A new luxury hotel and residential resort development just east of Bee Cave’s city limits, in the Barton Creek Habitat Preserve, is receiving opposition from city officials due to concerns regarding the development’s environmental impact.
The development, which is currently seeking wastewater permits from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, appears to be a new iteration of the Violet Crown amphitheater project, according to details provided in previous water permit requests.
What they’re saying
The White Rocks development is a proposed 70-acre resort featuring a 10,000 seat amphitheater between Spanish Oaks Golf Club and Barton Creek Country Club, developed by local builder Chris Milam whose company, IDM, is also responsible for projects like the Hill Country Galleria, according to an email shared with Community Impact by the White Rocks development team.
Plans for the new resort include 600 residential units, including one-to-three-bedroom condos, and a 150-room luxury hotel proposed to be built upon a highly elevated piece of land within the Barton Creek Habitat Preserve, according to a White Rocks digital brochure.
Amenities at the resort will include a spa and wellness center, ballroom, several meeting rooms, two fine dining restaurants, three bars, a private club and a rooftop swimming pool. The development is also intended to support environmental stewardship and conservation, according to the brochure.
The Barton Creek Habitat Preserve contains over 4,000 acres of land dedicated to protecting the natural habitat of endangered species like the golden-cheeked warbler and preserving the Barton Creek Watershed, according to The Nature Conservancy.
The details
The White Rocks development is currently seeking permitting from the TCEQ to authorize a new wastewater treatment facility. A meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in the Juniper Ballroom at Hotel Viata, located in West Lake Hills at 320 S. Capital of Texas Hwy., on April 8 to address the request.
Bee Cave Council member Kevin Hight stated that a number of Bee Cave residents and local homeowners associations have expressed interest in attending this meeting. Additionally, the Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance, or GEAA, has submitted comments opposing the permit request, citing concerns surrounding the degradation of Barton Creek as well as potential contamination of area water wells.
White Rocks was formerly known as the Violet Crown project, which was also put forward by builder Chris Milam, according to the GEAA. Previously, the Violet Crown development sought out wastewater permits from the TCEQ, which were denied based on environmental concerns. While White Rocks currently accounts for a 10,000-seat venue, the Violet Crown amphitheater was originally put forward with 20,000 seats, according to previous reporting by Community Impact.
Those opposed
Although the development lies outside of Bee Cave city limits, the city passed a resolution voicing its opposition to White Rocks at a council meeting held March 25. Council member Kevin Hight explained that the city opposes the development due to environmental concerns as well as light pollution.
“It’s my view that this body has tried to show that we’re supportive of development in our area when it’s done in the right way,” Hight said. “To put something that is going to be this environmentally insensitive and bright right smack in the middle of one of the prettier parts of our area I think is a real shame.”
Mayor Kara King also stated that the city’s road infrastructure could not accommodate the development.
“Being just on the outside of our district, we don’t get a formal vote on this, but hopefully we can send a message to the regulatory bodies that we don’t have the infrastructure to support this,” King said. “The roads cannot handle what should have been 17 homes worth of traffic to now 594 apartments.”
Developers associated with the Violet Crown and White Rocks projects have not responded to requests for comment as of press time.
