Angleton planners approve preliminary plat for Austin Colony Section 1B; boulevard connection remains long-term goal

The Angleton Planning and Zoning Commission on March 1, 2025, approved the preliminary plat for Section 1B of the Austin Colony subdivision and forwarded the item to City Council for final action.

Planning staff told commissioners the plat returned with only minor, mainly textual, engineering comments that have been addressed. The preliminary plat covers lots that tie into the previously approved Section 1A of the planned district development, which together are part of a master plan for roughly 561 residential lots with about 80 of those lots identified for possible commercial use.

"We are entertaining a preliminary plan for Section 1B of Austin Colony Subdivision," Mr. Spriggs, planning staff, said while outlining the proposal and noting the engineer's review. Staff recommended forwarding the plat to council after the applicant resolves any remaining engineering items.

Developer Sandy Ray, present for the discussion, confirmed the developer's intent to market about 80 lots for commercial use along the parcel nearest Walmart but said those lots would revert to residential if not marketed. Ray also described the construction sequence: the developer expects to finalize Section 1A first and then proceed to Section 1B. "The plan today is to start on Section 1A as soon as possible," Ray said, adding, "we have a final plat, hopefully, within 60 days, we'll be moving dirt."

Commissioners pressed on how the subdivision's internal streets would connect to the city's arterial network. One commissioner asked whether planned streets would provide a direct east–west arterial connection or require residents to wind through neighborhood streets. Staff and the applicant said the long-term plan envisions Austin Colony Boulevard extending and ultimately connecting to County Road 44 (referred to in discussion as Anchor Road/County Road 44) to provide a continuous east–west link; interim access would be via the meandering local streets until the boulevard is completed.

Commissioner Clark moved to approve the Section 1B preliminary plat "subject to any and all engineering comments and concerns being addressed and forward it to the city council for final action and consideration." The motion was seconded by Commissioner Ford and carried by voice vote.

Next steps: the commission forwarded the preliminary plat to City Council for final consideration; staff and the applicant said construction sequencing would begin with Section 1A, followed by Section 1B, and that lot widths will be primarily 50-foot lots, with 60-foot lots fronting Austin Colony Boulevard.