Harlingen commission approves conditional variance for Horseshoe Point subdivision after drainage and annexation assurances

The Harlingen City Commission voted to approve a conditional variance that allows the proposed Horseshoe Point subdivision on Morris Road to proceed with one required public entrance rather than the two entrances the city subdivision ordinance normally requires. The vote followed extensive public comment about flooding, traffic and property‑value concerns and came with conditions tying the variance to annexation, planned‑development (PDD) language and infrastructure commitments.

Planning staff told commissioners the project covers about 90 acres and initially proposed roughly 390 lots to be developed in phases; staff later reported the developer is revising plans toward about 350 lots. Staff said the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval; city staff recommended approval subject to conditions intended to protect public health and safety and to ensure future connectivity.

Roberto Fernandez, Harlingen city engineer, outlined the project's drainage approach and described a plan to convert Horseshoe Lake — a roughly 60‑acre resaca — into a regional detention facility. Fernandez said converting and connecting the resaca to the ditch system would provide approximately 480 acre‑feet of detention capacity, “about 8 times the size of Lozano Pond,” which he and staff say would reduce street flooding once constructed. He said those first phase drainage improvements would be done before home construction and that the developer would dedicate right‑of‑way and construct utilities consistent with the city's standards.

Developer representatives and their engineering team said the project would include a new lift station to serve the area (preliminary bids for the lift station were reported in the high‑$900,000s to about $1,000,000) and a sizable park. Mario Reyna, representing the developer team, said the plan allocates roughly $1,700,000 to build a nearly 10‑acre park that will be privately maintained but open to the public. The developer said the buildout is expected to occur over multiple years, with a phased annexation and a goal of initial home starts in 2026 and measurable starts by 2027; full buildout was presented as likely by 2035.

Residents who spoke urged greater caution. Kate Holt, a Water's Edge resident, said the proposal’s lot sizes and densities look like nearby developments she described as tightly packed and lower quality. “We are not anti‑growth. We’re pro‑community,” she said, urging the commission to deny variances and require a design that aligns with existing neighborhood standards. Yuri Becerra, another resident, recounted being displaced by flooding earlier this year and asked bluntly, “Will we get flooded again?” Commissioners asked staff and the developer to clarify timelines, service agreements and how each phase’s annexation would be enforced.

The city’s fire marshal and planning reviewer both weighed in. The fire marshal said previous variances for single‑entrance subdivisions had been permitted and, after review, recommended approval provided the development meets fire‑safety conditions (hydrants, street widths and emergency access). A planning reviewer asked that the PDD include explicit language capturing future interconnections to assure eventual compliance with subdivision standards.

After questioning from multiple commissioners about timing, road ownership (the north and south halves of Morris Road are split between city and county jurisdictions), TxDOT signal warrants and enforcement of annexation conditions, the commission approved the variance with a motion that included an explicit condition that the variance take effect only upon annexation or as parcels are annexed and subject to PDD commitments. The motion carried with recorded opposition.

Next steps: staff and the developer will return with the PDD/plat and an annexation service agreement; the variance as approved is conditioned on those documents and on the developer meeting the infrastructure commitments identified by staff. Commissioners also directed staff to continue conversations with Cameron County about right‑of‑way and a phased approach to widening and improving Morris Road.

What stayed the same and what changed: The developer’s presentation reduced the maximum lot count from 390 toward a planned figure near 350, pledged off‑site drainage work and a city‑served lift station, and tied substantive mitigation to the PDD and annexation process. Residents and some commissioners said they remain concerned about scale, traffic, enforcement of phased annexation and how quickly drainage work will provide relief.