By Sahar Chmais
After nine years of deliberations and amendments, Dripping Springs approved a 2,231 residential development located northwest of downtown Dripping Springs.
An original development agreement was adopted in 2012 for the Anarene/Double L subdivision, which sits on approximately 1,700 acres of land. The agreement was amended in 2015 and again 2021 to include a road system to ease traffic and to include 250 senior living units. The developers have also reduced the density of dwelling units.
The developer will provide 200 acres for commercial use, land for a future Dripping Springs ISD school and nearly 500 acres of open space and parkland. Buffers ranging from 25 feet to 100 feet will be added between Anarene/Double L residential housing and surrounding developments.
To mitigate traffic, the developer will build arterials connecting to Big Sky and Wild Range, including a four-lane minor arterial between RM 12 and US 290.
City residents gave their input at previous meetings, which influenced changes throughout the process.
“We understand the concerns that growth can bring,” said Mim James, chair of the Planning and Zoning Commission. “But growth is inevitable with a desirable community such as Dripping Springs. So, it’s our duty as public servants to balance that growth with the needs of our current citizens. As such, we’ve worked diligently with the applicant to make sure they are doing what they need to do to make this development a benefit to the City.”
Residents expressed concern about traffic in the area, especially for those living in the neighboring Legacy Trails lot. Residents said that more traffic will come through Pecos River Crossing, a road with no sidewalks which always has children playing and residents walking. Increasing traffic through Pecos River Crossing will pose dangers for pedestrians, several residents said during public comments on Sept. 21.
There will be no reason for traffic to run through that neighborhood, and it will be addressed with the contractors if it happens, said a representative from BGE, the engineering firm working on the project.
Additionally, the city council agreed to look at cross-traffic concerns during the development stage.
Construction of the roads and infrastructure of phase 1 will begin once the application for the preliminary plat is approved by the city.
The development will be constructed in extra-territorial jurisdiction, so residents of Anarene/Double L will not pay taxes to the City of Dripping Springs. Instead they will pay Hays County, Dripping Springs ISD, the Emergency Service Department and Municipal Utility District taxes.
