Leander planning commissioners deny rezoning request after neighbors cite parties, parking and permit failures

Leander planning commissioners unanimously denied a request to rezone a 1.01-acre lot at 2700 Monte Ranch Trail after neighbors testified that unpermitted outbuildings have been used as a recurring event venue, creating noise, parking and safety issues.

The Planning and Zoning Commission voted to deny zoning case Z-25-0173 after a public hearing in which more than a dozen neighbors spoke against changing the lot’s site component from type 2 to type 3, which would increase the allowed accessory-structure square footage from 20% to 30% of the primary structure.

The change sought by the applicant would raise the accessory-structure allowance from 1,029 square feet (20% under the current SFR-2-A calculation cited in staff materials) to 1,544 square feet under a type 3 site component. Staff recommended approval, saying the proposed zoning “complies with the comprehensive plan and is appropriate” for lots in the neighborhood residential future land-use category.

The applicant, Jesse Diaz, who said he owns the property through Decora LLC, told commissioners the pool complex and associated covered kitchen and seating are for family use. “It’s my home. I bought it through my LLC,” Diaz said. “I have 3 kids, so we hang out a lot.” He acknowledged hosting large parties and said he believed some of the work had been permitted through his pool builder but that he took over some work himself after firing the contractor.

Neighbor testimony described repeated large gatherings, on-street parking and late-night noise. Resident Jason Simmental said events occasionally draw “at least 100 people” and that cars “parked…