Commission approves two alternative standards for Constellation site; screening wall deferred pending cemetery board letter

The Planning and Zoning Commission voted to recommend approval of two of three requested alternative standards for the Constellation industrial development in the I‑35 corridor, and tabled the third — a waiver of the screening wall requirement for loading areas — pending written support from the adjacent cemetery board.

Staff presented the item as a continuation from an earlier meeting and recommended approval of changes to Building 1’s orientation and reduced secondary walkway widths but asked the commission to delay action on the screening-wall request because staff had not yet received a formal letter of support from the families and board members of the adjacent cemetery. The representative for the project told commissioners the screening-wall board members were tentatively supportive but had not provided documentation.

Commissioners asked about traffic and access at the nearby Ford dealership intersection; staff said site access would be farther east on Valley Ridge Drive and that the project would provide multiple driveways out toward I‑35, but staff did not identify a specific assessment of the Ford‑dealership intersection.

Commissioner Moved to approve variances A and C and table variance B pending the cemetery board letter; the motion carried 7‑0 for the two approvals and the tabling action was recorded as directed by the commission.

Staff said that if a letter of support does not arrive at the next scheduled hearing, staff would likely recommend disapproval for the screening-wall variance rather than tabling indefinitely. Staff added that approving the two variances now helps the applicant demonstrate project progress for funding purposes.