By Will Pafford, Staff Writer

A request to remove a tree in the Village at Westlake shopping center shed light on a controversial issue in the balance to support local businesses and also preserve the natural character of West Lake Hills during a city council meeting Feb. 11. 

The West Lake Hills City Council voted to allow Endeavor Real Estate Group, which manages The Village at Westlake, to cut down an approximately 14-inch tree in the center while replacing the tree with several smaller trees totaling 39 caliper inches.

The vote was a 3-2 split with Mayor Dave Claunch, Councilman Earl Broussard and Councilman Andrew Schwartz in favor. Councilwomen Jane Noble and Cindy Probst dissented, and Councilwoman Amy Simmons was absent from the meeting. 

Colin Bearden represented Endeavor at the meeting. 

Bearden said the space the tree was blocking had not been leased for three years. 

“One of the biggest barriers to leasing that space has been that the tree cuts right through where a retailer would put their sign,” Bearden said. 

Bearden said the company was exceeding the basic requirements of the city’s ordinances by replacing the 14 inches with trees totaling 39 inches in prominent areas. 

Probst said trees block numerous other businesses in the center, and the tree is not the problem to leasing the space. 

“There are lots of trees that are blocking stores way more than that tree,” she said. 

Bearden said that tree was unique because it cut through the middle of the tenant’s sign. 

Noble agreed with Probst that the tree was not the problem with leasing that space, and was wary of cutting down trees to help businesses. 

“I’m really reluctant to start down this road,” she said. 

Broussard said the area has not leased well in the past, and the property owner is replacing the trees with more trees, so he supports removing the tree. 

“These are very tough economic times,” he said. 

Schwartz agreed because the shopping center would have more trees as a result of removing the tree in front of the space. 

Claunch broke the Council’s split vote, saying he doesn’t want to set a precedent of removing trees for businesses, but replacing one tree with three times as many inches is a good model for others to follow.