Bee Cave planning commission approves amendments to Planned Development District rules

The Bee Cave Planning and Zoning Commission approved amendments to Article 3 of the city's Unified Development Code on Feb. 18 to update standards for Planned Development Districts (PDDs), Senior Planner Sean Lupano told the commission during a staff presentation.

Senior Planner Sean Lupano summarized the proposal as a package of changes intended to streamline PDD regulations, saying, "Before you is a proposed amendment to Article 3 of the Unified Development Code, as related to planned development districts." He told commissioners the amendments would shorten the intent paragraph, update purpose language, remove a minimum area requirement that "used to be 5 acres," remove a prior requirement for a minimum of two types of uses, and delete language that required PDDs to exceed baseline Unified Development Code (UDC) standards.

The commission opened a public hearing; no members of the public spoke. Commissioners then questioned staff on specifics. Commissioner John Wiggins asked whether language removed from the draft would still be covered elsewhere in the code; Lupano said cross-references would be updated and that the use chart (referred to during discussion as section 3.3.05) was not being changed. Wiggins also raised wording concerns about the proposed "amended and restated" language used to consolidate prior PDD amendments; Lupano said the drafting intent was to consolidate amendments into a single amended-and-restated document for each PDD and agreed to clarify the wording.

Several commissioners asked about the change to the minimum-area requirement. Lupano said the draft removes the minimum-area threshold rather than setting a new one, noting the change was meant to reduce a barrier for smaller parcels and allow greater flexibility on tight or constrained sites. He also said the city retains the regulatory authority to require specific mitigations or to deny requests, and that public notification and public hearing procedures would not change: "All that stays the exact same."

Commissioners cited recent local developments as examples of sites that could be affected under the former 5-acre threshold, including a remodel and a small commercial site near Highway 71.

Vice Chair Wright moved to approve the amendments as presented by staff; Commissioner Schmidt seconded. The motion carried with five votes in favor and one abstention. Commissioner John Wiggins said he abstained because he was uncertain about his eligibility to vote as an alternate and did not want to risk affecting the outcome while the question remained unresolved.

The commission noted a planning meeting is anticipated March 18; no other substantive items were discussed at the Feb. 18 meeting and the session adjourned at 6:23 p.m.