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Council approves Lenox innovation center with conditions after heavy neighborhood opposition
Summary
Council adopted an ordinance carving a 7.5-acre portion of the Lenox campus into a new planned development that allows a research laboratory and testing facility, grants several exceptions (including reduced parking and higher FAR for the carved parcel), and adds a requirement for minimum 6-inch-caliper trees along the northern property line.
The Richardson City Council voted unanimously to approve a planned-development amendment and adopt Ordinance No. 4535 to allow Lenox to establish an innovation and testing facility at 2140 Lake Park Boulevard, while attaching conditions intended to reduce neighborhood impacts.
City staff described the request as a carve-out of a 7.5-acre portion of the Lenox campus. The applicant proposes a new two-story-plus-single-story building of about 45,000 square feet that would include administrative space and a single-story testing area with environmental test chambers. Staff said the applicant requested five exceptions to the existing special conditions that govern the tract: to list research laboratories as a permitted use consistent with modern OM (office/technical) district definitions; to reduce on-site parking (providing 600 spaces instead of the 830 that would be required under full buildout); to accept a higher floor-area ratio for the carved parcel (0.79:1 for the parcel versus 0.6:1 in Tract B3 if applied strictly to the smaller parcel); to allow different screening treatments on the western lot line; and to permit internal loading and testing configuration for the research facility.
Planning staff described mitigation commitments the applicant has offered: preservation of existing trees along the northern and western property lines where feasible, additional canopy trees in parking rows, moving previously exterior loading and recycling doors inside the building, and committing to limit large deliveries related to tested equipment to 7 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday–Friday. Staff said the applicant had provided parking observations showing the existing garage rarely runs at full capacity and noted a surplus of spaces on a contiguous parcel that could be used by employees.
The proposal drew extensive public comment in opposition, focused on concerns about visual impacts, noise (including generator and delivery activity), large deliveries and truck maneuvering on narrow streets, and the possibility the use could shift toward manufacturing in the future. Opponents included residents from Savoy Landing, University Place and Parkside Towns who said the site backs directly onto residential yards and ponds. Supporters argued the project would bring jobs and retain the company’s presence in Richardson.
Lenox CEO Alok Majkara and government-relations lead John Hurst emphasized the company’s long history in Richardson and said the innovation center would bring higher-paying jobs and strengthen the company’s local presence. "Tonight is that opportunity," Majkara said in remarks introducing the application.
In the final motion, a councilmember added an amendment requiring the applicant to plant a minimum of 6-inch-caliper trees in the buffer areas where trees are to be provided; the council adopted that amendment as part of its approval. The ordinance passed unanimously. Council and staff noted that because more than 20% of property owners in the notice area had submitted opposition, approval required a 6-of-7 supermajority and the council achieved that vote.
