Board approves Rosewood rezoning and preliminary plat after redesign; neighbors voice traffic and school concerns

Olive Branch — The Board of Aldermen voted to rezone 46.88 acres at 7200 College Road from AR (agricultural residential) to R1 (single-family residential) and approved a preliminary plat for the Rosewood subdivision after the applicant reduced the project’s size and redesigned street connections to respond to earlier public concerns.

Why it matters: The project will create new single-family lots in a formerly rural area where residents have warned of traffic congestion, school crowding and pressure on city infrastructure. The developer reduced the scope from an earlier proposal, saying the redesign preserves tree canopy and limits through-traffic.

Staff presentation and changes: Planning staff said the rezoning area was reduced by 42% from a prior proposal and that the planned lots in the central R1 area now have a minimum lot size of 15,000 square feet — larger than the R1 minimum of 12,500. The developer also added a jog to the internal spine road to discourage…