(All photos/maps courtesy of the city of Dripping Springs)
By Megan Wehring
DRIPPING SPRINGS — Not all rezoning requests are moving forward in Dripping Springs.
With six items listed in the Nov. 9 consent agenda, the Dripping Springs Planning & Zoning Commission approved two rezoning requests for housing development projects — but the commission denied four.
What the commission approved
The Esperanza Development, Phase 2
This 57-residential lot development, located at 4900 Bell Springs Road, received the commission’s application approval. The Esperanza Phase 2 final plat was originally approved in April but the updates now reflect changes to the construction plans, which eliminated the access to Yellow Bell Run from Bell Springs Road.
Driftwood Golf and Ranch Club Phase 3
The commission approved the plan for 30 residential lots on a 56-acre tract located on Driftwood Ranch Drive, out of the Freelove Woody Survey, planned for the Driftwood Golf and Ranch Club.
What the commission denied
Parten Ranch Phases 6 & 7
The 122-residential lot development at Parten Ranch Parkway near Running Bird Road was denied by the commission. In 2016, a development agreement was approved for this property and preliminary plats for phase one through five have also been approved.
City staff recommended the developer provide documentation confirming approval from Hays County for street names, geological assessment and an engineers summary report.
Big Sky Ranch
Two rezoning requests for the Big Sky Ranch development were denied.
The first is an 81.7-acre tract at the intersection of Sue Peaks Loop and Diablo Rim Terrace for 215 residential lots — not moving forward for the Big Sky Ranch Phase 3. Several changes were requested by the city including documentation for approval of street names and. removing building setback lines.
The second denied request for a 25-acre stretch, located at Lone Peak Way and Bartlett Peak Lane, for 134 residential lots was also blocked by the commission.
The final Big Sky Ranch plats will not be approved until construction of public infrastructure is complete or until there are enough funds dedicated for construction, according to city engineer Chad Gilpin.
Caliterra
A request to rezone 39 acres for 103 residential lots, located at Soaring Hill Road and Fish Trap Road, in the Caliterra development was the final consent agenda item the commission denied. Changes requested by the city include an approval letter from Hays County and materials showing the boundaries of the property.
The city council will still have final approval on any zoning changes.
Following the Planning & Zoning Commission’s development decisions, the city of Dripping Springs approved a temporary development moratorium, effective Nov. 18. This means the city will not accept permit applications for new developments in the city limits and extraterritorial jurisdiction where a waiver has not been approved. This is due to the city reaching its wastewater capacity, according to a Nov. 10 news release.
