Rowlett council denies rezoning request for 35‑unit Lakeside townhome development
Summary
Council voted unanimously against a request to rezone 2.323 acres near Miller Road and Navigation Drive for a 35‑unit townhouse project; the Planning & Zoning Commission had recommended denial and council members cited height, density and numerous waiver requests as reasons to reject the project.
Rowlett — The City Council on July 15 voted unanimously to deny a rezoning and comprehensive-plan amendment request that would have allowed construction of 35 townhomes on a 2.323‑acre tract south of Miller Road and west of Navigation Drive. Community Development staff summarized the request from R2 and McGee on behalf of Lakeside Townhome Holdings LLC: a change from planned development for limited commercial retail (PD/C‑1) to a planned development for multifamily attached townhouses (PD/MF‑TH). The applicant sought multiple waivers including reductions to lot width and depth, reduced driveway length, front‑entry garages and elimination of required buffers; Planning and Zoning Commission had unanimously recommended denial. Councilmembers said the proposal posed compatibility problems with adjacent single‑family homes, noting the proposed three‑story townhomes would look down on existing yards and that the number of requested waivers was excessive. One member cited concern about public safety and a single point of ingress and egress and noted motorist circulation impacts on Miller Road. A motion to approve the rezoning (mover: Councilman Reeves; second: Councilmember Bowers) failed when all council members voted no. The denial leaves the property’s existing zoning intact and the applicant may return with a revised proposal.
