Plan commission recommends approval of Polk Street Residences, 275‑unit downtown apartment

The Richardson City Plan Commission on Jan. 7 recommended approval of zoning file 24‑31, a special development plan for Polk Street Residences, a proposed 275‑unit multifamily development on two blocks immediately south of Polk Street and north of Kaufman Street in downtown Richardson.

The commission’s recommendation, which will go to City Council for final action, came after staff and the applicant described a project that would redevelop roughly 3 acres between Texas Street and Greenville Avenue with a wrap‑style apartment building, structured parking and new streetscape improvements. The motion passed on a 6–1 vote; Commissioner Roberts recorded the lone opposing vote.

City staff told the commission the site is part of the Main Street Central Expressway plan development (PD) and within the Main Street Subdistrict. Staff said the city’s 2016 PD, follow‑up design work by Kevin Sloan and the 2024 Envision Richardson comprehensive plan update designate this area for neighborhood‑mixed use and higher downtown residential density.

The developer, represented by Joel Barrons of Trammell Crow Company and project lead Kevin Hickman, described a concept with a roughly 4‑story residential building wrapping a parking garage and internal courtyards. The applicant said the project would provide 275 dwelling units (about 91 units per acre), an average unit size near 855 square feet, 413 parking spaces (1.5 spaces per unit), roughly 12,000 square feet of amenity space and about 16,000 square feet of open space.

Because multifamily is allowed in the subdistrict by right, the application requests exceptions through the special development plan process for several development standards. The applicant asked for a height exception to allow portions of the project to reach approximately 54 feet (the PD standard cited a 3‑story/45‑foot limit), and an exception to the open‑space calculation (the project proposes about 9.1% private open space plus 3% public open space, a combined 12.1% versus the code’s stated 15% private or 8% public threshold). Staff also noted a requested width exemption for a block face that would exceed the plan’s 500‑foot guideline.

The design includes closing a portion of McKinney Street and replacing on‑site surface lots with structured parking; the garage itself is shown as a 4‑story structure with a rooftop parking deck at one portion. Streetscape work proposed with the project would add sidewalks, landscape amenity zones, parallel on‑street parking and bike lanes on Polk, Kaufman and Texas streets; staff pointed to the Interurban Commons Linear Park as public open space within walking distance to the north.

Public comment focused on impacts to adjacent single‑family and townhome properties on East Kaufman Street. Several residents said they were not contacted before the application was filed and asked to see Kaufman‑street elevations. Neighbors expressed concerns about a trash/collection area shown on Kaufman, potential odors and wildlife, loss of public parking near the Staycation coffee shop and construction disruption for businesses on Polk. Pat Kinder, Christina Sebastian and Stanley Thomas spoke for nearby property owners and urged relocating any outdoor trash or service areas away from the south side of Kaufman or ensuring thorough screening. The applicant said the trash area would be enclosed underneath the building and that discussions were underway with the property owner and Staycation about relocation or mitigation.

Commission questions ranged across parking, bicycle parking, truck access for trash pickup and traffic circulation. Staff and the applicant said required parking is satisfied with a combination of structured parking and on‑street shared parking per the Main Street subdistrict guidelines; the applicant said shared on‑street parking was intended to substitute for some off‑site leased spaces previously used by a nearby operator. Construction timing presented by the applicant estimated demolition and site clearing would take one to two months, with overall construction lasting up to two years and initial move‑ins beginning roughly 16–17 months after ground‑breaking.

During deliberations Commissioner Roberts said the height exception was problematic for single‑family neighbors and questioned whether the project advances the downtown walkability and retail objectives in the Main Street vision. Other commissioners said the project would add needed downtown residents, activate Polk Street with ground‑floor units and public open space and that the design and streetscape work fit the city’s vision for the subdistrict. The motion to recommend approval passed 6–1; the record shows Commissioner Roberts voted in opposition.

If City Council follows the commission recommendation, the project will return to staff and the developer for final site‑plan and construction permit steps.

Speakers heard at the public hearing included Miss Peters (planning staff), Joel Barrons (principal, Trammell Crow Company), Kevin Hickman (project team), Commissioner Marsh (chair), Commissioner Roberts, Commissioner Keller and other commissioners, and nearby residents Pat Kinder, Christina Sebastian and Stanley Thomas.

Clarifying details: the site area is about 3 acres; proposed units 275 (about 91 units/acre); average unit size ~855 sq ft; required parking 413 spaces (1.5 per unit) with most parking in a garage plus on‑street spaces; proposed combined open space 12.1% (9.1% private + 3% public); requested height relief to about 54 feet versus the PD’s 45‑foot/3‑story guideline; applicant estimates demolition 1–2 months, construction up to 2 years with move‑ins at ~16–17 months.

Actions: motion to recommend approval of zoning file 24‑31 (special development plan for Polk Street Residences) as presented; motion made by the chair and seconded (record shows a mover and a second on the record); vote tally reported in the transcript as yes: 6 no: 1; Commissioner Roberts recorded as voting no; legal threshold met according to staff; outcome: recommended for approval to City Council.

Authorities referenced: Main Street Central Expressway PD (plan development adopted 2016), Envision Richardson comprehensive plan (policy update), Main Street Subdistrict development standards.

Provenance: topicintro — transcript block starting at 155.885 with staff introduction: "Item number 2 is our first public hearing. This is zoning file 24 dash 31, special development plan for Polk Street Residences."; topfinish — transcript block starting at 4647.925 with vote and result evidence: "All those opposed. That passes, was it 6 to 1? Yes, 6 to 1. Commissioner Roberts, in opposition."