Council rezones Tech Terrace parcels to HDR for Pinecrest student housing over neighborhood objections

The Lubbock City Council approved a rezoning that allows higher-density residential development south of 19th Street near University Avenue — a decision that followed more than two hours of public comment and detailed presentations by the developer and project team.

Planning staff described Zone Case 3174-D as a request from AMD Engineering on behalf of Pinecrest Development Communities to rezone property currently zoned low-density single-family (SF-2) and heavy commercial (HC) to high-density residential (HDR). The staff packet noted 61 notices were sent; planners reported receiving 81 written responses in favor (72 of those outside the 200-foot notification boundary) and 28 in opposition (six outside the boundary). Staff recommended approval; the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval 7–1, and the council’s action required a supermajority.

Tyler Perlmutter, the Pinecrest representative, described the developer’s plan as a vertically mixed student-housing project that would be 4–5 stories with a maximum height capped at 65 feet, 216 residential units and 584 beds, and roughly 315 on-site parking spaces. He said the developer is not seeking variances to the Unified Development Code and is limiting building height to 65 feet despite a 75-foot maximum for some mixed-use allowances. “Our motto is, we create communities that keep residents in school,” Perlmutter said.

Architect Joseph Amari summarized design principles and said the team sought to tie the building design to the architectural language of nearby Texas Tech buildings while using setbacks, landscaping and a stepped top floor to reduce sightlines into adjacent yards. The developer said surface parking and a gated access configuration will prevent routine use of the alley behind the site; trash and compacting equipment are planned to be internal to the site.

Dozens of residents and neighborhood representatives opposed the rezoning during public comment. Concerns included increased traffic and unsafe pedestrian crossings on 19th Street (which has up to 10 travel lanes at the site), parking spillover into neighborhood streets, loss of neighborhood character and building height and shadowing. Several neighbors described prior attempts to change similar nearby sites, and attorneys and longtime residents urged the council to preserve the area’s residential scale. Tom Pitts, an attorney representing an affected neighbor, said the site’s access and egress dynamics could create dangerous queuing and U-turns on nearby arteries. Others asked the council to revisit HDR provisions in the Unified Development Code.

Council discussion acknowledged neighborhood concerns while noting the council was voting on a zoning change rather than a final site plan. Councilmember Harris said economic development and growth were part of his reason for supporting the rezoning: “I came to this council to try to make this city a better place … we need to grow.” Councilmember Glasheen said the developer’s team had been collaborative and pledged to work with neighbors during the design and permitting process.

The council voted to approve the rezoning; the chair announced the measure passed with the required supermajority (vote recorded as 6 in favor with 1 abstention). The approval permits HDR uses allowed under the UDC on the parcels; the developer and city staff said permitting, site-plan review and building permits remain to be completed and that utility upgrades and alley improvements would be handled by the developer as part of the development process.

Key project numbers stated at the hearing: 584 beds; 216 units; 315 on-site parking spaces (applicants said the UDC minimum for the proposed use would be 108 spaces based on mixed-use parking rules); maximum proposed building height capped at 65 feet in the developer’s concept. Opponents urged the council to require lower density, more parking, and safer pedestrian accommodations on 19th Street before rezoning more parcels to HDR.