The city of Sunset Valley has accused the owners of food trailer park The Barn of operating without watershed and sign permits.
In February, Sunset Valley filed a complaint in the 200th District Court against Austin Curling Center LLC, which is owned by Dennis and Anita Dunn.
The Barn opened in November and hosts three food trailers and a hair salon. Plans are in the works to open a bar called The Pub at The Barn, the Dunns said.
The Barn is located at 6218 Brodie Lane in Sunset Valleys extraterritorial jurisdiction, an area in which the city's influence over development is limited.
The city contends The Barns parking lot and site improvements require watershed and sign permits.
On Jan. 7 the city issued a notice of violation to the Dunns stating The Barn was in violation of two sections of the city land development code.
"Despite having earlier submitted applications for a watershed development permit and sign permit, [Austin Curling Center LLC] now contends that the city either has no authority to regulate in its [extraterritorial jurisdiction] or that [Austin Curling Center LLC] is at liberty to determine when compliance with applicable regulations is required," the complaint states.
The Dunns have contended that Travis County is the entity that has jurisdiction over their property, and they are working with Travis County on development and permitting.
In a statement, Sunset Valley Mayor Rose Cardona said the city's complaint is not about controlling or running food trailers in Sunset Valley.
"The issues are that this property needs proper permitting through Sunset Valley and Travis County and that these should have been obtained prior to any development starting," she wrote.
In March, City Administrator Clay Collins said Austin Curling Center LLC had submitted a watershed permit application to Sunset Valley for the property.
The appropriate city departments and committees will review the application before it reaches City Council.
Anita Dunn told
Community Impact Newspaper that she and Dennis filed new paperwork with the city March 19.
"We've been working with Sunset Valley," she said. "All of the paperwork is in with [the city]. On the advice of Clay Collins we have decided to present our preliminary and final site plan at the same time."
"Everything looks great," she continued. "We are hoping to get with their engineers to finish up with the site plan before the April 7 [council] meeting and to get that signed off at that meeting."
As of press time the complaint remains filed in district court.