Council approves amendment permitting turf fields at Bullitt multisport complex with conditions

Tara Bradley, a planning staff presenter, asked the Rowlett City Council on Aug. 6 to approve an amendment to the Bullitt Multisport Complex regulating plan for the site at 8700 Princeton Road. The amendment removes previously approved townhomes and mixed-use buildings and allows two turf athletic fields, an 8-foot chain-link fence, lighting up to 50 feet and additional parking spaces intended to serve the fields.

Bradley said the modified plan proposes approximately 160,000 square feet of turf on the west side of the 10-acre site and would change the project phasing so the current phase 1 is complete and the remaining improvements become a two-phase final program. She noted planning-and-zoning recommended the amendment unanimously at its July 23 meeting and identified required minor warrants: athletic-field use, parking, block-size configuration, fencing and lighting standards.

Applicant Melvin Bullitt told the council the turf fields are necessary to sustain his business. He said converting to turf and reopening the fields is critical after revenue declined during the past 9–10 months: “we've lost about 75% of our revenue,” he said, and described turf as a way to maintain year-round play and community programming.

Council members asked about lighting spill and hours of operation; Bullitt and staff confirmed the project would use LED sports lighting, that staff had specified lighting aimed to limit spill (applicant said less than 2 foot-candles outside the field), and that lights would be on only during hours of operation (applicant suggested as late as 10 p.m. in summer and about 9:30 p.m. in winter). The packet contained a lighting-height discrepancy (staff referenced 40-foot vs. 50-foot poles); during the discussion staff and the applicant clarified the lights would be 50 feet.

Bradley also discussed parking counts: the regulating plan language had referenced 450 parking spaces in one location but the applicant's calculations proposed a total of 152 spaces for the full project; staff said they would correct the regulating-plan language and that the minor warrants were the subject of the amendment request.

Councilmember Reeves moved to approve the amendment as presented; the motion passed (vote recorded as 6–0 with 1 abstention). The approval gives staff administrative authority to correct plan text and proceed with the amended permitting path; any construction will still require proper permits and controls such as erosion/silt fencing once plans are filed and reviewed.

Why it matters: The amendment shifts the property away from previously approved residential/mixed-use development toward expanded athletic facilities, changing projected land use and local access to sports fields. Neighbors and council members focused questioning on lighting, parking and the absence of landscaping around the proposed chain-link fencing.

Next steps: Staff will update the regulating plan text to reflect corrected parking counts and continue with permit review; any required construction-permit conditions (silt fence, erosion control) must be met prior to construction.