Keene planning commission approves rezoning, preliminary and final plats for Covington Acres after Atmos easement change

KEENE, Texas — The Keene Planning and Zoning Commission on May 13 approved a rezoning request and both the preliminary and final plats for the Covington Acres apartment development at 2632 E. U.S. Highway 67 after the developer increased the project acreage to accommodate a wider utility easement.

The action allows Kittle Property Group to rezone about 24.7308 acres from C-2 (general commercial district) to a planned development (PD) based on multifamily zoning; the commission voted to acknowledge two variances requested by the developer, including permission for three-story buildings rather than a two-story limit and reducing playgrounds from five to four.

Kittle Property Group representative Mike Roterer told commissioners the acreage rose from roughly 21 acres to 24.7308 acres because Atmos Energy required a wider gas-line easement on the site’s east side. Roterer said the number of buildings, unit count, ingress and egress and other site elements are unchanged from earlier approvals and that civil construction plans already have engineering and fire-department approvals.

During the public hearing, nearby resident Steve Conley asked whether the easement now exceeded 100 feet and whether it affected his property across the street; city staff said the larger easement extends into the original 38-acre tract and that questions about private-property impacts should be directed to the gas company. Resident Charles Loomis asked for clarification about the location of U.S. Highway 67 on the site map. Another resident asked about drainage; a city staff member said the preliminary plat shows a detention pond in the right-of-way dedication area and that storm drains and the pond were designed to prevent increased runoff.

Commissioner Gilbert Perez made the motion to approve the rezoning request and to acknowledge the two variances; Commissioner Edgardo Perez Sr. seconded. The commission then approved the preliminary plat (motion by Commissioner Caleb Bull; second by Edgardo Perez Sr.) and the final plat (motion by Edgardo Perez Sr.; second by Gilbert Perez). Commissioners voted by show of hands and the motions passed with no recorded opposition.

City staff said the project — identified in the packet as Covington Acres — was previously considered by the commission and city council last fall but required a revised zoning submittal after Atmos changed the easement width. Roterer said the developer hopes to start construction later this summer.

The commission’s approvals complete its portion of the plat process; as staff noted at the meeting, the typical next step is transmittal to City Council for any required city-level approvals and recording. The packet includes civil plans and a larger final-plat drawing, and staff said third-party inspectors and department reviews have been completed.

Other development updates noted at the meeting included acceptance of a certificate of occupancy for the Tractor Supply store and a planned soft opening May 31, and several nearby subdivisions with homes under construction (Ashton Homeplace, The Canyons, Sunset Ridge and Stonehearst).

The public hearing opened at 6:03 p.m.; the commission closed the hearing before taking the rezoning and plat votes.