Kyle City Council votes 6-1 to relocate historic live oak on Stagecoach Road

The Kyle City Council on Feb. 15 approved a motion to relocate a large, historic live oak on Old Stagecoach Road, voting 6 to 1 to pursue “Option 2” — transplanting the tree to a new site — after more than an hour of public comment and technical briefing.

The Porter Oak, described by city staff as roughly 51 inches in trunk diameter and several hundred years old, stands within about 6 inches of the roadway and has been the subject of repeated council discussions since at least 2020. Councilmember Chris Heizer moved the motion; Mayor Mitchell seconded it. Councilmember Zuniga cast the sole “no” vote.

Why it matters: the vote balances competing public priorities — resident calls to preserve a tree many speakers described as historically and culturally important, against engineering, drainage and safety concerns tied to a voter-approved road project. Staff and consultants told the council that each option carries trade-offs in cost, schedule, and risk: cutting the tree (Option 1), moving it (Option 2), or redesigning the road around it and altering nearby stormwater infrastructure (Option 3).

City staff presented three alternatives. Option 1, removing the tree, was estimated at about $10,000 for removal and would keep the road project schedule unchanged. Option 2, transplanting the tree to an easement north of the site on property associated with the 6 Creeks…