Waco council approves Hilltop Heights PUD rezoning despite neighborhood opposition

The Waco City Council voted to approve a rezoning and concept plan for Hilltop Heights PUD, a proposed 63-lot single-family subdivision on about 10.71 acres southeast of the Loop 340–Kendall Lane intersection, after a public hearing and debate on June 17.

The city’s planning director presented staff’s recommendation for approval of the concept plan with nine conditions, including construction of a sidewalk connection from the subdivision to Buena Vista Park as part of subdivision infrastructure, installation of sidewalks on both sides of all streets at the time of lot development, a 25-foot front setback when a garage faces the street and a 20-foot front setback when it does not, corner-lot setback requirements, and a limit on maximum site coverage so building and paved areas do not exceed 65% of each lot.

Developer representative Larry W. Jackson told the council the applicant had revised the site plan to meet the city’s conditions, including showing sidewalks on all streets, and that TxDOT has approved a right-in/right-out access off Loop 340; he urged approval.

Several Timbercrest-area residents opposed the proposal during the public hearing. Roy Trussell said he has lived in the Timbercrest area since 1975 and called the neighborhood "very tight," citing traffic and safety concerns near parks and athletic fields. Telly Ramsey said the area already sees heavy recreational traffic and asked the council to maintain current zoning. Jack Abel, Michelle Abel and Jenny Richardson Urban also spoke against the PUD, raising recent vehicle crashes, speeding on Kendall Lane and Orchard Lane, concerns about potential crime and questions about whether housing would be market-rate or subsidized. Jackson responded that the project is planned as market-rate housing and not for Section 8 or other restricted-income programs, and said the developer’s price target would start around $250,000.

Council discussion acknowledged neighborhood concerns while framing the project as part of a broader effort to address Waco’s housing shortage. A councilmember said the city faces a deficit of about 5,000 housing units and described increased density on some sites as necessary to produce more housing. Councilmembers also said staff and traffic engineers would continue to study and mitigate traffic and safety issues raised by residents.

A motion to approve the rezoning and concept PUD with the nine stated conditions passed on the council vote. Assistant City Secretary Spikes polled the council: Fairfield — yes; Lozano — yes; Porter Root — yes; Ewing — yes; Chase — yes; Holmes — yes.

The approved conditions and the applicant’s revised plans will guide future platting and building permit reviews; staff reiterated that additional plan-review requirements must be met prior to issuance of building permits. The item will be recorded in the city’s zoning maps and the development must comply with the subdivision ordinance and the plan review committee’s site requirements before construction can begin.

Residents and the developer were advised during the hearing that sidewalks, setbacks and some infrastructure requirements will be enforced as part of subdivision infrastructure requirements rather than deferred to individual lots.

Votes at a glance: Hilltop Heights PUD rezoning (public hearing 2025-428) — outcome: approved; conditions: nine conditions added by staff (sidewalk connection to Buena Vista Park to be built as subdivision infrastructure; sidewalks both sides of all streets; 25-foot front setback with garage, 20-foot without; corner-lot setback rules; rear setbacks may be reduced to 5 feet with maximum site coverage of 65%; plus four plan commission conditions). Motion details: mover/second not specified in the transcript; vote: Fairfield, Lozano, Porter Root, Ewing, Chase, Holmes — all yes.

What’s next: The applicant must proceed with subdivision plats and compliance with plan-review and subdivision ordinance requirements before building permits are issued.