Lakeway planning commission backs future-land-use change, narrowly recommends Hurst Harbor PUD to council

The Lakeway Zoning and Planning Commission voted 7-0 on Sept. 11 to approve a future-land-use map amendment requested by the owners of Hurst Harbor Marina, and later recommended approval of a planned unit development (PUD) for the site by a 4-3 vote, forwarding the proposal to City Council for final action.

The applicant, Rick Miller, described the proposal as a redevelopment of the Hurst Harbor site to replace the existing dry-stack boat storage with 460 wet slips, 146 condominium units and a six‑story building with a maximum height request of 75 feet. Miller told the commission he and his wife have invested in marina infrastructure, including new wet slips, a remodeled repair shop, a solar array and a vertically stacked trailer storage facility.

Commission staff, Assistant City Manager Ashby Grundman, said the site is about 26.934 acres and that the developer is seeking a future‑land‑use designation of mixed use and a rezoning from Marina and R6 single‑family to a PUD. Staff reported the developer’s traffic impact analysis estimates roughly 1,700–1,800 additional daily trips and showed the project would provide about 743 parking spaces—roughly 9% above the city’s minimum for the proposed density. Staff also listed two options for parkland dedication: a $3,000 per-unit fee-in‑lieu (about $438,000) or in‑kind park improvements.

Opponents urged denial during a nearly three‑hour public comment period. Neighbors raised concerns about traffic on Claravan Drive, emergency access and safety, dredging and environmental impacts to the cove, lake levels, loss of small‑cove character, light and noise from outdoor music and restaurants, and the effect on views from Lakeway City Park. Several speakers said the proposal is out of scale with adjacent single‑family neighborhoods. Supporters and some nearby residents said the blue dry‑stack building is an eyesore and that redevelopment could increase tax revenue and improve the lakefront.

Miller’s team presented revised designs from an earlier 2023 submission that reduced the original building height from eight stories to six, refined facades to reflect the Texas Hill Country, and proposed a lakeshore boardwalk, trails, tennis and pickleball courts, pools and a sidewalk extension along Claravan to State Highway 620. The project team identified multiple regulatory approvals still required from FEMA, the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for any excavation or work in the lake basin.

After discussion, the commission approved the future‑land‑use map change 7-0. On the separate zoning motion the commission voted 4-3 to recommend the PUD to council; the recommendation includes the developer’s parkland option of paying a fee in lieu of on‑site dedication. Commissioners in favor cited redevelopment of a rundown marina and potential tax revenue; commissioners against cited scale, compatibility and traffic concerns.

The project’s engineer and architect said detailed design and permitting with LCRA and the Army Corps will follow; the commission’s recommendation does not approve lake work, excavation, or Corps/LCRA actions. Council will receive the PUD and the future‑land‑use change at a later meeting for final action.

Votes at a glance: the commission approved the future‑land‑use amendment 7-0; recommended the PUD 4-3; several other hearing items that day (see separate article) also produced formal outcomes forwarded to council as applicable.

The commission record shows robust public engagement and multiple outstanding regulatory reviews. Council will consider the PUD and any related conditions in a future public meeting; separate permits will be required from state and federal agencies for any in‑lake dredging or channel work.