Zoning board approves 10% height exception for proposed hotel near IH‑35

The Buda Zoning Board of Adjustments on Sept. 26 approved a special exception to allow a 10% increase in building height for a proposed four-story hotel at 15800 N. IH‑35.

The board's action authorizes a deviation from the B‑3 district height limit of 45 feet to allow interior occupied floor plates up to roughly 49.5 feet, while parapet features that screen rooftop equipment may extend higher and are not counted in the numeric height. "All special exceptions or variances must be approved prior to any SUP hearing," staff explained, and the board limited approval to the hotel as shown on the submitted elevations.

Staff member Will Perish told the board the developer requested the adjustment to provide space for vertical utility and service ducts between floors, saying that reducing the project from four stories to three would require additional property acquisition and change the intended building quality. Perish also reminded members that "parapets are not included in our building height definition" and that the highest visible point of the proposed building, including parapets, would be under about 60 feet.

During deliberations a motion was made to approve the exception with two conditions: that the approval is limited to the attached building elevations and that the project meet all requirements of the Unified Development Code and any council‑approved Special Use Permit. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously, recorded by the presiding officer as a 5-0 vote.

The approval allows the applicant to proceed toward site-plan and SUP review, but staff said substantial changes to the elevations or site plan would require the applicant to return to the board for further review.