The Southlake City Council failed to approve a request to rezone and adopt a development plan for Carol Crossing on a 3-3 tie during its Jan. 7 meeting, leaving the property at 1963 West Southlake Boulevard and 200 South Peytonville Avenue in its current zoning.

The proposal from Curtis Young of Sage Group would have changed the site from SP‑1 (detailed site plan) and O‑1 (office) to TZD (transition zoning district) and included 22 residential lots behind a commercial frontage composed of roughly 30,000 square feet of office and a drive‑through restaurant. The developer said the revised plan brings every lot above 10,000 square feet, producing an average lot size of about 11,248 square feet.

The measure required four affirmative votes to pass but lost on a 3‑3 roll call. Councilmember Lepp recused herself before the hearing, citing a legal conflict of interest.

Why it mattered: The site sits directly across from Carroll Senior High School and abuts existing single‑family neighborhoods. Council members and dozens of residents who spoke during the public hearing said the combination of additional driveways, a right‑turn‑only exit onto Peytonville Avenue and the school’s regular traffic created an unacceptable safety risk.

Council and public concerns: Councilmembers repeatedly cited Peytonville traffic during morning drop‑off and afternoon pick‑up as the central problem. Multiple residents described long queues, U‑turn maneuvers and near‑misses during passing periods and after‑school events. Resident Josie Yeager said, “I can speak firsthand on the danger that this Peytonville exit for Carol Crossing faces,” and described waiting multiple light cycles to turn onto Peytonville as a student driver.

Developer response and proposed mitigations: Applicant Curtis Young said the project was redesigned after earlier hearings to enlarge lots and restore a landscaped open corridor. He told council the TZD zoning “meets the letter of the law” for a transition site and described operational mitigations for peak school traffic, including an automated gated exit that could be programmed to prevent residents from exiting to Peytonville during school zone hours. Young also noted the commercial frontage was intended to buffer the neighborhood from Southlake Boulevard.

Council action proposed during debate: In the motion to approve the rezoning, councilmembers proposed a series of conditions intended to address safety and compatibility, including: deed restrictions and signage to prohibit residential exits onto South Peytonville Avenue during school zone hours; installation of emergency access controls meeting fire department standards; installation of vertical traffic delineators on southbound Peytonville to prevent vehicles from entering the school’s left‑turn lane; and a maximum garage‑width‑to‑lot‑width ratio of 35 percent. The motion carried no majority and thus failed.

What happens next: With the tie vote the rezoning was not adopted. The applicant may choose to revise the plan and return for a future hearing. The council did not adopt any of the conditions proposed in the failed motion.

Council and public context: Speakers in opposition included neighbors and parents who live in or near Southlake Woods, Players Circle and Indian Paintbrush Way. Concerns cited in public comment included lot sizes smaller than surrounding properties, the potential for increased U‑turns through adjacent neighborhoods, and the frequency of school‑related traffic events that occur outside typical school hours. Supporters and some councilmembers said the revised plan reduces density from earlier versions and argued the gated exit and other conditions could limit traffic impacts.