Kennedale council approves development agreement, sewer amendment, fee updates and rezoning

The Kennedale City Council approved a package of development, infrastructure and administrative items at its meeting, including a development agreement for the RMC Business Park, an amendment to a sanitary sewer design project, updated facility rental fees tied to a new permitting platform, broker-dealer updates to the city’s investment policy, and a zoning change that allows commercial drive-throughs at 600 West Kennedale Parkway.

The council unanimously approved a development agreement with RMC Capital LLC for a project at 7317 South New Hope Road. Applicant Ronnie McLaughlin described plans for “15 office warehouse type buildings,” saying the site will be a gated, private-drive development in which the developer will maintain the street and retain responsibility for stormwater and access, with emergency access provided to police, fire and city officials.

“The best way to explain it is I’ll be building 15 office warehouse buildings for a variety of different type of business owners,” Ronnie McLaughlin said, describing the mix of office space with vehicle storage or hobby space.

Council also authorized Amendment No. 1 to the Bridal Court Hillside sanitary sewer improvements contract with Westwood Professional Services to realign a misaligned sewer segment that is sitting on the creek bed. Staff said the initial project budget was $1.1 million and that current engineering and OPCC estimates place the total near $900,000; the amendment includes a modest scope adjustment the presentation identified as roughly $28,000 to address the misalignment and stabilize the pipe. Staff said the work will move the pipe off the creek bed and reduce erosion risk.

Finance staff presented a routine investment-policy update to Appendix B (approved broker-dealers) to reflect staff changes: adding BV Private Wealth and updating the RW Baird contact to Jeffrey Carroll. Council confirmed conflict-of-interest documentation had been completed and approved the changes.

Council approved changes to facility rental fees tied to the city’s myGov permitting software, which include new fee lines for future ballpark rentals and standardized deposit procedures. Elizabeth, staff leading the rental update, said inspections occur when staff next access the facility after a rental (often the following business day) and that a renter checklist and related waiver language are available online; renters also are asked to photograph facilities before and after events to support deposit decisions.

“We provide that with the policy as well as any kind of waiver for liability,” Elizabeth said, noting the checklist is available on the city’s website.

On zoning, council adopted Ordinance No. 790 (PZ case 25-13), changing 600 West Kennedale Parkway from UV (Urban Village) to C-2 (General Commercial). City staff said the change removes Urban Village restrictions and would allow commercial tenant types — including potential drive-through restaurants — consistent with a commercial corner designation.

The meeting included several routine consent- and administrative-vote items and a finance update reporting year-to-date revenues. Finance staff noted property-tax and sales-tax collections were running ahead of last year (sales tax roughly 93.3% of budget and property-tax totals presented at about 104% of budget in the summary), and that some line items lag by a month due to reporting cycles.

Council moved into executive session under sections 551.074 (personnel) and 551.071 (consultation with counsel) and, on return, announced it would not appoint to Seat/Place 4 given the proximity of the next election. The meeting was later adjourned.

Votes at a glance: - Consent agenda (minutes, two replat items): approved (motion passed) — mover/second announced in meeting; outcome approved. - Facility rental fee changes: motion to approve carried 4–0. - Development agreement with RMC Capital LLC (RMC Business Park at 7317 S. New Hope Rd.): motion carried 4–0; developer Ronnie McLaughlin present. - Amendment No. 1 — Bridal Court Hillside Sanitary Sewer Improvements (Westwood Professional Services): motion carried 4–0; staff described scope and budget adjustments. - Investment policy Appendix B updates (broker-dealer list): motion carried 4–0. - Ordinance No. 790 / PZ case 25-13 (rezoning 600 W. Kennedale Pkwy from UV to C-2): motion carried 4–0.

Next steps: staff will proceed with the contracted engineering and development steps, update public-facing materials (fee schedules and investment-policy contact lists), and implement the approved zoning change per ordinance procedures.