Kalahari has submitted an application for Planned Unit Development (PUD) zoning. A PUD is is a site-specific zoning district tailored to a specific location and use(s). PUDs allow greater flexibility than standard zoning districts, but the development must be of equal or better quality. A PUD may be amended, or may be removed by rezoning the property to another zoning district or another PUD.
Kalahari has requested the following uses be permitted in the PUD:
- Resort hotel
- Convention center, which will include related activities by the owner and/or operator of the convention center, convention attendees and others, such as entertainment and retail sales
- Indoor water park
- Outdoor water park
- Indoor family entertainment center
- Outdoor family entertainment center
- Wedding venue
- Recreational lake
- Spa
- Pet resort/small animal day care and boarding facility, where animals are not left outside overnight
- Restaurants/bars, which will include related activities such as performance spaces and may have drive-through service
- Retail sales and services
- Golf entertainment venue
- Mobile food establishments
- Employee housing
- Hotel/motel
- Fuel sales/convenience store
- Cinema
- Aquarium
- Day care
- Campgrounds
The chart below provides a simple overview of the process. There is detailed information on Zoning and PUDs here.
A public hearing was held March 7, 2018, at the Planning and Zoning Commission meeting where a recommendation vote was unanimously approved. The PUD now moves to the City Council for public hearing and final vote, tentatively scheduled for April 12, 2018.
There were open house meetings on May 9 and May 18, 2017, at Ridgeview Middle School, 2000 Via Sonoma Drive. Here is the information that was presented at the open houses. The public has also offered comments on social posts related to the project, dating back to June 2016 when Kalahari announced its intention to build a resort in Round Rock.
City and Kalahari officials have met with leaders from neighboring homeowners' associations to discuss the project. Residents and others have also had multiple opportunities to offer comments and ask questions on the City's Facebook and Twitter accounts.
If you have a question or comment, please email the project team at kalahari@roundrocktexas.gov.
All input received is shared with the City Council.
Below is a draft illustration of how Kalahari currently envisions the development. The site plan is subject to change.
Among the methods to mitigate the impact are:
- Site design of the project
- Enhanced landscaping can provide a visual buffer
- Fencing can provide a visual buffer
- Shielded, directional lighting can minimize the impact from parking lot lights
- The presence of the Brushy Creek floodplain limits how close any permanent structures can be built on the southern edge of the project
The map below shows the distance from the floodplain on the southern edge of the project to various properties on the south side of Brushy Creek. The City does not allow building in the floodplain. The tallest buildings in the project will be farther away from the neighborhoods. The maximum requested building height is 180 feet, and that is only allowed for buildings at least 750 feet away from the southern property line. This represents a larger setback than would be required by standard zoning requirements. In the C-1a zoning district, a 180-foot tall building would be set back about 210 feet. Buildings less than 750 feet away from the southern property line can be a maximum of 75 feet tall; however, no buildings may be located in the floodplain. The existing PUD zoning at the site allows buildings 15 stories tall, which could permit structures exceeding 200 feet in height.
