Council approves annexation and 620‑acre Heirloom PUD after debate over commercial minimums and impervious cover

The Georgetown City Council voted 6–1 to annex 620 acres and approve the initial zoning as a plan‑unit development (PUD) for the Heirloom project, following extended staff presentation and debate over commercial commitments, impervious cover and parkland.

Project and zoning overview: City planner Ryan Clark said Heirloom proposes five character districts across roughly 620 acres — a town center, traditional neighborhood, large‑lot residential, a special district and a public district (intended for a GISD school site). The plan uses base RS and C‑3 zoning forms but layers a PUD with five character districts and distinct building form requirements, including up to 3–5 story mixed‑use buildings in the town center and a new “main street” cross section with 12‑foot sidewalks, build‑to zones and a required plaza.

Commercial commitment and staff concerns: Clark and staff concluded the request complied with most PUD approval criteria but only partially complied on several zoning and PUD criteria because of the limited minimum commercial commitment. The Heirloom PUD guarantees a minimum of 15 acres and at least 200,000 square feet of commercial space, and the applicant committed to placing at least 10 acres for commercial in an early phase with utilities available. Clark said the town‑center and special‑district footprint (about 109 acres) could accommodate a high amount of multifamily under the current unit caps, which raised staff concern that up to 60–90 acres could be developed for multifamily depending on realized densities.

Applicant response and assurances: Applicant representatives said the 1,350‑unit multifamily cap would practically require about 40–50 acres of multifamily at the proposed 3‑to‑5 story product, and that the early 10‑acre commercial parcel would be deed‑restricted or otherwise reserved for commercial ground‑floor uses so retailers could locate there. “We heard you guys loud and clear. Commercial, Trader Joe's, diverse residential and how can we get there with a main street,” applicant counsel Catherine Nysse said. The applicant also highlighted a minimum 48 acres of parkland dedication (which includes floodplain credits) and site design features such as paseos (15‑foot shared greens), courtyards and reduced block lengths in higher‑density areas.

Impervious cover and parkland: The PUD assigns higher impervious‑cover allowances by building type (for example, some product types allow up to 80% impervious cover); the applicant said the overall project impervious cover, including the GISD parcel, would be lower — roughly in the mid‑50s percent range — because of the large parkland dedication and preserved heritage trees. Council members pressed staff and the applicant for clarity on which areas could become multifamily and on how impervious cover was calculated.

Planning commission and public comment: The planning and zoning commission recommended approval by a 4–3 vote. Staff reported one written comment in opposition and one comment in favor had been received; at the council public hearing no speakers signed up.

Council action: After deliberation, a motion by Councilmember Hood, seconded by Councilmember French, to approve the annexation and initial PUD zoning passed 6–1 (Councilmember Stewart opposed). Staff will monitor development proposals to ensure that required commercial parcels and design standards are implemented; any future substantive changes to the PUD would require council approval.

Why it matters: Heirloom is one of the largest PUD annexations presented to council in recent years and adds significant new housing types and potential commercial space to Georgetown; planners and council debated the balance between multifamily and commercial uses, parkland, and infrastructure commitments before approving the project.