Hello, my name is Ron Ruthven. I am the Planning and Development Director for the Town of Westlake. Whenever someone wants to build something in Westlake, I’m part of an awesome team of Town staff that makes sure that all buildings and developments are built to Westlake’s high standards and are truly “Distinctive by Design”.
More specifically, as the director of the Planning and Development Department, I am responsible for ensuring that the administration of the Town’s building and development requirements are enforced and executed in the most efficient, yet effective, manner possible. As an urban planner, I also work extensively with the Town’s comprehensive plan to make sure that all new development conforms to the plan’s recommendations.
The top three questions I get from residents are:
- When will the Entrada Starbucks open and why is Entrada going so slow? I’m happy to say that Starbucks is nearing completion and should be open by early Fall at the latest. The building exterior and tower are complete and Starbucks is completing the interior work as of July 2020. There are many reasons that the larger Entrada development has not been built as quickly as everyone would like. Town staff works very hard with the developer to make sure the development not only moves forward but moves forward in a way where quality is not sacrificed. We are striving to ensure that much of the heart of the Entrada development will start to take shape over the next year or so as the restaurants and wedding reception hall/chapel open and other new projects including a new hotel, gourmet grocery, and central plaza start construction.
- What is the zoning of my property? This is a common question I get. Zoning includes more than just what kind of land use you can have on a property. It also includes development standards such as building setbacks, building height, lighting standards, etc. Most of Westlake is zoned into specialized zoning districts called “Planned Development Districts” or “PD” zoning. These districts all have their own unique development requirements that, in many cases, are spread across multiple ordinances and even separate development agreements. It’s my job to help you understand these requirements and sometimes act as a “translator” given their varying complexities.
- What kind of new developments are coming to Westlake? This is a great question. Whenever new developments come to Westlake, they must go through an extensive review process which typically culminates with a requirement for final approval by the Town Council. Public notifications about these developments are posted on the Town’s webpage prior to the public hearings. In fact, all current and proposed development projects (that have submitted a formal application) can be viewed on the Town’s web page at the following link: https://www.westlake-tx.org/513/Development-Activity. Of course, you are always welcome to call or email if you have any questions too!
It is my pleasure to serve the citizens of Westlake. In fact, any questions you may have about development of any kind, feel free to contact me. That’s what I do!
