Horseshoe Bay approves variance, advancing stalled development
Horseshoe Bay City Council approved a variance request for Richter’s Ranch on Monday, Nov. 10 after months of back and forth on the project. Image courtesy of city of Horseshoe Bay
Horseshoe Bay City Council unanimously approved a grading variance for Richter’s Ranch, a 54.5-acre residential development at Mountain Dew and Rocky Ridge, allowing the long-delayed project to move forward.
The Nov. 10 approval grants relief from city grading limits, allowing the developer to build two detention ponds, expand Grassy Knoll Road with new drainage infrastructure, and add a cul-de-sac to meet fire safety requirements. The variance also includes a 15-foot greenbelt adjacent to a nearby creek.
The project proposes 123 single-family lots and seven communal lots, though those figures may change as plans progress.
City Council postponed a decision in October, citing a lack of sufficient information. The delay gave the developer time to address concerns and allowed council members additional time for review.
“I see this first variance as a net plus for the community,” council member Frank Hosea said, noting that the new ponds will help address existing flooding problems in the area. He added that, regardless of whether anything else is developed on the land, it would be in better shape than it is now.
Engineer Erin Sandoval with WGI, representing the applicant, said the extended review process helped refine the project.
“We want to make sure that everybody is happy with this, and if we didn’t have this back and forth, we wouldn’t have come to this new layout,” Sandoval said. “This new layout hits all the right corners for everybody.”
To minimize initial grading, the developer is using a “paper lot” approach, which defers clearing and grading to future property owners who will apply for individual building permits– a strategy city attorneys confirmed as legally valid during the meeting.
Next steps include review of the preliminary plat by the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council, followed by construction review with city staff and final plat approval from both bodies. City officials estimate construction could begin six to nine months after the preliminary plan is approved, with the next council review expected in February.
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Why is this needed? There are hundreds of undeveloped lots in the area west of the Jetway — with pre-existing utilities and infrastructure.