On June 24, Bee Cave City Council provided the city's Planning and Development Director Lindsey Oskoui with guidelines to proceed in the city's comprehensive plan revision.

Oskoui was directed to publish a request for proposal soliciting comprehensive plan consultant applicants with knowledge about density and traffic, the highest-priority issues ranked by residents in a comprehensive plan survey mailed out in the spring.

The survey was submitted to residents in March and April as a precursor to updating the plan originally adopted by the city in 2009, Oskoui said. Council members approved the comprehensive plan survey findings May 27.

CDS Market Research President Steve Spillette, who conducted the survey, said the majority of the 377 residents who responded have a strong desire to keep the city's small-town and Hill Country atmosphere. Most residents are satisfied with the quality of life, and their families were drawn to the area by the reputation of the schools, he said. However, residents felt that recreational amenities, such as ball fields, connecting walkways and more shopping options were still missing in the community, he said.

Traffic, adequate infrastructure such as water and roads, and public safety were also among the top issues important to residents, Spillette said. Affordable housing, cultural diversity and senior living facilities were rated as relatively unimportant to residents, he said. Residents rated traffic and growth—resulting from increased housing density and community size—as the top issues facing the city in the next five years, he said.

Residents also rated the city as doing moderately well in the manner it has handled commercial and residential development, used its parks and open spaces, and guided transportation, Spillette said. Traffic was listed as the reason that would cause most residents to move away from the area, followed by density, noise, taxes and quality of development, he said.

"This [survey] gives us a good launching pad, but it isn't the only thing to revisit [in] our comprehensive plan," Bee Cave Mayor Caroline Murphy said.