Council approves Pearl PDD amendments and keeps pedestrian hybrid beacon wired to signal

The City of Bee Cave on Aug. 12 approved Ordinance 577 with amendments to The Pearl planned development district (PDD), including revisions to tract A’s legal description, sequencing changes to Tract B, clarifications of impervious‑cover calculations and updated infrastructure turnover and building sequencing.

Friese & Nichols consultant Evan Reshevsky presented two drafted alternatives for the pedestrian hybrid beacon (PHB): option A would retain the existing beacon but require conduit and wire connections to the 620/Bee Cave Parkway signals and trigger a site plan revision for the connection; option B would remove the beacon and associated improvements by a developer deadline set at Turn 6. Several council members expressed concern about traffic impacts but said hardwiring the beacon to the traffic signal (option A) mitigated those risks.

Amanda Swore of Journey Group (applicant representative) told council the applicant supports the ordinance as drafted and that moving landscaping and a retaining wall to a fall installation would be better for plant survival. After discussion Councilmember Willett moved to approve Ordinance 577 with Option A; the motion passed unanimously.

Council also noted minor editorial corrections in the ordinance (spelling, capitalization and a corrected legal description) and directed staff to retain workforce‑housing language and to require the developer to explain impervious‑cover math and on‑site treatment responsibilities within the ordinance exhibits.