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Planning commission approves removal of significant trees for Leander Tech Park; developer to pay mitigation fees
Summary
The commission approved a tree‑removal permit for the Leander Tech Park public‑improvement and site‑development work after the developer said it had reduced pond footprints and increased on‑site replanting; the permit carries roughly $321,375 in mitigation fees and a requirement to finalize payment before site‑development permit issuance.
The Leander Planning and Zoning Commission on Monday approved a permit to remove multiple significant and heritage trees on the Leander Tech Park site to allow public improvements, extension of Kaufman Loop and grading for pad sites. Staff described the request as the first step in the tree‑removal process; because heritage trees are involved, the case will also come before city council.
Corey Dell of the planning department told commissioners the development will remove heritage trees greater than 18 caliper inches associated with the public improvements and site development. Staff documented that the applicant would pay $300 per caliper inch for heritage trees removed (114.5 caliper inches), would receive credit for preserved understory trees (897.5 caliper inches) and would add extra on‑site plantings totaling about 601 caliper inches. Dell said the remaining caliper‑inch deficit would be paid at the fee‑in‑lieu rate of $150 per caliper inch, and staff calculated total fees owed at about $321,375; the fee must be paid before issuance of site‑development permit SD240086.
St. John Properties representatives said they redesigned portions of the ponds and adjusted pad layouts to preserve additional heritage trees where possible. Brooke Harlander, regional partner for St. John Properties, said the team aimed to preserve trees and to plant above‑code replacement trees rather than simply pay fees. Landscape architect Cliff (KW Landscape Architects) said the design prioritized preservation of heritage trees first and told commissioners that only one heritage tree remained on the primary building sites after design changes; several others lie within easements or public improvement footprints and require removal.
Commissioners acknowledged the difficulty of balancing tree preservation and development. Commissioner Mahan said the lot was heavily forested but praised the applicant for preserving perimeter heritage trees and locating a public detention pond to provide buffer from adjacent neighborhoods. Commissioner Landrip asked about species preserved; the applicant said understory and preferred‑plant‑list trees included oaks and cedar elms. Vice Chair said the percentage of trees removed was substantial but recognized the effort to preserve key heritage specimens.
Dell said mitigation fees collected are used by the city for park and landscaping projects. The commission voted 4‑2 to approve the permit.
Why it matters: The decision allows a large commercial conversion of forested land to proceed while requiring significant on‑site replanting and a six‑figure mitigation payment intended to fund public landscaping and park tree replacement.
Next steps: The applicant must pay mitigation fees and complete required plantings before the site‑development permit is issued; because the request involves heritage trees, the removal will also go to city council for final action.
