Decatur council approves limited tree‑survey waiver and advances Nature Creek Reserve development

The City of Decatur Council approved a waiver on May 20 allowing the developer of Nature Creek Reserve to survey six 4‑acre sample lots instead of a full tree survey across the entire 200‑plus‑acre site, gave first reading to amendments to the subdivision's planned development ordinance and granted conditional approval to the project's preliminary plat subject to engineering and drainage conditions.

Planning Director Lisa Hannon told the council the subdivision ordinance generally requires a tree survey with preliminary and final plats and clearing permits to determine protected trees and mitigation. The applicant asked to limit the survey to six 4‑acre plots (24 acres) that staff and the developer identified as the most heavily wooded portions of the site instead of surveying the full property.

The waiver, filed as Waiver 25‑0001, was presented with staff'recommended mitigation steps and a commitment that each residential lot will receive a minimum of two replacement trees before certificate of occupancy. Hannon said the developer's preliminary plan includes roughly 694 single‑family lots and that the plan anticipates planting about 1,388 trees across the subdivision as part of mitigation.

Council members asked how the city would know how many protected trees were removed if the survey is limited. Councilmember Jake pressed staff on whether the six sample areas are representative and whether lowland "trash" trees would be excluded from mitigation calculations. Hannon said staff and the applicant selected the six parcels to represent the denser wooded areas and that the survey results would be extrapolated to the remainder of the treed acreage (not applied to open space). She said the detailed mitigation, including fee calculations and landscape credits, will be worked out when civil and landscape plans are submitted for final review.

The applicant and engineering representatives told the council that the site's topography — roughly 100 feet of elevation change from the railroad to Business 287 — requires extensive grading and retaining walls and that large portions of the site cannot realistically retain mature trees once grading and infrastructure are installed. Tim Welch of Welch Engineering said the grades make saving most trees impossible outside designated open space, and a developer representative said the planned development includes additional trees per lot to offset removals.

Councilmember Will Carpenter made the motion to approve Waiver 25‑0001; the motion was seconded by Mayor Mike McQuiston and the waiver passed. Planning and Zoning had recommended approval 6‑0; staff noted 449 property owners were notified and one formal written opposition was received.

Separately, the council took first reading of an ordinance amending the Nature Creek Reserve planned development to update lot counts and minimum dwelling area language (the amendment would count garage area in dwelling area and set minimum living area thresholds). That ordinance was presented as a first reading and will return for a second reading/approval.

Finally, the council conditionally approved the preliminary plat for Nature Creek Reserve (PP25‑0002) with 15 staff conditions covering retaining wall locations and heights, detention pond placement, utility easements and sizing, drainage analysis, TXDOT acceleration/deceleration plans for US‑287 and US‑380, and other engineering items. Hannon said the preliminary plat approval is conditional: all listed deficiencies must be addressed before final plat or civil plan approval.

Council and staff repeatedly emphasized that the waiver authorizes a reduced survey only for the purpose of moving the civil design forward and that mitigation, landscape plans and fee calculations remain part of the final review process.

What happens next: the developer will submit civil plans and final plats that must address the 15 preliminary‑plat conditions and the mitigation approach agreed with staff. The PD amendment returns for a second reading before final adoption.