DRIPPING SPRINGS, Texas — A number of Dripping Springs residents are continuing to fight back against a music venue planned for Fitzhugh Road.
California-based developers are currently working to get a permit to build the venue from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. But last month, residents in the area told KVUE they're worried about the impacts the venue could have on their small community.
The residents – who have created a website detailing their concerns – said they're worried about traffic safety, emergency response times and noise and light pollution.
"Are [they roads] actually safe enough to handle the traffic? Fitzhugh Road, as you can see, has no shoulder. There are lots of turns. There are no street lights. How is that going to work with that many people on the road?” Kevin Fleming, a member of the Stop Fitzhugh Concert Venue Coalition, told KVUE in July.
Neighbors also think the venue could have major environmental impacts on Barton Creek.
"This venue is very, very close to Barton Creek, so the impact of the overflow of wastewater into Barton Creek is going to be felt not only by the people in this community here, but all the way into Austin," Will High told KVUE in December.
A leader of the development company planning to build the venue said it has plans to make sure these issues are handled with care.
The Stop Fitzhugh Concert Venue Coalition has created a Change.org petition to try to get more people involved. As of Friday morning, 1,950 people have signed it.
However, not everyone opposes the proposed venue. Jackson Lucht, who lives about 15 minutes from where the venue would go, told KVUE in July that he thinks it's a cool idea.
"This area does not have an outdoor amphitheater music venue other than bars and breweries and restaurants in the area. So, personally, we'd love to go to an outdoor music venue," Lucht said.
Boomtown is KVUE's series covering the explosive growth in Central Texas. For more Boomtown stories, head to KVUE.com/Boomtown.