Developer says Colony at Cold Springs phase 1 will be done this year; neighbors press for better erosion, truck controls

MI Homes representatives told the Buda City Council on March 25 that work on the Colony at Cold Springs development is progressing and that phase 1 — including a bridge and several road improvements — is expected to be complete by the end of the year.

The update came during a presentation from Royce Rippy of MI Homes and project staff. Rippy said the approved land plan covers 496 lots and that phase 1 comprises roughly 246 of those lots, with internal streets, a lift station and a collector street under construction. "We anticipate completing phase 1 and a lot of the improvements ... by the end of the year," Rippy told council. He said on‑site contractors had paved alleys, were installing curbs and were building an oversized lift station and bridge that will connect to Clarissa Street once that collector is finished.

Neighbors and several council members used the presentation to press MI Homes about recurring compliance problems tied to stormwater and truck traffic. Council member Horn Williams said she asked that the developer be on the agenda to discuss recent incidents, including gullies of runoff and a stop‑work notice tied to contractor activity. "Over the last few months, there seemed to have been some compliance issues," Horn Williams said, asking what the developer would do to prevent recurrences.

Rippy acknowledged earlier incidents and said company and contractor staff had responded quickly. "We acknowledge that we've had a couple of issues ... we are quick to answer the phone and go out and fix the problems," he told the council, and said MI Homes had discussed corrective actions with its contractors. He said the contractor for phase 1 is Liberty Civil and that the bridge contractor has completed most bridge work and demobilized until final tie‑ins are possible.

Council members asked for clearer neighbor communications and for visible contact information at the site so residents can report problems directly. Rippy said MI Homes would provide phone numbers to city staff and was willing to communicate directly with neighbors. Council members also pressed the developer about truck routing and enforcement of local ordinances that limit construction traffic on certain residential streets; Rippy said contractors had been instructed which routes to use and that the team planned to reduce heavy hauling as grading wraps up.

Several council members and staff also expressed concern about sediment entering Onion Creek during heavy rains. Rippy said crews had performed cleanup and that trails and parkland along the creek are planned as part of the development.

The presentation also included schedule detail for home construction: Rippy said MI Homes expects to begin home construction later this year with model and early home starts in late summer and "first closings probably first quarter" of next year.

Council members said they will continue monthly coordination calls with developer staff and that the city will track enforcement and stormwater remediation as construction continues.

Ending: City staff and MI Homes said they will maintain regular updates with council and the neighborhood; the council asked the developer to formalize neighbor contact methods and to document the corrective measures added to contractor agreements. The bridge and the phase 1 neighborhood access remain on the schedule for later this year.