Cedar Park City Council halts changes to future mixed-use development that would have allowed high-density residential

Editor's note: The story was updated to add a map of the development's location.

Cedar Park City Council voted to table a proposed amendment that would have allowed high-density residential housing on a nearly 10-acre portion of a future 22.5-acre mixed-use development located northwest of the intersection of East Whitestone Boulevard and Toro Grande Boulevard during its July 28 meeting.

The project’s developer, Vasda Developers, proposed changing the existing land-use designation from regional office-retail-commercial and heavy commercial to high-density residential. The developer proposed this change to 9.59 acres of the project’s land.

“This property sits there on Whitestone between what would be the Perfect Game and the Indigo Ridge—we feel that this property has a very unique position to fill in this space between,” said Ethan Harwell, the Kimley-Horn agent for the project. “We find that we have a little opportunity here to add plenty of commercial space and provide housing that can fill a need for those folks who want to be near these two iconic destinations that are coming to Cedar Park.”

The proposed development includes 146,497 square feet of nonresidential uses, including 53,872 square feet for a hotel and 92,625 square feet of retail, restaurant and office space. Under the proposed amendment, the development would have 467,000 square feet for residential uses, totaling 576 units that would house 1,152 residents.

“Have you been [on Toro Grande] when it’s really busy ... everyone going to Nitro, going to Tumble Tech,” Council Member Anne Duffy said at the meeting. “And, you’re going to add 1,100 residents plus whoever wants to go there [commercially] all on that road.”

Harwell said while they may not be able to “completely fix the problem of traffic on [FM] 1431,” improvements will be required to “lessen the impact” of the development.

The majority of the council agreed it would table the proposed amendment for now and discuss it at a later date.

“My hesitation is really frankly just about not adding any more residential on our nonplanned areas until we get a better understanding of what type of populated city we want to see and have over the next 20 years,” Council Member Kevin Harris said at the meeting.

Mayor Jim Penniman-Morin said Cedar Park’s wishlist as a city is more commercial development.

The developer will be able to come back at a later date to present any updates or changes.