Liberty Hill’s Highway 29 corridor is on deck for another growth spurt, with roughly 21.5 acres near Butler Farms lined up for neighborhood retail. The city’s Planning & Zoning Commission has signed off on a rezoning recommendation for the tract owned by Sutton Natalie, Ltd., clearing the way for a City Council showdown on May 27 that will pair annexation and final zoning in one public hearing.
What’s Proposed
The request would flip the land from Agriculture (AG) to General Commercial/Retail (C3), opening the door for retail, restaurant, and service uses instead of pasture-style zoning. According to a staff report from the City of Liberty Hill, the zoning case covers about 21.492 acres (WCAD parcels R543512 and R543513) and is tied directly to a pending annexation petition. City staff recommended approval, but the final call rests with the City Council later this month.
Part Of A Larger Development Push
The 21.492-acre site is just one piece of a larger, roughly 90-acre assemblage being marketed for a mix of retail and residential, according to property materials from Pohl Jensen. Local reporting notes the city is already working on a municipal services agreement with the landowner ahead of annexation, and the council is expected to hear annexation and rezoning together on May 27. Community Impact reported the tract is being pitched as a neighborhood-serving commercial aimed at supporting surrounding master-planned communities.
Next Steps And City Services
On April 22, the City Council accepted the annexation petition and gave staff the green light to negotiate a municipal services agreement that will spell out who handles water and wastewater, according to agenda records from the City of Liberty Hill. The municipal services agreement and final annexation ordinance are scheduled to land on the same May 27 agenda as the rezoning ordinance. Planning staff was clear in their recommendation to the commission that any rezoning approval is contingent on the council’s annexation decision and the final utility terms.
Why It Matters
The move tracks with a broader run of activity along Liberty Hill’s Highway 29, where developers and brokers have been touting the corridor as primed for more retail to serve fast-growing subdivisions. Project listings and local coverage highlight fresh retail deals and multiple available sites, which brokers say are drawing interest from national and regional operators looking for their spot on the strip. Coverage of a Denny's crash on Highway 29 boom has flagged the same surge in retail and multifamily attention around Highway 29 and the 183A corridor.
Who’s Behind The Filing
The zoning application lists Sutton Natalie, Ltd. as the owner and Pohl Jensen as the applicant and broker. Reporting in the Austin Business Journal identifies William Pohl and Jennifer Jensen as the general partners connected to Sutton Natalie. In their letter of intent, the development team frames the vision as a neighborhood-serving commercial that would catch everyday errands and dining needs for Butler Farms, Santa Rita Ranch, and other nearby communities.
What To Watch
All eyes now turn to the May 27 council hearing, where annexation, the municipal services agreement, and the rezoning request are bundled for a single night of decisions. If the council signs off, the Highway 29 frontage could move to pad-ready status relatively quickly, setting the stage for tenants to line up. Residents and prospective retailers will be combing through the council packet for details on utilities, driveway access, and site design conditions that will ultimately decide what kind of storefronts land on this stretch of Highway 29.
