Commission reviews 150-unit Victory Park townhome concept; concerns raised about open space, floodplain and parking

Developers presented a concept plan for Victory Park: a proposed 150-unit townhome development in a horizontal property regime on two partial parcels totaling about 12.82 acres behind Victory Baptist Church. The Planning Commission reviewed the concept and provided feedback; no final approval was requested at this conceptual stage.

Planning staff said the site lies in an R-4 high-density residential area per the future land use map and that the concept generally meets density and bulk regulations, with a noted change in frontage requirements (100-foot frontage required under recent code changes). Staff said the submittal shows roughly 30% open space and indicated approximately 15% useful open space on the plan, but that landscape plans and elevations were not yet submitted.

Commissioners and the public flagged several issues: proximity to FEMA-designated AE floodplain and buffers where several detention ponds and channel work are shown; the need for thorough review by the floodplain manager and for the detention basins to be sized and located so they do not increase downstream flooding; the requirement for a traffic study to analyze access and visibility from the adjacent arterial; and concerns that the plan provides only minimum parking and limited usable recreation or pedestrian connectivity. A resident commenter noted the lack of playgrounds, walking areas or a clubhouse and warned that available open space appeared to be located in floodplain or unusable areas.

Staff said a formal preliminary plat and elevations were submitted and that the traffic study would be required; floodplain management staff will review drainage and detention design at the formal stage. Commissioners asked the developer to provide elevations, detail on usable open space and analysis of how detention will function in conjunction with FEMA floodplain areas. The presentation remained at the concept/informational level and commissioners requested revisions before a preliminary-plan action.