Commissioners approve five-year extension for Valencia preliminary plat on S. Highway 43

Kaufman County Commissioners Court on Sept. 9 approved a five-year extension of the approved preliminary plat for the phased residential development known as Valencia, located on South Highway 43 in Precinct 1.

County planning staff member Shannon told the court the Valencia project’s master plan was approved Dec. 4, 2023, and that subdivision and land development regulations establish a two-year expiration on subdivision approvals. Because Valencia is a phased preliminary-planned development, the applicant requested an extension ahead of the two-year deadline to continue with construction of later phases. "This one's for 5 years," Shannon said.

The extension was offered as a standard request to allow the developer more time to prepare construction plans for subsequent phases. Commissioner Crow made the motion to approve the five-year extension; Commissioner Phillips seconded. The court approved the motion by voice vote.

The court record shows the request cited sections 4.02(k) and 4.02(l) of the county's subdivision and land development regulations as the authority for processing phased preliminary-plat extensions. The court did not attach additional conditions in its approval and did not announce a revised deadline beyond the five-year extension at the meeting.

Planning staff indicated the master plan remains the controlling document for the project and that detailed construction plans for each phase will need to be submitted under the county’s subdivision rules in effect at the time of each submittal. No public testimony or written protests were recorded in the transcript during the discussion.

The extension allows work on later phases to proceed under the approved master plan; any future modifications to the plat or to individual phases would require separate submittals and approvals under the county’s subdivision regulations.