Developer presents revised ‘Project Sahara’ plan; council presses for stronger retail and phasing safeguards

City of Kyle staff and the developer of “Project Sahara” (also called Sahara Grove) returned to the City Council on Jan. 21 with a revised development plan that would add a new mixed-use neighborhood east of I‑35 and fund key road and utility projects with a Public Improvement District (PID).

The developer, represented by Abby Gilfillan of Lionheart Places and managing partner Joel Pollock of Streamline Advisory Partners, asked council to authorize a PID and a CCN swap that the city would need to accept to route water and wastewater services to the site and to allow the city to construct the South Go Forth road extension through the tract.

Why it matters: The project proposes regional transportation and utility improvements meant to relieve congestion on FM 150 and to create an East Kyle commercial and civic hub. Council members said that how the development is phased and financed will determine whether residents actually see the promised retail, parks and roads or only housing.

The plan summary presented to council included: about 400 fee‑simple single‑family units, 300 affordable multifamily units and 300 market‑rate multifamily units; roughly 96,000 square feet of commercial and civic space (including a three‑acre civic parcel the developer said it would…