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Midlothian council continues PD-170 mixed-use hearing after extended design and access debate
Summary
Council continued a proposed PD-170 mixed-use rezoning for about 10.28 acres on East Ridge/Main Street after prolonged questions about building height, street access and design compatibility; the applicant agreed to further community and council workshops. The item was tabled 5–0 for continued review and direction.
Midlothian city council voted to continue consideration of a proposed PD-170 rezoning for a mixed-use redevelopment at East Ridge and Main Street after more than two hours of presentation and council discussion about design, building height and pedestrian/vehicular access.
Planning staff summarized changes from an earlier concept, describing a plan of roughly 10.28 acres that would create two subdistricts: a vertical mixed-use area (ground-floor commercial with residences above) and a townhome district. Staff said the developer increased vertical mixed-use units to 76, reduced townhome units to 48, added amenities including a playground, pickleball courts and a dog park, and revised drainage language to address retention and aeration for any wet pond. Planning staff recommended approval and noted the Planning & Zoning Commission had recommended the request 5–0.
Audra Buckley, representing the property owner, said the applicant had responded to council requests from the prior hearing by adding vertical mixed-use, centralizing the playground and reversing dumpster orientation so service vehicles can maneuver. "We were asked at the last council hearing specifically to add more vertical mixed use, and we did so with this plan," Buckley said, describing a new 2,200-square-foot outdoor patio and design adjustments intended to increase walkability.
Council members raised multiple concerns during a lengthy Q&A. Several members objected to a three-story, modern-style building proposed on Main Street and expressed a desire to preserve a consistent architectural theme down the corridor. Councilmember Clark (speaker 3) and others questioned whether the three-story frontage was appropriate and whether reducing that building to two stories might be possible. Staff and the applicant said lowering that front building would be difficult without losing units or reconfiguring other parts of the site; the developer said they had kept the total unit count stable at 124 since early design stages.
Another recurring topic was whether to allow a west-side access drive that could connect residential traffic through the retail area. Staff expressed concern that an open connection could create a residential cut-through to Main Street; the applicant said the connection improves circulation and retail visibility and offered to provide a turnaround and adjust parking if council wanted the access closed. Council asked staff to clarify how the city could later restrict on-street parking along East Ridge if needed, and staff noted a separate no-parking ordinance would be required to enforce any closure.
Given the outstanding design and compatibility questions, the council chose to continue the item to a future date pending a city council workshop for broader discussion of architectural direction and themes for Main Street. Mayor (speaker 1) made a motion to table the item pending a workshop; the motion was seconded and passed 5–0. City attorney (speaker 11) reminded the council that substantial changes to unit counts or other material elements could require readvertising and another public hearing under zoning rules.
Next steps: the council directed staff and the applicant to schedule a workshop with council to focus on facade/height themes and to return the item after that input. No substantive approvals were granted tonight.
