City approves new housing development off Founders
NEW HOUSING
The City of Dripping Springs approved the Scott Ranch (Residential) Development Agreement (also known as Big Sky) at its July 10 meeting. This included parkland dedication, offsite road & trail agreement, and variances.
The proposed 200 acre housing development will be located West of Founders Memorial Park, and north of the Cannon tract. The phrasing listed on the city docket read, “A proposed Development Agreement for a Tract of Land Totaling Approximately 200.4 Acres out of the Philip A. Smith League, Survey No. 26, Abstract No. 515, Hays County Texas.”
Houses are expected to be priced between $250,000 and $450,000, and will have both front and rear entrance.
The development is said to conform to the City’s Master Plan, and will offer $1.4 million in transportation improvements that are tentatively aimed at providing another way to bypass the busy intersection of Ranch Road 12 and Highway 290, and add improvements on the road leading into Founders Park. The road will now go through Founders Park and connect with the new housing.
Planning and Zoning (P&Z) Committee Chair Mim James reported to the council that at the P&Z Committee presentation three people spoke against the development citing traffic impact and proximity to Founders Park. P&Z recommended approval of the development to the council by a vote of five to zero, citing that the agreement addressed the “big rock issues.”
Mayor Pro Tem Bill Foulds pondered out loud whether it was a “good project,” and concluded that it was. “I think it’s a good project. The big issues that we have faced throughout development are the density and traffic. The developer has addressed these issues. I think it’s a project the city can be proud of for years to come. The Pound House is onboard with the improvements, Parks and Recreation is on board. It can be better, but today, I think we have a pretty good project,” Foulds said.
Councilmembers Taline Manassian and Councilmember Travis Crow expressed some concerns.
Manassian asked if by redrawing the housing lines from straight lots to angular lots, the development would do a disservice to Legacy Trails. The developer answered that it would not due to the actual placing of the houses on the lots.
Crow expressed concern about tight traffic areas given the pedestrian emphasis of the plan. The developer replied that it would not as each house will a two-car garage, plus driveway. When Crow pressed his concern again, citing visitors and street parking, the developer answered that legal parallel parking will exist on only one side of the street.
The agreement was passed unanimously by the City Council.