[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6511613,"mediaKeyId","5322163-9ec45dd826d7ecf0d6f7ccfd521a053e","parentId",5322163,"title","Lakeway council debates building-code update on landscaping, mulch and tree rules; staff to revise language","audioSeconds",1190,"startMs",391000,"endMs",1581000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5322163-9ec45dd826d7ecf0d6f7ccfd521a053e&start=391&end=1581","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5322163-9ec45dd826d7ecf0d6f7ccfd521a053e/thumbnail_391000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6511613/Lakeway/Travis-County/Texas/Lakeway-council-debates-building-code-update-on-landscaping-mulch-and-tree-rules-staff-to-revise-language","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6511613-87a63af81c92cdc479721846544c196b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771159984&Signature=J1jVd-ew9q~8b0~pEtMZ5IXdbml3l9pD6YCf6K1LbCHVQgMQyj-3kBCPVz3KBat~NCOpVPWW1Fy9GgjBkUV8bbM3LLydAy1ypUTac~Dk3lxn1BVYzaA5XqBGniFsPxgMHwIjKhTokRww3FNnyktjwqT~OItZGszM1tKTqPh2NIKmFrhInTrRAaUvZKfq4ihQ7e7RUR6cef5qOa3G5omo4il8wtI-im82lGFYAdMfp2G9nG9ZqupTrgFf4rU8q-GnIl9doolBALjULaCNv29B2kdg7ngWIbV5Pm7EKrJ5lGm4ZhMBQMjnSV0r7lUwgIxk-MOe9dUwLdYo9aXtag-1hw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Lakeway","date","2025-07-07T00:00:00Z","article","Lakeway City Council members spent substantial time on July 7 discussing proposed changes to Title 2 (Building and Development Regulations) intended to clarify landscaping, defensible-space and tree provisions in Ordinance No. 2025-5771.

Senior planner Charlie (presenting the staff report) told the council the draft corrects a typo that had removed a requirement for landscaping buffers at the front and sides of houses and adds language referencing the principles embodied by widely used third-party wildfire‑mitigation guidance rather than binding the city to a specific outside code. Charlie said the update seeks a balance between providing homeowners useful examples and avoiding permanently tying city rules to a commercial product or a third party that could later change its standards.

Council discussion centered on three issues: whether referencing third-party guidance such as Firewise should be phrased as \"consistent with\" or \"including but not limited to\" to avoid being legally bound to future changes; whether requirements about fire-resistant mulch should be mandatory or encouraged; and how the city should treat removal of dead or diseased trees and protected trees.

Several council members urged caution about making mulch a mandatory code requirement. Councilmember Sherman said he understood the public safety goal of fire‑resistant mulch but asked whether a strict code could expose homeowners to insurance claims for inadvertent noncompliance; he favored weaker mandatory language or encouragement instead. Councilmember O'Brien, Councilmember Brinson and the Mayor Pro Tem likewise said they preferred encouragement rather than strict enforcement, saying they did not want to create an enforcement burden for code officers or unexpected liability for homeowners.

Planner Charlie and staff said new‑landscape requirements would apply to new construction and to submitted landscape plans, and that existing landscaping generally would be grandfathered. Charlie explained the code would allow 18 inches of cleared zone with a requirement to mulch within 48 hours for some construction-clearance situations and that the code official would have authority to impose additional reasonable restrictions as needed. On dead or diseased trees, staff noted that Texas state law prevents the city from requiring a permit for removal of a dead or diseased tree; council and staff agreed the usual practice is that tree companies or arborists provide documentation when they remove trees, and that removal of protected trees would remain subject to penalties if done improperly.

Council provided direction to staff to make the ordinance language consistent across chapters, to revise third‑party references to a \"best practices\" or \"including but not limited to\" formulation, and to change mulch provisions from a strict requirement to an encouragement. Senior Planner Sullivan's prior email was cited as part of staff's analysis. The council asked staff to return the cleaned-up ordinance on the consent agenda at the next regular meeting rather than finalize it at the special meeting.

No formal vote was taken on Ordinance No. 2025-5771 at the July 7 special meeting; council members agreed to further ministerial edits and a future placement on a regular-meeting consent agenda.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Lakeway - Special City Council - Jul 07, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Lakeway councilors on July 7 considered proposed amendments to the city's building and development code, focusing on landscaping buffers, references to third‑party wildfire guidance and whether mulch rules should be mandatory.","taxTitle","Lakeway, Travis County, Texas","taxId",69618,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6511614,"Lakeway council approves appointments to Board of Ethics after closed-session review",141,248000,389000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5322163-9ec45dd826d7ecf0d6f7ccfd521a053e&start=248&end=389","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5322163-9ec45dd826d7ecf0d6f7ccfd521a053e/thumbnail_248000.jpg","/articles/6511614/Lakeway/Travis-County/Texas/Lakeway-council-approves-appointments-to-Board-of-Ethics-after-closed-session-review","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6511614-5262a3e9149e287cd8b25c0f001bb2a6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771159984&Signature=RGCP9rLf~9qvkljnq1m1qbPSKx6lKc4jx5FIDC2UUP4Qi5jcYKsqlW-TeHp7NYnVOH65mnDNCE0YFK~zsw13YYxMk3IQtDCmlgrGsAR58RV25gDJWRSNQIEqEXqQ7Hsd18-wApMVD3v23HlbGFtQVFc-QwQSRr78763u2S18aFl7eEOUyY9THFa6XBqg2Bw4x1kIPudoq~fIQA-a27cYo7c~UGv98KxL-o7KfGSid3cN2oV--deRzA8ZJWvVCuMeVOM1-hHnVCQsU-Zsjrn9njvS4ZPs8ZCYZQeg3G3yw4lOr91tcUqhyFaiYfg-J~zmuYwBFcjIiocJlhIgMvLfhQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lakeway City Council voted 5-2 on July 7, 2025, to approve Resolution No. 2025-5772, appointing members to the city's Board of Ethics.

The vote followed a closed executive session under Texas Government Code sections 551.071 (consultation with attorney) and related personnel provisions. Upon return to open session, the Mayor announced, \"No action was taken in our closed session,\" then called for a motion. A motion to \"approve the item as presented\" received a second and passed 5 to 2.

Council did not receive any citizens' participation on the item before the final vote. The Council's action resolves the current appointments as described in the resolution; the resolution number and that the appointments were made as presented were recorded in the meeting minutes.

The Council moved the item into executive session at 6:34 p.m. and returned to open session at 6:44 p.m. The meeting record shows no other formal actions tied to the resolution in open session.","The Lakeway City Council voted 5-2 to appoint members to the Board of Ethics after a closed executive session; no public comment was recorded on the item.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6511611,"Lakeway council directs removal of trespassing docks at Bridal and Sailfish parks; rejects special election",111,1724000,1835000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5322163-9ec45dd826d7ecf0d6f7ccfd521a053e&start=1724&end=1835","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5322163-9ec45dd826d7ecf0d6f7ccfd521a053e/thumbnail_1724000.jpg","/articles/6511611/Lakeway/Travis-County/Texas/Lakeway-council-directs-removal-of-trespassing-docks-at-Bridal-and-Sailfish-parks-rejects-special-election","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6511611-bc01f0e4a3c5a9296ecb0181ff981ab2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771159984&Signature=A~VMFeh5OCbkqPKQ9hMN2MsaPOLK3iJg7Srg1XfjyVykCkA434kN4-mnvSbCaySVC6liL16tzN7BXRpB0bsumeHYi~XIsudVp5gRxGQt1VDT9XvHM~n3hNtzuovoVtKqImp7VpJXpAvVzZ7wwa5lOVXPrmZttLeP3jnrG3XGDdeq7ETizg5znjm8dgA-suBkvfH~ccDDotqKWCJQQ8bmbgKa0yOou9srn~v0A4L5k3K0cha8ky3Qp3j2YH-x3IU6qhGESV12S4~RxMkxICiFZIQY1ukaGsdFZmDY~mIDNO4d~DJd1QUM5JiTs9m9KX8Bq~mPVK6lvFsofBJkoe43Wg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lakeway City Council directed staff on July 7 to begin removing structures that trespass on city property at Bridal and Sailfish parks, stating the city will not amend deed restrictions or sell underwater ground to adjacent property owners.

Council reported that legal review and executive-session discussions found six docks on city parkland that the city considers to be trespassing. Council members said the Lakeway Civic Corporation and the city were unable to reach an agreement to amend deed language to permit those docks or to sell the underwater ground. The council said one alternative would be to hold a special election to authorize a sale, but that it was unwilling to spend approximately $45,000 on a special election for a matter that affects a narrow set of property owners.

The Mayor stated the council's direction in open session: the city will immediately begin the process of removing trespassing structures and access points from city property and will maintain Bridal and Sailfish parks as parkland. \"The city council hereby directs the staff to immediately start the process of removing all trespassing properties, of structures and access points from city property,\" the meeting record states.

Council also clarified in open session that no action was taken on three other executive-session topics discussed earlier in the meeting: City Center, economic development matters, and the West Austin Business Park. Those items remain under discussion and no open-session actions were recorded.

No citizens addressed the council on the parks item in the open-session public comment period. The council adjourned at 8:58 p.m.","After executive session, Lakeway council directed staff to remove six docks the city says trespass on parkland and declined to hold a special election that would have cost about $45,000; council reaffirmed that parkland will not be sold or redeveloped.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Lakeway council debates building-code update on landscaping, mulch and tree rules; staff to revise language

Lakeway council approves appointments to Board of Ethics after closed-session review

Lakeway council directs removal of trespassing docks at Bridal and Sailfish parks; rejects special election