Bee Cave City Council voted unanimously April 22 to approve an amendment to the Hill Country Galleria's development plans to include proposed office buildings, commercial sites and retail businesses.

Adrian Overstreet, managing partner for the Hill Country Galleria, needed council approval to amend the development's 2005 concept plan but cautioned that the current request was a very preliminary step.

He said the proposal would include a three-story office building (See graphic Building 2) on a lot bordered by Bee Cave Parkway, Vista Ridge and Galleria Circle, and would be sunk below grade by one story. Parking for the building would be shared with an existing garage south of the project, and Overstreet said he would build a sidewalk to connect the garage with the building.

Overstreet also proposed an office/retail site (Building 3) on Bee Cave Parkway, northwest of the existing BB&T Bank. The proposed site would have access through the bank's property, which is owned by the Hill Country Galleria. City staffers told Overstreet he would still need a shared-use agreement with the bank for the driveway. Overstreet owns the land where the bank operates.

The amended plans also include a one-story, 8,000-square-foot office or retail building (Building 1) off Bee Cave Parkway, between the two tracts proposed as The Backyard and The Terraces at Bee Cave, Overstreet said. He agreed to provide a pedestrian trail along the front of the tract for the continuation of the city's nature trail system.

Overstreet said he also plans to construct a one-story office building (Building 4) on Bee Cave Parkway, next to the existing Walgreens store with a nature trail system connection at the front of the lot.

"Office space is really what made the [Hill Country Galleria] work," he said. "[Employees] shop during the day and go to restaurants—a critical component of the office complex."

He said the Hill Country Galleria is 95 percent occupied and includes the headquarters of two companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Council agreed to determine parking allocations for the additions at the time the site plans are filed.

Fireworks, street closures

City Council agreed the Hill Country Galleria is permitted to continue to hold festivals and other events without being required to apply for a special events permit. However, the April 22 ordinance requires Bee Cave's city manager approve any fireworks display or public street closure for a festival.