Commission rejects staff proposal to adopt revised Hampton Road character code boundary

The DeSoto Planning and Zoning Commission on Aug. 12 declined to forward staff’s recommended ordinance to adopt a reduced and re‑envisioned Hampton Road Character Code (HRCC) boundary, following a lengthy public hearing and staff presentation. A motion to recommend approval failed 4–3.

Planning and Zoning Manager Cambria Jordan presented staff’s analysis for the HRCC rezoning (zoning case Z154‑24), which would change the zoning designations for roughly 215 parcels within the corridor into five proposed districts: Urban Center, Urban General, Neighborhood Services, Urban Neighborhood and Neighborhood Transition. Jordan told commissioners staff mailed 1,001 notices to property owners in the area and that, by the hearing date, staff had received letters of opposition and support but that neither the tally of opposition within the HRCC boundary nor within the 200‑foot radius reached the 20% threshold required to block the rezoning under the city’s public notice practice.

Jordan said staff recommended approval of the rezoning for the reduced and re‑envisioned HRCC boundary but that staff proposed excluding plan development (PD) 170 (324 E. Beltline Road) and four parcels used by DeSoto Bridal School from the HRCC boundary based on outreach and plan‑development specific considerations. Jordan also explained that the Department had performed additional outreach to the owners of PD 58 and PD 170 after concerns were raised; staff recommended keeping PD 58 within the HRCC boundary and excluding PD 170.

Economic development director Matt Carlson and consultants from Half Associates (Brad Johnson and Lenny Hughes) answered commissioners’ questions about nonconforming properties, circulation, and the traffic analysis. Consultant Lenny Hughes said Westmoreland and Polk streets have excess capacity and the traffic analysis supports converting parts of Hampton Road from four lanes to fewer lanes in order to slow speeds and create a streetscape that is more walkable and bike friendly.

Owners and stakeholders who spoke at the hearing were split. Monty Anderson, owner of the DeSoto Marketplace (PD 170), urged exclusion for his PD, saying it was developed with specific intent and recognized by national urban‑design forums. Residents and community speakers including Mary Bonaparte, Scott McDonough, Dr. Monica Lewis and others voiced opposition, citing concerns about traffic, local retail vacancies, potential impacts on property values and the scale of change. Several speakers urged more community engagement or smaller, incremental projects rather than corridor‑wide rezoning.

After discussion the commission considered a motion to recommend approval of the staff proposal (mover: Commissioner Bell; second: Vice Chair Brooks). The motion failed on a 4–3 vote as recorded during the meeting.