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Bee Cave council approves Westlake Dermatology site plan with two stormwater waivers
Summary
The council approved a site plan and two waivers for Westlake Dermatology at 14418 State Highway 71, allowing a small increase in impervious cover while requiring downstream mitigation and recorded maintenance covenants; the vote was unanimous.
Bee Cave City Council on April 14 approved a site plan and two waivers for a proposed Westlake Dermatology clinic at 14418 State Highway 71, allowing a modest increase in impervious cover in exchange for downstream mitigation and recorded maintenance commitments.
The applicant's engineering consultant, Giancarlo, told the council the site is "grandfathered" under an older ordinance and that proposed work would raise impervious cover from about 47.45% to 49.36'an increase of roughly 700 square feet. He said a localized analysis point on the site shows peak discharge rising from about 19.35 cubic feet per second to 27.00 cfs (an increase of 8.37 cfs), but that the design mitigates the increase downstream so later analysis points show a net reduction in peak flow.
"The waiver that they're requesting is that since they cannot control that peak surge at their point of analysis, they're showing you where they can control it downstream," Giancarlo said, describing a treatment train that uses a bioscape vault, vegetative filter strips and a pump to move captured runoff to the vegetative filter strip for treatment. He told council the models had been reviewed by TxDOT and that, where the hydraulic grade line is slightly higher at the local analysis point, the flow remains contained within the TxDOT ditch capacity.
Council members questioned the use of a pump for part of the treatment train, noting operational risks. One council member asked who would inspect and maintain the mechanical components. Giancarlo said maintenance and operational responsibility lies with the private owner and would be enforced through a recorded declaration of covenants and restrictions; the city will conduct functionality inspections and, he said, the private owner must demonstrate compliance under an approved maintenance plan. "It is in perpetuity. It is privately owned and maintained," Giancarlo said.
Resident John Wickens, during public comment, asked whether the entire system'the pond, vault, pipes, filter strips and spreaders'would be covered by a maintenance contract and whether the city would ever assume maintenance; he said he wanted assurance the system would not be a future liability. Staff replied inspections and reporting requirements will be part of the approval and that private owners must demonstrate performance; the city will inspect components at periodic intervals.
After discussion the council voted to approve the site and NPS plan with the two requested waivers. The motion carried unanimously. As part of the approval, the council required recorded maintenance obligations and ongoing inspection provisions described by staff.
What happens next: the applicant must record the maintenance covenants and comply with the approved maintenance plan; city inspections and any required follow-up will proceed per the permitting conditions.
