Lakeway City Council approved the expansion of Lakeway Town Center by changing the zoning classification for the area to a planned unit development.
The overview
Lakeway Town Center is an over 30-acre, four phase mixed-use development located near Lohmans Crossing Road and RM 620, acquired by Lakeway Plaza Partners in 1997.
Phases one and two of the development are complete and established, which total nearly 15 acres and house several restaurants and retail shops including Juiceland, Starbucks, CVS and PNC Bank.
Phase three is over seven acres and located on the south edge of Lohmans Crossing Road. The space is partially developed by Stow-Away Storage.
Phase four is over eight acres and is currently undeveloped. The space is north of Lohmans Crossing Road and east of the Lakeway police station.
“This is the type of development that when done properly can generate a lot of sales tax revenue so that future city councils won't have to be dealing with the same issues we’re dealing with in this particular budget,” Council member Chris Forton said.
Classifying the development as a PUD will allow phases three and four to be developed with flexibility to meet the specific needs of varying businesses while complying with Lakeway ordinances, developer Tom DeCicco said.
The issue
Several people from the Yaupon Creek HOA, a neighborhood adjacent to the development, spoke against PUD approval, citing concerns over noise, odor, traffic and potential damage to the surrounding natural area.
“We are not asking the city of Lakeway to prevent development, but we are asking the city to recognize that not every type of development is appropriate for every location,” Yaupon Creek HOA member Mary Bentley said.
Another concern brought up by homeowners and council members is the number of drive-throughs requested by the applicant.
The development is currently approved for seven drive-throughs in phases one and two. The applicant originally requested the PUD include approval for seven additional drive-throughs.
Yet, the council voted to limit this number to four drive-through facilities throughout phases three and four. Additional drive-throughs will need to request a special use permit.
The action taken
To address the concerns of neighboring residents and city officials, Lakeway City Council approved the PUD with several stipulations.
The stipulations state that phases three and four will have a maximum of two drive-throughs each, there will be no outdoor live music from potential tenants due to noise concerns, landscaping buffers will be installed and an updated traffic impact analysis will be submitted prior to the approval of the site plan specifically to address ingress and egress at the access points on Lohmans Spur Road.
What’s next
Phase three is planned to have operating businesses in mid-2028 and phase four is expected to be open in mid-2029, according to documents from the PUD application.
