Bastrop officials are pushing a new rule that would require at least 60% of street-facing ground-floor storefront space in the city's historic downtown to house active, customer-facing businesses like shops, restaurants, galleries or entertainment venues. The proposal, aimed at keeping foot traffic alive in the city's core, has already rattled some downtown property owners who received notice of the change this fall.
The Bastrop Planning and Zoning Commission is set to consider the proposal at a public hearing on Oct. 29, according to Community Impact. The amendments would formally divide ground-floor storefront uses into two categories: active uses, which include retail, restaurants, personal services, galleries and entertainment, and passive uses, which cover offices, appointment-based services, residential uses, private clubs and administrative areas. Under the draft rules, passive uses could occupy no more than 40% of street-facing storefront space.
City records reviewed by the outlet indicate the changes are meant to preserve downtown's traditional storefront character, encourage foot traffic and limit long stretches of storefronts with little walk-in activity. Brittany Dullard, Bastrop's planning manager, said the rules would still allow flexibility through a conditional use permit process and an administrative exception for businesses facing qualifying vacancies or market hardships.
Property Owners Push Back After Getting Notice
City officials notified downtown property owners about the proposed amendments, and the reaction wasn't entirely welcoming. Michaela Joyce, Discover Bastrop's director, addressed the proposal directly in a video streamed on the city's Facebook page on Thursday, acknowledging that the notice caused concern among some recipients. Joyce said existing downtown businesses, along with those already in planning or permitting, will be grandfathered under the new rules.
Joyce pointed to a city survey that drew several hundred responses this summer as evidence the push for more active storefronts reflects what residents actually want. Respondents, she said, called for more retail and restaurants downtown — the exact mix the proposed ordinance is designed to encourage.
Alcohol and Cigar Businesses Could Face New Limits
The proposal could also impose restrictions on some alcohol-related businesses and specialty cigar shops. Dullard said the restrictions would let officials assess factors including hours, noise, outdoor activity, parking, security and compatibility with surrounding uses before approving new ventures. Businesses earning at least 75% of their revenue from alcohol sales would need special city approval to open within 300 feet of a similar business.
That local authority traces back to state law: Section 109.33 of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code grants Texas municipalities the power to adopt distance ordinances barring alcohol sales within 300 feet of churches, schools or public hospitals, and to grant variances based on land-use compatibility, according to FindLaw. The proposal separately calls for special approval for alcohol-heavy venues within 300 feet of similar businesses.
Bastrop's Listed Historic Properties
More than 130 Bastrop properties are listed as part of a Multiple Resource Area, according to the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. The Bastrop Main Street Program, established in 2007 and accredited by Main Street America, now covers a 62-block historic district encompassing more than 200 local businesses and organizations, per the City of Bastrop Main Street Program.
Bastrop made a comprehensive-plan map amendment in May 2025, according to the City of Bastrop. The amendment followed the city's earlier adoption of form-based zoning through the Bastrop Building Block Code in November 2019, which the city council repealed and replaced with an updated Bastrop Development Code this past April to simplify development administration, per the Congress for the New Urbanism.
Growth Pressure Behind the Push
The push for active storefronts comes as Bastrop keeps expanding fast. The city had 9,688 residents in the 2020 Census. A 2026 projection puts the city at 12,366 residents.
Where Residents Can Weigh In
Residents can offer input at the Planning and Zoning Commission's public hearing on Oct. 29 at 6 p.m. at Bastrop City Hall, 1311 Chestnut St. If the commission recommends the changes, the Bastrop City Council would then take them up on Nov. 3 and again on Nov. 17.
