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Cedar Park council declines petition to change commercial land to low-density residential
Summary
Council members declined a future land-use amendment petition for a property north of East New Hope Drive and Ronald Reagan Boulevard after hearing staff and applicant presentations and public comment; council members cited concerns about losing commercial acreage and connectivity.
Planning staff introduced a petition to amend the future land use plan for roughly 17.68 acres (part of an approximately 31-acre parcel) from local office/retail commercial to low-density residential. "The petition for tonight's item is to be able to amend the future land use designation from local office retail commercial to low density residential," Planning staff Andreina Davila told the council and described the amendment as the first step that would allow the applicant to pursue rezoning and annexation where necessary.
Milestone Community Builders' land-development manager Ian Cochran outlined the applicant's concept, saying the residential proposal would include about 65 single-family lots with a density around 3.67–3.9 units per acre, minimum lot sizes of about 6,000 square feet (less than the code-required 8,200), 50-foot lot widths (versus a 75-foot requirement), and reduced setbacks (15-foot front, 5-foot side, 15-foot rear). Cochran also acknowledged a larger detention area would encumber some commercial acreage and said the team is in discussions with a prospective commercial buyer for a multi-tenant commercial component.
Speakers from the public expressed divergent views. Tom Short argued against converting commercial land to low-density residential, calling low-density residential "a permanent drag on city funds" and urging the city to prioritize higher-value and better-connected development. By contrast, Ross Burns, an HOA president, said neighborhood residents supported the scaled-back residential plan and emphasized affordability and community need.
Council members discussed trade-offs between retaining commercial acreage along New Hope Drive and adding housing that could support schools and other services. After deliberation Mayor James Penman Moore moved to accept the petition and a second was recorded, but the council recorded sufficient negative votes and the petition was not accepted. Staff clarified there is no city-imposed timing restriction for resubmitting a future land use amendment petition should the applicant wish to return with more commercial detail.
The outcome preserves the current future land use designation for the property and allows the developer to continue refining plans, but it stops the applicant from immediately proceeding to a rezoning hearing.
