The annexation and zoning of a Parmer Lane property is on hold after Cedar Park City Council voted to table two motions Feb. 27.
Council members said they understood the annexation would have been voluntary, but Ann Seaman, owner of two parcels northwest of Parmer Lane and Brushy Creek Road, said she felt that part of the process was involuntary.
Seaman said she thought the city required annexation of both parcels before City Council would consider rezoning for development on her larger 23-acre tract.
"All of a sudden, I'm having to put another 10 acres in the pot that I wasn't even planning on zoning," she said. "To me it felt like: 'Oh, well give us 10 more acres, and then we'll vote on the whole thing.'"
But Mayor Matt Powell and some council members questioned that understanding before choosing to table both property changes. Powell said the annexation would have been voluntary because of Seaman's and a developer's interest in building retail and multi-family housing on the land. Part of the site lies within the city's extra-territorial jurisdiction.
"For the multi-family [zoning] request, it can't be done without both tracts," Powell said.
A subsequent ordinance would have rezoned the 23-acre site to allow 5 acres of general retail and 18 acres of multi-family residential.
The Cedar Park Planning and Zoning Commission voted 5-1 against both the annexation and rezoning requests, City Planning and Development Director Amy Link said. Instead commission members recommended the site have 5 acres rezoned for local retail, with the remaining 18 acres kept for development reserve.
Seaman told City Council she has been trying for 15 years to have the property near Breakaway Park developed. The land's topography makes it difficult for larger retailers, she said.
"I feel like I've spent 15 years carrying the burden of the city's dream for my land," she said.
Link said the property's proposed use is not compliant with the city's future land use plan. She said the city had only recommended annexation based on the multi-family proposal for land that lies within both the city limits and the ETJ.
"I adamantly will state that we did not force them to bring this in [for annexation]," Link said.
Seaman said she only wants to avoid having 10 acres annexed to the city.
City Attorney Charles Rowland said that if Seaman doesn't want her property annexed, that counts as a legally withdrawing her application.