Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use Zoning topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council gives first‑reading approval to Liberty Commons mixed residential/office plan with conditions on trees and no‑U‑turn restriction
Summary
Council gave first‑reading approval (5‑1) to the Liberty Commons mixed‑use concept at 1963 W. Southlake Blvd that pairs office/retail along the boulevard with a rear 14‑lot residential PUD, while asking for stronger tree conservation and a traffic restriction on Peytonville during school zone hours.
On first reading the City Council approved a mixed‑use concept called Liberty Commons at 1963 West Southlake Boulevard and 200 South Peytonville Avenue by a 5‑1 vote. The proposal rezones the front portion for an SP‑1 detailed site plan district to permit office and retail uses along Southlake Boulevard and establishes a residential planned unit development (PUD) to the south with 14 single‑family lots, all 20,000 square feet or larger.
The applicant, represented by Curtis Young of Sage Group, said the project now features 14 residential lots (previous versions were denser) and four office buildings plus a retail building fronting Southlake Boulevard. The residential portion is laid out with a private street and two access points, including a primary entry off South Peytonville Avenue. The plan shows landscaping, a planted buffer and a masonry wall option for sound mitigation at the highway edge; staff asked the applicant to refine those frontage options.
Council discussion highlighted three items: (1) tree conservation — staff and council asked the applicant to return with additional tree preservation or mitigation detail because the commercial frontage concept showed very limited on‑site preservation in the current exhibit; (2) traffic and safety at the Peytonville entry — council asked staff to install or consider a “no U‑turn” restriction during school‑zone hours to reduce conflicts with school traffic; and (3) the location of a drive‑through restaurant building on the frontage — council asked the applicant to consider alternative siting for the drive‑through if it would reduce impacts to neighbors.
Councilmember discussion emphasized that the revised plan (14 lots, all at or above SF‑20 size) was an improvement over prior denser concepts and that the Peytonville entry is the desirable primary entry. Council gave conditional first reading approval and directed the applicant to (a) return with tree conservation options, (b) provide possible alternate siting for the drivethrough building, and (c) coordinate with staff on a no‑U‑turn sign on Peytonville during school‑zone hours. The vote on first reading was 5 in favor, 1 opposed.
Why it matters: The site sits at the transition from Southlake Boulevard commercial frontage to established neighborhoods. Council’s conditions aim to ensure the project respects adjacent residential character while allowing commercial frontage redevelopment.
What’s next: Applicant will refine tree conservation, landscape and frontage details for second reading. Council indicated it expects to see clearer tree mitigation or preservation options at second reading.
