Residents from The Homestead residential development voiced opposition to the plan, citing their belief that it will increase traffic and clog Great Divide Drive, their only access point to Hwy. 71.
Current situation
However, the Bee Cave Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously at its Dec. 16 meeting to forward the amendment to the City Council. Council is not scheduled to meet again until Jan. 13, and the item is expected to be on that agenda, a city official said. At that point, there will be an additional opportunity for public input.
“The city is committed to working with all stakeholders in an open and transparent process,” Bee Cave Director of Communications Crystal Cotti said.
The big picture
The Village at Spanish Oaks has gone back and forth in front of city officials since 2018. Five years ago, city documents stated the complete buildout would take anywhere between seven and 10 years. Preliminary site work began in 2022. Space is currently being saved for a new Bee Cave City Hall, should officials ever decide to move locations.
What's new
On Dec. 16, developer Jack Creveling told commission members his group envisions a best-in-class senior living facility at The Village, with five levels instead of three, while still remaining under the existing 50-foot height limitation.
In 2018, developers were allowed a maximum of 600 residential units total. The proposed amendment would allow developers to take 310 multifamily units and move them to a different location within the 80-acre parcel.
Creveling told commissioners he is working with a well-known but unannounced hotel brand and operator for what would be luxury rental units. These would be "tight" living units, Creveling said, but would have access to hotel-like amenities such as room service.
What they said
Some residents were accepting of the proposed changes, but wanted Bee Cave commission members to slow the process and discover more information about the traffic impact.
Residents will have an opportunity to voice their opinions at the Jan. 13 meeting.
“I think this is a development that can really put this city on the map in a way that we don’t even know because the quality of what it’s going to be and what it’s going to bring,” Homestead resident William Ball told the commission.
Another resident, Julie Johnson, questioned how traffic changes would impact emergency vehicles getting in and out of The Homestead. It could create the feeling of “being trapped” in the community behind The Village, she said.
“The amount of people that will be using these roads is concerning and virtually unknown,” Johnson said.
