Council approves rezoning for Torrington Briarwood multifamily with modified development standards, 5-2

The Mesquite City Council voted 5-2 to approve a planned-development rezoning (Z-1024-3702) for Track B of the Torrington Briarwood site, permitting a 313-unit multifamily development on roughly 14.84 acres at 23701 Interstate Highway 635.

Planning staff and the developer presented a concept plan for the project, which would include up to four buildings, up to four stories and approximately 65 feet tall, and a mix of one- to four-bedroom units (about 43 one-bedroom, 152 two-bedroom, 106 three-bedroom and 12 four-bedroom units in the developer’s concept). The applicant, JPI, sought specific modifications to standard multifamily development requirements to address site constraints that include a drainage channel and floodplain running through the property.

Key modifications approved by the council include: allowing a small portion of Building A to reach four stories within 300 feet of existing single-family homes (the ordinance’s standard limits multifamily to three stories within that buffer); reducing the minimum one-bedroom unit size from 725 to 660 square feet; and allowing areas inside the site’s floodplain to be counted toward the open-space requirement because of the constrained developable area.

Garrett Langford, planning staff, said Track B alone was before council because of a notice error on the larger 38-acre rezoning request. He said Tracks A, C and D would return for later consideration. “Due to a technical error in the notice, the agenda tonight considers rezoning of about a little over 14 acres — that is Track B,” Langford said. The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval 7-0.

Karsten Lowe, an affordable housing development manager with JPI, described the design intent to preserve floodplain vegetation, provide a private drive connecting to the dead end of Dean Street as primary resident access, and include emergency-only access with a Knox Box to Avis Circle. Lowe said the team intends to use box culverts where the private emergency drive crosses drainage features and to keep as many trees as possible. “Our goal is to keep as much of the floodplain and the drainage channels as open space,” he told council.

Neighbors raised concerns during public hearing comments. A long-time resident said repeated flooding problems on nearby streets had damaged vehicles and caused sinkholes; another resident said removing trees could increase noise from IH-635 and that local wildlife might be displaced. Richard Huckaby, of Avis Street, said the track included material from past construction and worried about parking and floodplain impacts. The applicant and staff responded that the project must meet city drainage and engineering requirements and that culverts and detention would be designed to avoid increasing flooding to adjacent properties.

Council discussion stressed that multifamily zoning already existed on the larger property and that the PD process allowed the city to require a concept plan and tailored standards. Councilman Kenny Green noted that the site already allowed multifamily uses, and the PD clarifies allowed modifications rather than creating an entirely new use. The motion to approve was offered by Councilman Tammy Burrows and seconded by Councilman Kenny Green.

Council approved the ordinance amendment 5-2. The council vote authorizes the modified planned-development standards for Track B only; Tracks A, C and D will return to council for separate consideration. Final engineering approvals, building permits and any required easements remain outstanding prerequisites to construction.