Owners of the Travisso development to the south of Leander will have more zoning flexibility after Leander City Council approved rezoning the site to a planned unit development March 20.
The property includes 2,118.6 acres and lies between the Crystal Falls subdivision and FM 1431.
Tom Yantis, Leander director of development services, said the site's zoning would make the process more difficult for the landowner, Taylor Morrison Homes of Texas Inc. A PUD does not change the existing development agreement but gives the developer flexibility, Yantis said.
Previous Travisso zonings included single-family rural, single-family estate, multi-family and general commercial. The developer prefers a town center-style mixed-use district, Yantis said.
Taylor Morrison also built the Steiner Ranch neighborhood south of RR 620 in Austin.
Travisso PUD plans call for 2,037.7 acres for residences and 2,100–3,173 single-family lots. A mixed-use district would be 64.3 acres. Commercial property would total 16.6 acres and would limit some uses such as farms and auto shops.
On March 13 the Leander Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved the PUD with several conditions. Developers must use 100 percent masonry on walls visible from the nearby greenbelt and must hold a meeting with neighboring landowners, the commission said.
David Tobey, a resident near Nameless Road, said he favors using masonry walls. But the development could contribute to waste in Sandy Creek that empties into Lake Travis, he said.
Resident Judy Tobey said she was concerned about area interference with the natural habitat.
Heath Melton, director of land development at Taylor Morrison, said the buildings in Travisso would have an Italian flair. He said its inspiration is the Umbria region of Italy.
Travisso's homes will cost between $200,000 and $700,000. The developer is marketing to first-time buyers and local families who want to move to larger or smaller homes in Leander, Melton said. A town center would appeal to residents with lower-maintenance lifestyles, he said.
Travisso could bring the city of Leander $6 million in new annual tax revenues and between 3,000 and 9,000 more residents contributing to the city's business, Melton said.
