The developer for The Village at Spanish Oaks is asking the city of Bee Cave to amend the original plan to add a senior living facility, luxury rental living units and roadway simplifications and enhancements to the 80-acre project.

Residents from The Homestead residential development voiced opposition to the plans, citing their belief that it will increase traffic and clog Great Divide Drive, their only access point to Hwy. 71.

Current situation: However, the Bee Cave Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously at its Dec. 16 meeting to forward the amendment to City Council. Council is not scheduled to meet again until Jan. 13, and the item is expected to be on that agenda, a city official said. 

On Dec. 16, developer Jack Creveling told commission members his group envisions a best-in-class senior living facility at The Village with five levels instead of three. The proposed amendment would also allow developers to take 310 multifamily units and move them to a different location within the 80-acre parcel.

From five years to 50, here are some of the major anniversary milestones businesses in the Lake Travis-Westlake area reached this year.

15 year anniversary
Bee Cave Arts Foundation
The organization celebrated its 15th anniversary in August. Since its founding, the group has developed a variety of art programs and installations locally.

• 12912 Hill Country Blvd., Ste. F160, Bee Cave

• 701 S. Capital of Texas Hwy., Austin

• 6500 Bee Caves Road, Austin

Central Texas counties could begin receiving up to $1.25 million each in state funding for flood warning sirens in the coming weeks and months, officials announced Dec. 16.

The overview: The funding comes less than six months after historic flooding hit parts of Central and West Texas over the July 4 weekend, killing at least 137 residents and visitors. During special legislative sessions this summer, state lawmakers approved requirements that 30 counties included in a July disaster declaration install flood warning systems with the help of $50 million in state grants.

Zooming in: Each county is expected to receive up to $1.25 million from the Texas Water Development Board. Counties seeking more money will need their requests approved by the three-member board.

Counties are required to submit detailed project plans to the TWDB and can use the grants to install physical infrastructure such as sirens, rain gauges, flood gauges and solar panels to power the warning systems. The money can also be used for local flood education, outreach and training programs, TWDB staff said.