Southlake City Council voted 6-1 on Tuesday to approve the first reading of a zoning change and development plan for Bear Hollow, a 34-home subdivision planned for a wooded, nearly 21-acre tract along Davis Boulevard. Council Member Eric Wang cast the lone vote against the project, which shrank from the 36 homes developer Bridgerock Developments originally proposed in May 2026.
The vote, first reported by Community Impact, sends Bear Hollow to a second reading scheduled for Aug. 18. The 20.97-acre site is made up of five separate properties at 300, 500, 504, 600 and 684 Davis Boulevard, inside Southlake's SPIN Neighborhood #11, according to City of Southlake records. The rezoning shifts the land from SF-1A Single Family Residential and RE-5 Residential Estate District designations to R-PUD Residential Planned Unit District status.
Council members had tabled the plan by a 6-0 vote on May 19, after neighboring residents raised drainage concerns and voiced opposition to the project's density, per that earlier report. In response, Bridgerock Developments added two detention ponds, increased side yard setbacks to at least 10 feet, and expanded open space; Jody Boyd, a manager with the firm, said the ponds should improve overall site drainage.
Developer Touts Bigger Lots, $100 Million Tax Boost
Boyd told council members Bear Hollow's residential lots, averaging 13,999 square feet, run bigger than the smaller lots across the street and bigger on average overall, and that the plan fits well within the neighborhood. The current concept plan also includes 7.33 acres of open space, per city documents.
Southlake Planning and Development Services Director Dennis Killough reported in May that the plan preserves nearly 52% of the site's existing tree canopy, meeting the city's environmental standards, the outlet noted. During his May presentation, Boyd estimated the completed subdivision would generate roughly $100 million in ad valorem tax value for Southlake.
Political Backdrop on Southlake's Growth Fights
Wang, elected to Place 6 in May 2026, was the only council member to oppose Bear Hollow's first reading, according to City of Southlake records. He had also voted against a separate rezoning request in June 2026 for the six-home Breeze Way at Carroll neighborhood, a pattern suggesting his opposition to Bear Hollow may reflect a broader stance on residential density rather than an isolated objection.
The debate also lands against a backdrop of leadership skepticism toward growth in Southlake: Mayor Shawn McCaskill ran for office touting a voting record against high-density residential and commercial projects during his time on the council and planning commission, according to Shawn McCaskill's campaign. Bridgerock Developments has pursued similar projects elsewhere in the city, including a 2025 application for an 8.38-acre, 7-lot development called The Hideaway at 500 East Bob Jones Road, according to city filings. Southlake vets proposals like Bear Hollow through its SPIN initiative, which divides the city into 11 neighborhood zones to gather resident feedback before projects reach the council.
Affluent Market Fuels the Infill Push
The push for luxury infill projects like Bear Hollow tracks with Southlake's red-hot housing market. The city's median single-family home sale price hit $1,342,500 in March 2026, with homes spending a median of just 25 days on the market, according to Hunter Realty Group, citing Redfin data. Southlake's median household income tops $250,000, with a 94.6% homeownership rate and 74.7% of adult residents holding at least a bachelor's degree, per the same report, citing 2024 U.S. Census Bureau estimates.
When the council takes Bear Hollow up again, members will decide whether to formally adopt the zoning change and development plan. Whether the mitigations added since May satisfy residents who raised drainage concerns remains an open question heading into that vote.
