Site Plan for commissary kitchen for catering and food trucks at 28707 RR12. (from diagram applicant filed with the city)
City Council approves zoning change for Turquoise Texas Properties
Approval was given by the Dripping Springs City Council on Sept. 17th for a zoning change at 28707 Ranch Road 12. The 1.5-acre 2-family residential duplex lot (SF-4), on the west side of RR 12 near DS United Methodist, is now zoned as Local Retail District (LR).
The motion passed with, Council Members Travis Crow and Wade King voting to approve, Council Member John Kroll recused, Mayor Pro Tem Bill Foulds voting to oppose, and Council Member Taline Manassian was absent. Both City Staff and the DS Planning and Zoning Commission had recommended approval.
An application was filed this past March to make a zoning change from a 2-Family Residential - Duplex (SF-4) to the Local Retail District (LR) by the new owner Turquoise Texas Properties, Inc. Their plan is to transform the residence into a commissary-style kitchen to serve caterers and food trucks.
The property is within the City Limits; and the new owner based their request on the changing use of land around secondary and primary transportation routes into Dripping Springs from residential to commercial, as population surges.
At the meeting, Mayor Pro Tem Foulds said, “The driveway concept into RR12 is a major problem.” Previously, the item was tabled at the July 9, 2019 City Council meeting in hope that the Turquoise Texas could possibly negotiate a shared access driveway with the adjacent property owner. However that property is owned by a development corporation that does not have any current plans for development - so no agreement was reached.
“Any future site plan for the driveway would need to be reviewed and approved by TXDoT,” said City Planning Director Jason Lutz in his staff report recommending approval.
Lutz also states that the location along RR12 makes it more suitable for commercial rather than duplex zoning. It would allow for future commercial and retail businesses to locate on the site, as a service for the needs of residents in the area.
At this time, there is residential zoning to the north and east of the property, (LR) zoning to the south, and PDD3 #5 (Heritage Development ) west of the property.