Gunbarrel City Council approved a preliminary plat and a variance on July 22 to allow stormwater infrastructure under private roads for Hillsdale Phase 2, a privately gated subdivision proposed on roughly 5.79 acres that would include 23 single-family lots and three open-space lots.

The action matters because council must explicitly waive sections of the city's subdivision ordinance to permit underground stormwater pipes within the paved travelway of private streets; the approval was contingent on the developer securing a Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) access permit to State Highway 198 and completing or bonding for required access road improvements. Council voted unanimously on both the variance and the conditional preliminary plat, meeting the 75% approval threshold the item required.

City Planner Brittany Anderson told council the development is in the JP Brown survey, abstract 59, and is zoned R-4. Anderson said the revised plat replaces open-ditch drainage with an underground stormwater system routed beneath the subdivision's private roads, narrows the private right-of-way from 60 feet to 50 feet, and increases paved width from 26 to 31 feet with concrete curbs. Anderson also noted a small acreage discrepancy: a CAD-recorded 5.809 acres versus 5.79 acres in the legal description, which she said came from different county monumentation methods and does not affect zoning compliance.

Planning and Zoning Commissioner Kate Weller, who testified in favor of the plat, said Hillsdale will be privately gated and that the homeowners' association will maintain streets and infrastructure, "There will be no cost now or in the future to Gunbarrel residents for items such as street maintenance and sewer drains," she said.

Councilmember Edwards asked the developer's engineer, identified during the meeting as Mundo, to describe drainage conveyance and pipe sizing. Mundo said the subdivision's primary collector will discharge to Cedar Creek Reservoir via a reinforced-concrete conduit that begins under the southernmost street (Hillsdale Drive) and runs down to the lake; he said the pipe starts at about 27 inches in diameter and increases to approximately 30 inches as it runs under the proposed boat ramp toward the reservoir. Mundo said the subdivision's southerly border will include a separating wall between existing neighboring grades and the subdivision's finished grade.

Anderson told council the city engineer reviewed the design and supported the placement of stormwater infrastructure beneath private roads because the roads and utilities will be privately maintained. Staff recommended approval of the variance and the preliminary plat, with the two conditions that a TxDOT access permit be obtained and that access and connecting roads (Hillsdale Drive, Erickson Drive, Early Way and Twin Creeks) be constructed or otherwise secured by bonding or an approved mechanism before final platting.

Councilmember (unnamed in transcript) moved to approve the variance; Councilmember Burns seconded. The variance passed on a 4-0 vote (Burns — yes; Evan — yes; Person — yes; Edwards — yes). Council later moved, with Burns seconding, to approve the preliminary plat subject to the two conditions; that motion also passed 4-0.

No members of the public spoke against the request during the council meeting. The city planner said a site development plan with the detailed drainage and grading design will return to Planning and Zoning for review in the coming months.

Details from the record: the city and applicant described the project as a private subdivision with underground stormwater collection beneath private pavement; HOA ownership and maintenance of open-space lots and private streets; and an explicit condition that the developer secure a TxDOT access permit and either complete or bond for the access improvements before the plat is finaled.