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Residents challenge Meridiana rezoning at Manvel hearing; council approves first reading of PUD inclusion
Summary
Council held a public hearing on a 35.3‑acre rezoning to incorporate the Sundance Horse Ranch into the Meridiana PUD; staff recommended approval, neighbors cited traffic and safety concerns, and council approved the first of two readings.
A divided recommendation from the city’s planning commission and public comment from neighbors marked a public hearing Monday as Manvel city council considered rezoning 35.3 acres at 9825 South Masters Road for inclusion in the Meridiana planned unit development.
The short version: Staff recommended approval and noted the applicant submitted a traffic memo based on May 1 counts; two nearby residents spoke in opposition citing traffic and safety on Masters Road; council approved the ordinance on its first of two required readings and directed staff and the applicant to continue refining traffic, drainage and design details before the final reading.
Why it matters: The property — identified in county records as two parcels (PIDs 537539 and 619349) — would be rezoned from open single‑family residential to a Meridiana PUD category known as "garden homes," a designation that allows detached homes on narrower lots. Council approval on the second reading would formally amend the city’s zoning map and allow the applicant to proceed toward preliminary platting and infrastructure design.
What council heard: Jeff Boutte of EHRA, the applicant’s planner, said the traffic memo used new counts collected May 1 and concluded intersection levels of service would not decline under the proposed 104‑lot preliminary plat. He said the study found a left‑turn lane at Masters was not warranted by the engineering standard the consultant used. "Traffic counts were collected on May 1 of this year... those counts were projected and the intersections do not go down in grade," Boutte told council.
Two nearby residents, Mary Ann and Donald Atkinson of Jordan Road, opposed the rezoning at public hearing. "People don't stop at the stop sign," Mary Ann Atkinson said. "You're going to add 104 homes and times that possibly by two more cars on the road. It is very concerning." Donald Atkinson said the existing road surface already needs repair and said he does not believe drivers will use Meridiana Parkway as the traffic memo assumes.
Staff and council questions focused on access, phasing, drainage and whether a traffic impact analysis (TIA) should be required at the master‑plan stage. Planning staff said a full TIA typically is triggered at the preliminary‑plat stage and that the Meridiana PUD process allows the boulevard entrance that crosses Kirby/Rodeo Palms Parkway to be counted as two access points when the project reaches the larger access threshold. Staff also said right‑of‑way dedication along Masters is included in the preliminary plat submittal; Joes (development staff) said the plat shows about 0.4 acres of Masters Road right‑of‑way dedication.
Council action and next steps: Council voted unanimously to approve the rezoning ordinance on its first of two readings and instructed staff to continue working with the applicant on traffic and drainage details before the second reading. Council members also said they want the applicant to consult further with the neighborhood and to return with clarifications about access triggers and any right‑of‑way or turn‑lane needs.
Ending: The applicant returns to council for a second reading; staff and council said they expect more detailed traffic and drainage work at the preliminary‑plat stage before infrastructure permits are issued.
