City Council Allows 121-acre Gatlin Creek Development to Move Forward

By Camelia Bulea, Associate Editor

The Georgetown City Council unanimously approved a zoning change request at 4900 Williams Dr., thus allowing development on Gatlin Creek to move forward.

The proposed Gatlin Creek Development is planned to include an assisted-living center, a nursing home, office condominiums, retail businesses and “patio-style high-end homes,” according to David Wolf, the owner of the land, and as quoted by The Statesman. Additionally, the remaining of 26 acres will be left undeveloped and transformed into an open space with water retention ponds.

According to the Community Impact Newspaper, the development is highly opposed by residents in neighboring communities who fear the project will negatively affect water quality in Lake Georgetown. Moreover, at the May 8 city council meeting, the opposition raised concerns regarding drainage and development compatibility with surrounding neighborhoods.

On the other hand, the party representing the project states that the development’s storm water drainage is regulated by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and, therefore, cannot negatively impact water quality.

Although Wolf asserted that the development’s plans to protect the lake are going to be reviewed by the Army Corps of Engineers, which manages the lake, opponents fear Wolf could sell the land to a developer that would build something neighbors did not approve of, this as reported by The Statesman. Meanwhile, City of Austin transportation planners have added about 10 miles to the 16.5-mile, $1.3 billion proposed system.

According to The Statesman, the newest map shows rail lines reaching Southpark Meadows shopping center in far south Austin, MoPac Boulevard near West Fifth Street and the Triangle on Guadalupe Street and MetroRail’s Crestview Station on North Lamar Boulevard. Later this month, the city must come up with an estimate for the additional 10 miles of lines, while the council is expected to decide in August what to put before voters.

Photo credits: LoopNet

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