Cedar Park Council Update
Indigo Ridge South PD Amendment #2 (Case 2026-1-Z) — First Reading, 100.8-Acre PD with 850-Unit Density Cut
Council took up the first reading of Ordinance 2026-1-Z amending the Indigo Ridge South Planned Development on approximately 100.8 acres at 301 County Road 178, generally east of West Parmer Lane and south of East Whitestone Boulevard (at the southeast corner of Whitestone & Toro Grande). Owner/representative: Amanda Swor (Riverside Resources / CEC, Inc.) for the property owner. The amendment rezones from a mix of Development Reserve, General Business, PD-GB and PD-MU into PD-General Business (Area A, 78.61± ac, increasing to ~86.74 ac) and PD-Mixed Use (Area B, 14.06± ac, decreased from 20 ac due to right-of-way dedication for the Toro Grande Boulevard extension and a new Commerce Parkway). The PD caps total residential units at 650 apartments — a reduction of 850 units from the existing PD entitlement — and removes the Special Use Permit pathway to add more units. MU tract requires a 70/30 residential-to-non-residential ratio with a hard floor of 150,000 sf of non-residential in Area A and 15,000 sf in Area B receiving Certificate of Completion before any residential CO can issue. Buffer: 8-ft masonry wall plus 25-ft landscape buffer along the eastern boundary from East Whitestone to Brushy Creek; building heights stepped at 35 ft / 2 stories within 50 ft of single-family, 65 ft / 4 stories at 50–100 ft. Applicant noticed all 33 surrounding single-family property owners and the Whitestone Landing HOA; held in-person meeting Feb 19, 2026 with the Galloways (closest neighbors). P&Z public hearing March 11 had one speaker in favor; Council public hearing April 9 had two speakers in favor. Staff received three telephone inquiries (two from Round Rock ETJ residents on traffic, one Cedar Park resident on PD changes) — no formal opposition.
Omniverse Spaces Rezoning at 101 Oakwood Trail (Case 2026-2-Z / 2025-6-FLU) — Second Reading, REG → I/M and DR → LI-CO
Council second reading on the paired Future Land Use Plan amendment (2025-6-FLU) and zoning case (2026-2-Z) for the approximately 9.99-acre property at 101 Oakwood Trail, between Scottsdale Drive and the stub-out of Oakwood Trail in the Lakewood County Estates neighborhood (Cedar Park ETJ). Owner: Omniverse Spaces LLC; Applicant: Bharath Devineni, P.E. The FLUP changes from Regional Office/Retail/Commercial (REG) to Industrial/Manufacturing (I/M); zoning changes from Development Reserve (DR) to Light Industrial-Conditional Overlay (LI-CO). The shift to LI was direct guidance from City Council at its July 10 and July 24, 2025 meetings, where Council rejected the prior General Business request. P&Z recommended approval 6-0 on March 11 (Antle, Shaffer, Reiss, Wernecke, Bradford-Brown, Strader in favor); Council April 9 public hearing had no registered speakers. Staff received three (3) emails in opposition from the Lakewood Estates side (HOA notified by email; certified mail to all owners within 500 ft; no response from neighbors directly). Conditions/site context: the property has frontage on Scottsdale Drive (commercial collector) and abuts an LI-CO office/showroom/warehouse to the south, HC-CO auto sales to the west, and Single Family Residential ETJ to the east. A Final Plat (2025-2-FP) is pending to subdivide into two lots and dedicate 35 ft of additional ROW for Scottsdale Drive widening.
Plug and Play Custom Innovation Platform Agreement — Approved Unanimously, Adds Aerospace & Defense Vertical at $1.5M/Year
Council approved unanimously a resolution authorizing a Custom Innovation Platform Agreement with Plug and Play, expanding the existing advanced manufacturing accelerator program (now discounted to $500,000 annually) to add a second vertical positioning Cedar Park as the Texas hub for aerospace and defense — adding $1,000,000 annually for total Plug and Play incentive of $1.5M/year. Motion by Council Member Kirkland, second by Council Member Eric Boyce. Staff (Arthur, Economic Development) tied the new vertical directly to Cedar Park's role in the Central Texas Spaceport Development Corporation and the broader 90+ aerospace/defense companies in the Austin MSA (Firefly, SpaceX in Bastrop County, Systema Astro, Bcave). City is partnering through the Spaceport Development Corporation board with Nooks (a SCIF/secured-facility company) on the first building of the Spaceport development. Assistant Director Scott Smith represented Cedar Park at the Space Symposium in Colorado Springs alongside Williamson County Commissioner Long.
Major Corridors Code Amendment (Case 2026-2-OA) — Second Reading, Designates Commerce Parkway as Major Corridor
Second reading of an ordinance amending Chapter 11 (Zoning) of the Cedar Park Code regarding Major Corridors. The amendment designates the planned Commerce Parkway — a Primary Collector under the 2023 Mobility Master Plan that will connect Parmer Lane to East New Hope Drive and serve Future Land Use Plan Planning Areas E and G — as a Major Corridor, and clarifies roadway names within the existing major corridor list. The change syncs the zoning code with the recently adopted Cedar Park Transportation Criteria Manual and Mobility Master Plan. P&Z public hearing March 11 had no registered speakers; Council April 9 public hearing had no registered speakers; no public comment received via Austin American-Statesman notice or city website to date. P&Z recommended approval 6-0. Material because Commerce Parkway is the new spine road through the Indigo Ridge South PD (Item 1 above) and the Major Corridor designation triggers Cedar Park's Section 11.03.151 corridor design standards on adjacent development.
Median Design & Maintenance Guidelines Adopted (Cases 2026-4-OA + Resolution F.5) — Second Reading on Consent
Council second reading on Ordinance 2026-4-OA amending Chapter 14 (Site Development) regarding Planted Street Medians, paired with Resolution F.5 adopting the Median Landscape Design and Maintenance Guidelines book itself. Funded through a Type B Community Development Corporation grant; consultants: Westwood Professional Services. Staff: Amy Haycook (Development Services). The amendment requires all new and modified medians to comply with the new guidebook, which establishes three median size classes — Narrow (<6 ft, integral colored stamped concrete only), Average (6–15 ft, low shrubs/groundcovers/river rock), and Wide (>15 ft, full plantings) — plus standard plant palette, hardscape and maintenance specifications. P&Z public hearing March 11 had no speakers; Council April 9 public hearing had no public testimony. P&Z recommended approval 6-0 (Antle, Shaffer, Reiss, Wernecke, Bradford-Brown, Strader in favor). Tied to Council's Livability and Sense of Place strategic goal.
Residential Fence Regulations Amendment (Case 2026-3-OA) — Second Reading, Chapter 14 Site Development
Second reading and approval of Ordinance 2026-3-OA amending Chapter 14 of the Cedar Park Code (Site Development) regarding Residential Fence Regulations. P&Z voted 6-0 on March 11 to recommend approval; no registered speakers at either the P&Z public hearing or the City Council April 9 public hearing. Considered with the broader package of Site Development Ordinance updates (2026-4-OA medians, 2026-2-OA major corridors) on the April 23 consent agenda. Material for residential applicants and HOAs because it changes the standards governing residential fence height, materials and placement citywide.
Short-Term Rentals Ordinance (Case 2026-5-OA) — Second Reading, Chapter 4 Business Regulations + Fee Schedule
Second reading and approval of Ordinance 2026-5-OA amending Chapter 4 (Business Regulations) and Appendix A (Fee Schedule) of the Cedar Park Code regarding Short-Term Rentals. The ordinance was on the April 23 consent agenda alongside the other Chapter 14 site development amendments. Material because it sets the city's regulatory framework and registration fee structure for STRs (Airbnb/Vrbo-type uses) — a use category that has driven controversy in peer Austin-area cities and that affects both single-family neighborhoods and HOA enforcement.
Indigo Ridge South PD Amendment Neighborhood Communication — 33 Single-Family Owners Within 500 ft Notified, No Formal Opposition
As part of the Indigo Ridge South PD Amendment #2 first reading, the applicant's Neighborhood Communication Summary was placed on the record. Cedar Park requires the process for any rezoning (including SUPs) within 500 ft of a single-family residential zoning district or residentially used property; the summary report must be filed with the Development Services Director 14 days before P&Z. For Indigo Ridge South: an in-person meeting was held February 19, 2026 with the closest neighbors (Mr. and Mrs. Galloway); 33 notification letters were mailed February 24, 2026 to single-family residential property owners within 500 ft, plus a courtesy notice to the Whitestone Landing HOA. To date, three (3) telephone inquiries received — two from Round Rock ETJ residents asking about traffic and circulation improvements, one from a Cedar Park resident asking about specific PD changes — and no written opposition filed. The property abuts low-density single-family in Round Rock ETJ (east) and Whitestone Landing detached condominiums (west across Brushy Creek). North Fork of Brushy Creek bounds the property to the south.
P&Z Recap of Pipeline Projects — Headwater (1199 Fire Lane) and Kennel SUP Already Approved; Indigo Ridge and Omniverse Pending Final Reading
P&Z staff (Amy) walked the Commission through the Council pipeline. Already approved: the FLUP amendment and rezoning for the Headwater project at 1199 Fire Lane; second reading of the kennel Special Use Permit ordinance at the March 26 Council meeting. April 9 Council had first reading and public hearing for the Indigo Ridge South PD amendment, the Omniverse FLUP amendment / rezoning (Scottsdale Drive), and several Chapter 14 ordinance amendments. April 23 Council scheduled for second reading of all of those, plus adoption of the Median Design Guidelines resolution. No items currently on the May 15 Council agenda. Commissioner Sarah Groff was welcomed as the newest P&Z member; the Commission acknowledged outgoing service from Cindy and noted concerns for Bob Ingram. Volunteer assignment for the April 23 Council meeting was taken.