Residents press city on development planning, safety

BASTROP — Community voices said last week they’re not opposed to new development entirely, but the city needs a plan to manage the traffic, flooding and infrastructure challenges that come with it.

Those concerns took center stage during a town hall Oct. 1 on the Crossings at 95, a proposed 7.3-acre mixed-use project near the youth softball fields along Texas 95. The meeting drew dozens of residents who questioned how the development fits into Bastrop’s broader plans for growth.

“When it’s an issue, Bastrop will show up and show their concern,” Mayor Ishmael Harris said.

The Crossings at 95 calls for two three-story buildings with ground-floor retail and apartments above, 30 three-bedroom townhomes and a 4,000-squarefoot restaurant. Shiva Shankar of Paradise Engineers said the project has already been scaled back.

“Initially we had proposed four stories but changed to three stories to have sufficient parking,” Shankar said.

Parking and public safety dominated the discussion. Bastrop currently has no ordinance establishing parking requirements for retail development, and several council members said the number of spaces proposed may not be enough to accommodate both shoppers and residents.

“We need to have a plan for electricity, so we don’t go into blackout and have seniors die from heat,” resident David Patterson said. “If we have this going through, who is going to take responsibility if we have too much rain coming off?”

While some residents said they supported the project’s design, others worried about its effect on nearby neighborhoods.

“Cars speed down our streets and children don’t have reliable sidewalks when walking to and from school,” resident Cheryl Kukaberg said. “This development will add to the danger with more traffic cutting through to avoid Highway 95.”

City Council directed the developer to hold the public meeting after facing backlash during a September session. Harris said the council will review the feedback before taking further action.

The project is expected to return to council for discussion Oct. 21.