The Leander City Council meeting item was removed at the request of the applicant, Mayor Troy Hill said at the Nov. 19 meeting. City Council will next meet Dec. 3.
Posted 12:39 p.m. Nov. 16
The process to approve zoning changes ahead of the Leander Springs development is underway.
The Leander Planning and Zoning Commission approved the change request with a unanimous vote at its Nov. 12 meeting. Leander City Council will hear the request with a first reading and public hearing Nov. 19. The final reading is scheduled for Dec. 3.
Leander Springs is a 78-acre, mixed-use project with retail, restaurant, entertainment, hospitality, office and residential components. The development will be located at the southwest corner of 183A Toll and FM 2243. A 4-acre lagoon will be the center of the proposed project. A hotel and conference center are also planned.
The request would amend the current zoning of planned unit development/transit-oriented development to add multifamily and general commercial base zoning districts.
Peter Verdicchio, who represents the developer, said at the Nov. 12 commission meeting that since the first reading the developer had made several adjustments to meet comments and requests from the commission and city staff.
Presenters also addressed water concerns related to the project. According to the presentation, the lagoon will use 30 times less water than a golf course and 50% less water than parks. The lagoon is also built to have a film that reduces evaporation, according to Crystal Lagoons.
The developer has also hired a water expert to advise the project. Liz Ferry, a senior hydrogeologist from RW Harden & Associates, said the target aquifer is the Lower Trinity aquifer. Ferry said this aquifer is full of water, and neighboring wells would not be affected. The water would sustain the lagoon for several decades, and the maximum daily demand would be 28 gallons per minute.
The city announced the project Oct. 15 with an economic development agreement for $22 million in performance-based tax incentives. The fully developed project could be valued at $1 billion, according to the city.
City Council will begin its regular meeting at 7 p.m. Nov. 19 at Pat Bryson Municipal Hall at 201 N. Brushy St., Leander. The council chamber will have a 25-person maximum occupancy, and the meeting will be streamed online.
