San Marcos council approves amended Riverbend Ranch development agreement over resident objections

San Marcos City Council approved amendments to the Riverbend Ranch / Riley’s Point development agreement on March 4, 2025, voting to accept a revised agreement that expands certain construction waivers while adding engineering and water-quality conditions aimed at reducing runoff and pollutant loads.

The development, commonly called Riverbend Ranch or Ball Ranch in planning documents, covers about 1,046 acres in the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction between Old Bastrop Highway and FM 110. The council vote to approve the amendment was 6–1 following a staff presentation and a lengthy public hearing in which nearby residents raised concerns about existing flooding, septic-system contamination and community health.

The amendment rewrites the agreement’s engineering exhibit and adjusts several previously authorized variances. Among the most significant changes: the maximum allowable cut-and-fill on portions of the property was increased to as much as 30 feet; block-perimeter allowances and dead-end-street length were modified; and the developer committed to site-level stormwater and water-quality controls that the city says go beyond standard…