Developer presents 29-acre multifamily and townhome concept near I‑35; council gives nonbinding consensus to proceed

A privately held multifamily developer presented a conceptual plan on Jan. 7 to the Glen Heights City Council for a 29‑acre mixed‑use project along I‑35 that would carve off about 4 acres of frontage for retail and develop the remaining 25 acres with townhomes and multifamily housing.

The developer representative said the plan would place two‑story townhomes along the north edge adjacent to existing single‑family neighborhoods and three‑story multifamily buildings to the south near the future Loop 9 connection. “We’re proposing just over 200 units of townhome” and “just over 210 units” of multifamily, the presenter said, and described a built amenity package including a resort‑style pool, fitness center, dog park and tuck‑under garages for many units.

The developer noted the site’s visibility from I‑35 and the future Loop 9 as reasons the location is attractive for mixed use. He told council the frontage retail would remain with the landowner for future commercial development and that the project team would pursue TxDOT access approvals for driveways on the I‑35 frontage.

Why it matters: The concept would add hundreds of residential units and retail acreage adjacent to a major regional corridor and to existing single‑family neighborhoods, raising questions about traffic, buffers and neighborhood outreach. The proposal also includes a proposed public‑private partnership the developer asked the city to memorialize.

Council questions focused on unit counts, access and neighborhood impacts. Councilmember Travis J. Bruton asked about total acreage; the presenter confirmed “The total is 29 acres. The retail is 4 acres on the frontage, and then our project will be the 25 acres behind it.” Councilmember Laymon M. Lightfoot and others pressed the developer on traffic and access; the developer said the project would produce access points to the I‑35 frontage road and that the team will perform traffic studies and obtain TxDOT approvals. “All of our traffic here will feed southeast off of those two access points off of the 35,” the presenter said.

The developer also committed to neighborhood outreach: he said the project team would hold a homeowners’ association meeting with adjacent residents and retain existing tree lines as buffers. He said the townhomes would provide a 60‑foot setback to the single‑family homes to the north, “and that’s a much larger setback than what it would be per code for the current zoning of SF‑1.”

Council response and next steps: Council members discussed whether the dais could give an official “blessing.” Staff reminded the council this was a presentation and that no formal vote would occur. Council members then expressed a nonbinding consensus to move forward with the land‑use process and to allow staff to coordinate the public partnership discussions. Multiple council members voiced support; Councilmember Lightfoot said, “I’m with it. I think it’s okay.” The developer asked to “work with y’all’s housing authority” to memorialize partnership terms discussed in executive session. The mayor and city manager agreed staff would place follow‑up items on a future agenda. No ordinance or zoning change was approved at the meeting.

Timing and construction: The developer said, if advanced, the land‑use and public‑partnership processes could take about three to four months; the team anticipates breaking ground in December 2025, with 22–24 months of construction and roughly a year for lease‑up, a timeline the presenter described as roughly three years from groundbreaking to stabilized occupancy.

Community impact and open questions: The concept raises traffic and access issues requiring TxDOT approvals and a traffic study, and the developer said the project team will complete those analyses. The proposal also depends on reaching terms on a public partnership the developer referenced; the council did not set deadlines or adopt any agreements at this meeting.