Cottonwood Shores council approves mixed-use rezoning despite residents’ concerns
Staff photo by Maci Cottingham.
The Cottonwood Shores City Council approved the rezoning of lots 2, 3, and 4 in the Castle Mountain Estates subdivision from single-family residential to planned-unit development mixed-use. The change means that both residential and commercial buildings are now permitted in the area.
The approval came during the Jan. 15 council meeting with a 2-1 vote, despite opposition from residents who raised concerns about infrastructure, safety during flooding, and the capacity of water and sewage systems.
The Kissling family, longtime property owners in the city, spoke at the meeting.
“We would like to see a little bit more of what’s intended,” Cameron Kissling said. “We’ve seen nothing to explain how this benefits the area.”
His father, Jim Kissling, added, “Is it going to be a bar? A restaurant? Retail? A gas station? That hasn’t been conveyed. I wouldn’t present it for approval without knowing what’s going to be there.”
Councilor Michael Ritchie assured residents that future developments would still require council approval and could be vetoed if concerns arise.
“As a (planned-use development), we can veto anything as a council that goes there. So if someone were to come up, they would have a plan and we would say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to that,” Ritchie said.
The council noted similar rezoning has already been approved for nearby lots, and a commercial entrance for the area has been approved by the Texas Department of Transportation.
According to the city, the request for the rezoning came from three different groups with an interest in the properties.
The Castle Mountain Estates area is on the west side of Cottonwood Shores, on a high hill overlooking the Highland Lakes. It is just off of Thanksgiving Mountain Road, and separated by elevation from RM 2147. The subdivision is also slated to neighbor a $75 million condominium project, Bluffview Waters, that was approved by Cottonwood Shores City Council in August 2025.
Cottonwood Shores city council structure
The approval for the rezoning came despite half of the six-member City Council being absent for the decision. The final vote came in at 2-1 with Place 1 Councilor Michael Ritchie and Place 2 Councilor Gary Parsons voting in favor of the rezoning and Mayor Pro Tem Cheryl Trinidad voting against it.
Mayor Jared Dodd, Place 4 Councilor Laura Hankins, and Place 5 Councilor Roger L. Wayson were absent from the meeting.
Cottonwood Shores is a Type A general-law municipality, meaning it is run by a City Council consisting of one mayor and five councilors. A city manager, in this case J.C. Hughes, handles the operation of the city while the council decides on policy, direction, and budget.
In a Type A general-law city, the mayor only votes when there is a tie to be broken. Otherwise, voting is up to the five city councilors. As long as there is a majority vote, even if only three of the five councilors are present, a measure may be passed.