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Council approves revised townhome plan on East Main after neighborhood collaboration
Summary
The City Council approved a revised planned-development concept and ordinance for a townhome project at 601 East Main Street after the applicant worked with the Highland Terrace neighborhood to alter orientation, increase front yard setbacks, and remove a screening wall.
The Richardson City Council unanimously approved changes to a planned-development concept allowing for a new townhome project at 601 East Main Street, adopting Ordinance No. 4534 and the concept plan after the applicant revised the layout following neighborhood meetings.
Senior planning staff described the revised plan as a departure from the developer’s original proposal. The updated concept reorients units to face existing street frontages rather than face inward, replaces an internal city street with a central alley, increases front setbacks to 35 feet along northern and southern frontages, and doubles open space to 19.6 percent. Visitor parking was added in the alley (26 spaces) and each unit will include two enclosed rear garages and two driveway spaces.
Derek Peters (staff) said the changes preserve mature live oaks around the perimeter, improve walkability and better integrate the development with surrounding single-family homes. The plan reduced the scale and visual barrier the neighborhood had opposed: a screening wall was removed and the architecture was adjusted to provide two-story buildings with pitched roofs and porches.
Applicant Jim Dewey said the design changes were made in response to multiple neighborhood meetings. “They wanted the same feel for this development,” he said, describing two in-person meetings with homeowners and the resulting revisions: deeper front yards, added sidewalks connecting alley guest parking to the public sidewalk, alley lighting for safety and landscape islands in the alley. He also confirmed the development will form and operate under a mandatory homeowners association to maintain common areas.
Tony (a longtime neighborhood resident and Highland Terrace Neighborhood Association founder) spoke during public hearing and thanked the applicant and council: “I came here tonight with gratitude,” he said, noting the neighborhood had been consulted and that the revised plan better fit the block.
Councilmember Justice moved to approve the ordinance and the staff recommendations, including a modification to show a 5-foot sidewalk instead of 4 feet on Main Street. The motion passed unanimously.
