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After heavy public opposition, ZAPCO recommends council deny 13-acre Coalmeier Drive PUD
Summary
Following an extended staff and developer presentation and a long public-comment period, ZAPCO voted unanimously to recommend the city council deny a rezoning request for about 13.37 acres at 15115 Coalmeier Drive. Residents and experts raised flooding, traffic, tree loss and school-capacity concerns; the developer had asked to postpone but the commission moved to recommend denial.
Zoning and Planning Commission members voted Oct. 2 to recommend that city council deny a developer request to rezone roughly 13.37 acres at 15115 Coalmeier Drive from agricultural/R-6 to Planned Unit Development (PUD).
Staff (Ashby, assistant city manager) described the proposed PUD as a medium-density plan identified on the future land-use map as residential, with an overall density the developer capped at under 11 units per acre (the proposal stated a design density under 10). Staff also noted recommendations they made about building materials and parking were not incorporated into the applicant's submittal. The applicant's presenter described the plan—branded Lakeway Heights—as 130 single-family homes (46 alley-access rear lots, 84 front-loading lots) with amenities including two pickleball courts, a dog park and a common area. The applicant acknowledged wastewater remained the biggest infrastructure constraint and estimated wastewater line upgrades could cost “3 to 3,500,000 dollars.”
More than a dozen residents and technical witnesses spoke during citizens' participation. Denise Little, vice president of the Coalmeier Springs HOA, told the commission her association has "passed a formal resolution opposing the rezoning" and cited risks from added impervious cover and cut-and-fill. A professional geoscientist representing homeowners said the site's impervious cover appeared unusually high and warned of long-term water-quality declines once watershed thresholds are exceeded. Several speakers – including parents and PTA members – said Lake Travis Elementary is already strained and warned that added trips and construction activity would reduce safety for children who walk to school.
The applicant asked to postpone the item to Nov. 6 to hold more meetings with residents and PUD Dev; the motion to postpone failed for lack of a second. Commissioners debated whether a short postponement would result in meaningful changes. Commissioner S7 moved that ZAPCO "recommend council not approve this change in zoning," the motion was seconded and the commission recorded a unanimous aye and the chair declared the motion passed.
Next step: the commission's recommendation will be forwarded to city council for a final decision; the commission did not approve the rezoning.
