Wylie council denies proposed 237‑site manufactured‑home community, rejects annexation

The Wylie City Council on April 22 denied a development agreement and related annexation request for a planned 237‑site manufactured‑home community proposed by First Step Homes, rejecting both the development agreement and the annexation services agreement and later voting to deny annexation in a public hearing.

Council members voted 6–1 to deny the development agreement “with prejudice” after a motion by Councilman Dave Strang and a second by Councilman David R. Duke; Mayor Pro Tem Jeff Forrester cast the lone dissent on that vote. The companion annexation services agreement was denied with the same 6–1 tally. At the subsequent public hearing on the annexation ordinance, the council voted 7–0 to deny the annexation.

The council heard a presentation from developer representatives and several residents during the meeting. Developer David Zulaikich, who identified himself as owner of First Step Homes, described the project as a factory‑built, homeownership‑oriented community with amenities, in‑house financing and a stated development cost of about $55 million. “This isn’t your average trailer park,” Zulaikich said. First Step Homes’ materials and staff described lot widths of about 50 feet (some double‑wide lots 65 feet), a planned mix of single‑wide and double‑wide homes, and a project density of about 3.95 homes per acre. City staff noted that the municipal code’s manufactured‑housing‑park standard references a 5,500‑square‑foot lot size and permits up to seven homes per acre; a manufactured‑housing subdivision standard cited in the presentation uses 7,200 square feet per lot.

Opponents and some council members raised concerns about long‑term impacts and process. Several residents said the council had not had enough time to review a revised packet delivered shortly before the meeting and expressed worry about infrastructure, density and effects on surrounding neighborhoods and schools. Mayor Pro Tem Jeff Forrester argued that denying the project “with prejudice” could send the owner to Collin County, where different approval pathways exist; Forrester said he opposed the “with prejudice” aspect for that reason. Supporters — including several speakers who identified themselves as local business…