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Little Elm council approves planned development for Whiskey Blendery after debate over neighbors' concerns
Summary
At its first 2026 meeting the Little Elm Town Council approved Ordinance 18‑35 to create a planned development for the Whiskey Blendery and passed a development agreement. Council kept an enclosure requirement for the second‑floor patio but did not incorporate an 8‑foot masonry wall or the 9:30 p.m. hours cap into the ordinance text as presented.
At its first meeting of 2026 the Little Elm Town Council voted unanimously to adopt Ordinance 18‑35, establishing a planned development district that will allow the Whiskey Blendery to relocate and build a multi‑building whiskey facility in the town's Lakefront District.
Planning staff told the council the rezoning applies to roughly 2 acres southeast of Eldorado and Hartwick and would permit a set of connected uses — office and administrative space, private meeting and cigar lounge areas, barrel storage and a customer‑experience/tasting building — with modifications to parking, screening and signage standards. Olga, the planning presenter, said the proposal seeks some waivers, including a request to waive approximately $52,000 in tree‑mitigation fees tied to proposed removals.
The issue drew dozens of public speakers at a packed hearing. Neil Blaze, president of the Little Elm Economic Development Corporation, urged approval and defended the EDC's role in…
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