Austin City Council passes Grove at Shoal Creek development

Austin City Council spent hours debating what to include or not include in the rezoning ordinance and affordable housing agreement with developers of the Grove.

Almost every council member submitted an amendment to the ordinance and after several of them were accepted, council passed the item 10-1. Only Councilwoman Ellen Troxclair voted against the proposal.

A notable member of the audience was Alison Alter.

Alter secured a position on City Council during Tuesday's runoff election. She ran a campaign mostly focused on a promise to scale back the Grove project.

Opponents of the Grove worry that the development will increase traffic and flooding in the area.

Alter hoped Council would delay a vote until she could take her new seat on the Dias. She tells us she is very uncomfortable with the way the process went tonight.

"We're ecstatic. We're pleased. We've been working on this case for about two years. We've put a lot of long hard work in this. It's been a long road, it's been a bumpy road, we're delighted to have come through and have City Council approval on a 10-1 vote. I mean, we're very, very pleased," said Jeff Howard, attorney for ARG Bull Creek Limited the company which owns the Grove.

Developers with the Grove said they will start drafting construction plans and have them reviewed by the city.

They expect to start construction in about eight months.