[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-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],{"_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",6535921,"mediaKeyId","5476292-900e3c5a216b1f84cb3db7bdcfffff5f","parentId",5476292,"title","Leander CIP team outlines 10-year capital improvements plan, highlights wastewater, road and parks priorities","audioSeconds",963,"startMs",86000,"endMs",1049000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5476292-900e3c5a216b1f84cb3db7bdcfffff5f&start=86&end=1049","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5476292-900e3c5a216b1f84cb3db7bdcfffff5f/thumbnail_86000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6535921/Leander/Williamson-County/Texas/Leander-CIP-team-outlines-10-year-capital-improvements-plan-highlights-wastewater-road-and-parks-priorities","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6535921-4a2d8e5f5c3714f93445428698ecdefb/orig.mp4?Expires=1770705679&Signature=GmekgSXyXAIBS7L1kVGPSf6lUjnQO3XbyNZKFrgt1OJj~SA-s8Cn4PmmbcKetTIr8PWXyAgvb4JClkqTr7~j105e8zPT~FcbFaMEVR4H6eA6gp8utnsPaLZJmQPYP~HWkK3dhbGcfhsYRllznMMmuh4o06kqkguQjOgNBeEzdvVZxyp0LUku-Sx~~M6tpmiZMh4xbybKPkT8Ho4hgFGHhaxXfW2S4-cO6FdGKAxvPAyDHNYaL6Kgy9ydZ8oBpwv0jn5uGK1ULJfCV98yj2mwq4RR50BRBxkJa3l3vMRVMJgxPsUs0bqV~fjTwG3kxULTisfFxltoXu5RzJbjonB11w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Leander","date","2025-07-24T00:00:00Z","article","The City of Leander’s capital improvements program (CIP) team presented a draft 10-year Capital Improvements Plan to the Planning and Zoning Commission during a workshop session, explaining project-eligibility criteria, the scoring methodology and a prioritized project list staff expects to advance for funding and implementation.

Tony Bettis, program manager for the capital improvements program, told commissioners the CIP is grounded in the city charter requirement that council adopt a capital improvements plan and that projects must meet minimum eligibility criteria: an estimated cost of at least $200,000, be nonrecurring, provide a minimum five-year benefit and add to the city’s capital assets. Bettis said the city is expanding its outlook to a 10-year horizon rather than the previous five-year framing.

How projects are developed and prioritized
Bettis said departmental master plans (water, wastewater, storm drainage, parks, facilities and transportation) produce candidate project lists that staff scores with a weighted rubric. Scoring categories include operational capacity, public safety, mobility, economic development, project readiness, physical condition and equity; category weights produce a maximum weighted score of 100. Staff reported about 95 candidate projects, of which budgetary and timing constraints initially allow evaluation of roughly the top 47 projects.

Staff highlighted several projects and considerations:
- Wastewater treatment expansion: described as a high-priority need driven by capacity and regulatory considerations. Bettis said design and construction timelines make this a near-term scheduling priority.
- Crystal Falls Parkway east extension: Bettis said Williamson County is partnering on the project and has committed $10,000,000 toward planning, design and procurement.
- Hero Way West waterline and water tower: listed as in design with easement procurement required before construction can proceed.
- Parks maintenance shop at Lakewood Park and library facility needs: Bettis cited safety, staffing capacity and aging HVAC and roofing systems as short-term facility priorities.

Funding sources identified included certificates of obligation, bonds, grants (ARPA, Capital Metro, TxDOT cited) and annual recurring budgets; staff said some projects are specially funded or partnered and therefore must be retained on the prioritized list even if scoring places them lower.

Commissioner feedback and next steps
Commissioners asked for more time to review the draft materials. Commissioner Landrip urged elevation of a legacy project, San Gabriel Park, into a higher rank because of its community importance. Bettis said staff produces an annual CIP book (posted on the city website) and will email the draft to commissioners; staff plans to return to the commission at a subsequent meeting for formal review and possible recommendations for the city manager and City Council.

Bettis summarized next steps as completing funding analysis and readiness reviews, soliciting commission input, and forwarding a recommended CIP to City Council for acceptance and programming into the city budget cycle.

Ending note
Commissioners postponed any formal recommendations so members can examine the draft CIP book and worksheets in detail before the commission’s next meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Leander - P&Z Commission","oneSentenceSummary","City staff presented a draft Capital Improvements Plan to the Planning and Zoning Commission describing a 10-year outlook, scoring methodology and a ranked list of projects including wastewater treatment expansion, Crystal Falls Parkway extension and facility upgrades; commissioners requested more time to review and will return with comments.","taxTitle","Leander, Williamson County, Texas","taxId",2825,"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},6535926,"Leander Planning and Zoning Commission denies Leander Springs PUD amendment after water, height and adjacency concerns",1483,1442000,2925000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5476292-900e3c5a216b1f84cb3db7bdcfffff5f&start=1442&end=2925","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5476292-900e3c5a216b1f84cb3db7bdcfffff5f/thumbnail_1442000.jpg","/articles/6535926/Leander/Williamson-County/Texas/Leander-Planning-and-Zoning-Commission-denies-Leander-Springs-PUD-amendment-after-water-height-and-adjacency-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6535926-4dde1f2897fed6038656e4fc512d1c7b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770705679&Signature=MpgkHgCh3HVORJ7mo2~THJXgRh4ojv8y7vvssPSBAtOmU78YwwoU61bG62~zdkLSyqGzYWgNjUOivl89mdnyCp228ws0oKWPFzJ3teptRFLsY9-T57Xws8H2hN2B-0cS9hSjfS7iQL1N3PkWo-MAChMCOgchYf29piw1m4DL~6WYHX~0s9rVg-OtYvSyQwvxe3MH5XbR93WaBOcgDCEwfXwCjGb1VoljuBpddCXi9a2qODvG6AfAi6TXiQzil0yQlQWqIw9Cp1jRE0xp3NJ0jLHybYuc~2rRAbRO~Ut7eH74v89OseaCBx1dj25wfhUfLTQ9gUi~tic-fUVK25kOOA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City of Leander Planning and Zoning Commission voted 4-1 to deny a proposed amendment to the Leander Springs planned unit development (PUD) that would have revised phasing rules, reduced overall apartment counts in some areas and allowed a lagoon and up to 1,200 apartment units on roughly 77.9 acres near the intersection of US 183A and RM 2243.

The denial followed a public hearing in which nearby residents warned the commission the development could strain local water supplies, remove established greenbelt buffers and introduce tall multifamily buildings adjacent to single-family neighborhoods. Vice Chair moved to deny the PUD amendment; the motion passed with four votes in favor and one dissent from Commissioner Morales.

Why it matters: The proposed amendment would have restored broader development entitlements tied historically to a previous PUD and its phasing rules and would have allowed a large vertical-mixed-use multifamily component and a lagoon amenity on the site. Opponents said the lagoon and multifamily elements raise water-supply, screening and compatibility questions that were not answered to the commission’s satisfaction.

What was proposed and the staff summary
Michael Chanowski of the planning department summarized the request as an amendment to the Leander Springs PUD to update phasing and timing language, to permit a lagoon, to allow up to 1,200 apartment units in vertical mixed-use buildings, and to establish building-height limits of 35 feet along the southern and western boundaries (down from prior 60-foot allowances at those edges). The property was described by Williamson Central Appraisal District parcel numbers R403524 and R051592.

Chanowski explained the original PUD had included a deadline tied to a 380 economic development agreement that required the Crystal Lagoon certificate of completion by Dec. 31, 2023, to preserve certain entitlements. That deadline had expired under the earlier ordinance and the zoning reverted to conventional development rules; the current amendment proposed new phasing language and removed the prior 380-linked deadline.

Public comments and applicant remarks
Three residents spoke during public comment. Clifford Hall, who said his property in Overlook Estates abuts the site, urged careful study of adjacency and height provisions, recommended that Tracts J and K be limited to two stories where they border existing homes, and asked for stronger buffering. Monica Pintado and Elizabeth Moore also objected to the scale of the lagoon and multifamily uses; Moore called a proposed four-acre lagoon “grotesque” given regional water shortages and urged commissioners to consider long-term water impacts.

Pete Conklin, representing Island Development Group and identifying himself as the applicant, addressed water concerns and the lagoon’s intended use. Conklin said the development had drilled a well on the property and described the water plan to the commission: \"we would fill it one time with the city's water and then we'd use the well.\" He also said the lagoon was intended for swimming, kayaking and recreational features such as an obstacle course or surf park.

Commission discussion and decision
Commissioners raised several substantive concerns during the discussion. Commissioner Landrip said she was not in favor of the multifamily and lagoon components because they “go against the current water ordinance” and expressed support for hotel and commercial uses with appropriate buffering to adjacent residences. Vice Chair stressed that if the lagoon portion were required in phase 1, the proposal might be unique and beneficial to the city; but several commissioners said unanswered water-supply, timing and readiness questions left them unconvinced.

Vice Chair moved to deny the proposed PUD amendment; the motion passed 4-1. The commission chair recorded the outcome as a denial of the PUD amendment and noted the applicant retains the option to develop under existing zoning that allows 35,000 square feet of commercial uses or to submit a revised zoning request.

Next steps
Because the commission recommended denial, the matter will be forwarded to City Council for final action. Staff reminded the commission — and the public — that applicants may pursue development under the current zoning or return with a revised application.

Ending note
Commissioners and residents repeatedly framed water availability and neighborhood compatibility as the central issues influencing the decision; commissioners said a more detailed presentation from the applicant addressing water sourcing, construction deadlines, and neighborhood buffering would be necessary for reconsideration.","The Planning and Zoning Commission voted 4-1 to deny a proposed amendment to the Leander Springs planned unit development that would have allowed a lagoon and up to 1,200 apartments, after residents raised water-supply and buffering concerns and commissioners questioned readiness and deadlines.","actionData","errors"]

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Leander CIP team outlines 10-year capital improvements plan, highlights wastewater, road and parks priorities

Leander Planning and Zoning Commission denies Leander Springs PUD amendment after water, height and adjacency concerns