By Michelle Stecker

Contributing Writer

The West Lake Hills City Council approved a majority of building identification signs the Eanes school district wants to put up to aid emergency responders trying to locate specific areas around Westlake High School, but disallowed several free-standing red and blue signs.

The rejected signs range from approximately 6-feet to more than 10-feet tall and planned within the right of way along Westbank Drive in front of the school.

Representatives from the school district’s maintenance and operations department requested the Council approve after-the-fact sign variances adjacent to and within the high school campus at the Council’s regularly scheduled meeting

The Council also disallowed 10-foot-tall, freestanding parking signs with nine varied color schemes and rejected 8-foot-wide plaques the district wanted to attach to the exterior of brick buildings. Those building signs were intended primarily to direct deliveries.

The reason for residential and building sign codes is “to preserve the natural state of the right of way,” West Lake Hills city administrator Robert Wood said.

The need for directional and identification aids arose from recommendations by local fire and police departments to provide clearer designations for building and area locations within the Westlake High School boundaries.

“First responders are the reason we started this whole project,” said David Hoedebeck, maintenance and operations coordinator for the school district. He said some of the signs would clearly identify the quickest route for emergency vehicles. Directional signs would also assist visitors to the school in finding their way around during athletic, band, performance and other events, said Les Reddin, director of maintenance and operations for the school district.

Reddin said the district had paid for all the signage before these requests for numerous variances were presented to the West Lake Hills City Council.

Although the signs improve safety on the high school campus, Councilman Spencer Stevens said there are simply too many of them.

Reddin agreed that the proposal may include too many signs and said he would review the quantity.

Other action by the council included approval to keep a lighted pole on the road just in front of the United Methodist Church in lieu of spotlights on the church’s sign at 1460 Redbud Trail. Realty Austin received unanimous approval to put up a 12-square-foot sign in front of the firm’s office at 901 Capital of Texas Highway.

After discussion in executive session, the council directed the city attorney to draft regulations to control development in the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction regarding subdivisions, water quality, trees and landscaping. The council also asked staff to investigate the possibility of regulating on-site sewage facilities (septic systems) in the extra territorial jurisdiction.