and future land use, infrastructure, transportation and more. WEST LAKE HILLS The city closed on the purchase of land at 4010 Bee Caves Road for a new city administrative building in May. Council previously approved the purchase in March following the November bond election allotting $13.2 million for the construction of a new City Hall. WEST LAKE HILLS Council Members Brian Plunkett and Darin Walker, Places 2 and 4 respectively, were sworn in alongside re-elected Mayor Linda Anthony at the May 25 meeting. Plunkett and Walker ran uncontested in the May local elections, while Anthony was up against lawyer Jeff Taylor. “THE PROBLEM WITH [SERENE HILLS DRIVE] IS USAGE, NOT CAPACITY OR DESIGN.” ANDREW SMITH, RESIDENT ON PROPOSED WIDENING ROAD Bee Cave City Council Meets June 28 at 6 p.m. 512-767-6600 www.beecavetexas.gov Lakeway City Council Meets June 21, July 18 at 6:30 p.m. 512-314-7500 www.lakeway-tx.gov www.cityofrollingwood.com West Lake Hills City Council Meets June 22 and July 13 at 7 p.m. 512-327-3628 www.westlakehills.org Instructions for meeting attendance are at each city’s website. Rollingwood City Council Meets July 20 at 7 p.m. 512-327-1838 MEETINGS WE COVER

LAKEWAY The city has approved a request by RH Lakeway Develop- ment to annex about 30 acres into the city. The parcel, which is off Highlands Boulevard, was located within the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction, or ETJ. The development company also requested the land be rezoned as P-1, as a public park, which the developers then plan to dedicate to the city as parkland for a waterfront park. The council also approved that measure. Bill Hayes, Rough Hollow devel- oper Legend Communities chief operating officer, said the park will have state park-like bathrooms, a greenbelt and two parking areas. A previous agreement between the developer and the city requires the park be completed by the end of 2022. Council Member Louis Mastran- gelo said this park is something the residents of Lakeway have been talking about since 2018, and a lot of people wanted it.

“It turned out to be a very beau- tiful spot,” he said. “Let’s put credit where credit is due. I’m not sure it would have happened this soon if [former] Mayor Sandy Cox hadn’t created the [public utility district].” Council Member Jennifer Sziman- ski thanked the developer for the park. “This is going to be a great addition that we are looking forward to,” she said. A request also was approved to annex about 16 acres RH Lakeway also owns south of Tomichi Trail and east of Rough Hollow Elemen- tary School in the ETJ into Lake- way’s city limits. The company also requested a rezoning of the parcel to R-1, single-family residential status. The staff report noted that the rezoning would allow for the construction of detention ponds to serve the adjacent residential lots. Hayes said buildings would not be built on the land, that the zoning had to be changed because

COLORADO RIVER

ANNEXED LAND FOR PUBLIC PARK

PROPOSED PARK AMENITIES The parkland dedicated by the developer will have public uses.

• Two parking areas • Scenic overlook

• Bathrooms • Self-contained septic system • Trails

SOURCE: CITY OF LAKEWAY/COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

detention ponds are not allowed under GUI, or greenbelt zoning.

Lakeway renews lease agreement with the LCRA LAKEWAY The city’s 30-year, no-cost lease agreement with the Lower Colorado River Authority was renewed for a 15-year term after it expired April 30. The agreement is for a 4.68- acre tract adjacent to City Park. According to a city staff report, the “purpose of the lease is to provide a continuation of park property for park users as the water level of Lake Travis recedes,” since when the lake is full, “this property resides underwater in the Hurst Creek arm of Lake Travis.” The new lease will be for 15 years and will require 90 days’ notice before lease termination. The new lease adds a cause for termination of the agree- ment for the construction

City to put out a call for Brown tract contractors BEE CAVE Bee Cave City Council approved a request to publish qualifications for the Brown Property Master Plan on May 18. The city is looking for project teams that have experience in landscape architecture; stormwater engineering; woodland res- toration; public engagement; interpretive design that lends itself to education; a general contractor with ecologically sensitive construction practices, and more to prepare the 44-acre property for use as a nature- based public amenity. The proposed timeline for the project is summer 2022 through spring 2023 and is expected to cost $150,000.

COLORADO RIVER

LEASED LAND

620

LAKEWAY CITY PARK

LOHMANS CROSSING RD.

LAKEWAY BLVD.

LEASE CONTRASTS The new lease between the city of Lakeway and the Lower Colorado River Authority has a few minor differences.

1992 • 30-year lease • 30 days

2022 • 15-year lease • 90 days

notice for LCRA to give city before terminating lease

BEE CAVE PKWY.

BROWN PROPERTY MASTER PLAN Project scope: develop master plan Timeline: summer 2022-spring 2023 Cost: $150,000

SOURCE: CITY OF LAKEWAY/ COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

of improvements without the LCRA’s consent and has an additional paragraph on how and when to obtain the LCRA’s consent to construct improvements.

LAKE TRAVIS - WESTLAKE EDITION • JUNE 2022