Council rejects offers to buy city-owned tract

The West Lake Hills City Council voted unanimously to reject all 12 proposals to purchase a 2.46-acre, city-owned tract at 110 Westlake Drive during a work session Sunday, and then considered a second motion to resubmit requests for proposals to purchase the tract based on both commercial and residential use that failed.

Council Member Brian Plunkett made the second motion, which was seconded by Council Member Beth South. Council Member Rhonda McCollough abstained, saying she believed the motion should include a provision stipulating all new proposals adhere to the city’s master plan.

The call for a vote ended in a 2-2 tie, with Council Member Darin Walker and Mayor Pro Tem Jim O’Connor voting against it, so Mayor Linda Anthony broke the tie by voting no.

The action was greeted with applause from the audience of mostly residents remaining until the end of the meeting.

Six of the 12 representatives submitting proposals were on hand to make 10-minute pitches during the work session, five were not present and one was disqualified for not including a proposed purchase price. Proposals ranged from $750,000 to $2.7 million, and included everything from residential use to an aquatics center.

The presentations were followed by input from several residents who united in urging the council to consider only proposals for residential use of the property.

Just before the executive session, Anthony didn’t mince words about what she felt was the logical use for the property.

“Even though some of these commercial projects that have been submitted to us are interesting, they are low density in terms of how they are sited on the land, that this really should be and stay residential,” Anthony said.

Robin Brawn, who has owned a home at 203 Westhaven Drive for 30 years, summed up the sentiments of nearby residents concerned about traffic and other issues if the land is used for commercial purposes.

“Fifteen years ago, some of us ... were involved in the original decision of the city to purchase that property so it would not turn into a parking lot,” Brawn said. “At that time, we were given to believe that property would always remain left as a greenspace . ... So we don’t have to go through this again in the future, and (with) a lot of these commercial properties, there is no telling what they may want to do in the future . ... So, I would suggest that all of these proposals be scrapped and consider it as low-density residential as it could be.”

Anthony suggested that the council continue discussion and fine-tune the alternate request for proposals at the March 28 meeting.