BASTROP, Texas (KXAN) – Families in a Bastrop neighborhood are sharing their frustrations about a proposed film company moving in. They say the development will use their River Meadows neighborhood as a thoroughfare.

“It’s going to directly affect our way of life,” said Philip Lawhon, who lives near the proposed site.

The Bastrop 552 Development is a proposed 546-acre development with a mix of land uses and development types that support a primary use as a film studio. According to a city document, the multi-faceted film studio facility would include production facilities, sound stages,
backlots, storage, and other ancillary spaces. Lodging, restaurants, event spaces and
recreational facilities would all support this film studio use.

About 70 neighbors packed a planning and zoning commission special meeting Wednesday night to express their opinions of the project, which include traffic and noise issues.

The developers of the project say it will add about 1,400 jobs and a boost to the film industry and economy in Bastrop. They also said they are asking for a perimeter road to prevent traffic issues.

In a statement to KXAN, a spokesperson said:

Line 204 Studios has owned and operated studio lots and sound stages for more than 20 years and looks forward to bringing a prestigious, fully-functional and self contained movie and sound making facility to Bastrop. The community has expressed a deep desire to develop and strengthen the film industry here in Central Texas and we believe this unique and environmentally friendly project will drive economic growth and contribute to Bastrop’s future success.”

Line 204 Studios

Some neighbors say it will spur development in Bastrop. Many neighbors at Wednesday’s meeting said it would cause major noise and traffic flow issues and have a negative impact on the area’s wildlife.

“We’ve been living there for a long time and to have a development like that come in and disrupt our neighborhood is something we want the developer to understand and take it into consideration,” Lawhon said.

Neighbors are calling on the city to add language that specifies permissible sound levels, lighting requirements, as well as limit the number of events and the hours the events can be held.

At Wednesday’s meeting, the planning and zoning commission approved sending a recommendation to city council on the project’s concept. It will go before the council next week, but there are still several meetings and hearings that will happen over the next few weeks.

If the full project is approved, the developers say they will build in phases over the next six years.