City to enact temporary moratorium on development

The city of Dripping Springs will enact a Temporary Development Moratorium next week, affecting permits for new development in the city and its extraterritorial jurisdiction.

Beginning Thursday, Nov. 18, the moratorium will impact permits related to subdivisions, site planning, land use, and construction for both residential and commercial projects. During the moratorium, no city department will accept permit applications for development. If the city council chooses to extend the moratorium past Nov. 27, applicants will be able to apply for exemptions or waivers.

The city of Dripping Springs said it recognizes the impact of rapid growth on providing for responsible development. Currently, the city has reached its wastewater capacity. It is also in the process of updating its Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Ordinance to accommodate land-use regulation issues.

“The city’s responsibility is to protect how our community grows, and sometimes, that requires us to make tough, but necessary decisions,” said Dripping Springs Mayor Bill Foulds. “It’s no secret how quickly we are growing. Enacting the temporary moratorium and giving serious consideration to an extension of that moratorium would allow us the needed time to update the City’s comprehensive plan and ensure our ordinances and regulations are appropriate for addressing this growth now and in the future. Our goal is to protect the treasured quality of life we have all come to know and love.”

The city will hold public hearings for residents and affected parties to provide comments regarding the moratorium’s possible extension. The hearings will take place at City Hall at the following dates and times:

• Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, Nov. 15, 6 p.m.

• City Council meeting, Nov. 16, 6 p.m.

• City Council meeting, Nov. 22, 6 p.m.

The city council will vote on the extension of the moratorium at its Nov. 22 meeting.

The city has set up a section on its website where developers and citizens can go for up-to-date information: cityofdrippingsprings.com/moratorium. Developers or citizens with questions should contact the Planning Department at [email protected].