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Council hears updates on three Leon Valley subdivisions; developers paid tree‑mitigation fees, council asks for occupancy and traffic tracking
Summary
Planning & Zoning Director Michael Gallardo updated the council on Seneca 1 & 2, Trilogy and Seneca West (Seneca Trails): combined hundreds of homes planned, variances on lot widths and tree removals, mitigation fees paid by builders, and council requests for occupancy data and traffic study follow‑ups.
Planning and Zoning Director Michael Gallardo told the Leon Valley City Council that the city has several active residential projects that will add a substantial number of new homes over coming phases.
Gallardo summarized three developments: Seneca 1 (Pasa Landing) — roughly 10 acres with an anticipated 87 housing units and, as of the presentation, 65 permits issued; Seneca Phase 2 — nearly 6 acres with about 49 units; Trilogy — just under 10 acres and about 67 homes planned; and Seneca West (Seneca Trails) — combined phases on roughly 39 acres with about 380 homes planned across multiple lot sizes.
Gallardo outlined site variances tied to each Planned Development District (PDD): reduced lot widths, permitted street widths that may limit parking on one side, and tree variances that allowed removal of medium, large and heritage trees in exchange for replacement plantings and mitigation fees. He said builders have paid six‑figure mitigation amounts on some phases; for example, Seneca 1 carried a mitigation fee of roughly $135,150 and later phases paid additional mitigation fees (staff compiled the figures by project).
Councilors pressed staff on measures of occupancy and service impacts. Councilor Mersch and others asked whether the city issues certificates of occupancy for single‑family homes; Gallardo said Leon Valley does not currently issue C.O.s for detached homes and would need to rely on sales‑team data or field surveys to estimate occupied units. Councilors asked staff to follow up with developers or sales teams about occupancy rates and to schedule a post‑build traffic study once phases are complete to confirm fire‑access, parking and traffic assumptions.
Several councilors also expressed concern about street widths and fire access for narrower‑street variances. The council asked staff to bring a traffic‑study item back after key phases are completed.
Gallardo said staff will provide additional permit/occupancy detail and follow up on parking, traffic and lot‑size ranges for council review.
