Commission approves rezoning and land‑use amendment for Century Boulevard area but tables conditional use for townhomes

The commission voted to forward a positive recommendation to city council for rezoning a 42.7‑acre tract along Century Boulevard from R‑3 to R‑5 and to amend the future land‑use map to mixed residential. The request by Lee Tharp/Cadre Engineering on behalf of property owners would allow higher-density residential uses and included a separate conditional-use petition for 48 townhome lots.

Staff recommended approval of the rezoning and future land-use change but noted a need for connectivity and infrastructure. The planning staff asked that the developer dedicate right‑of‑way to extend Century Boulevard through the property so the city could complete future connections; staff recommended sidewalks, underground utilities, landscape buffering and that any nonresidential development be withheld until utilities are available.

During public comment and the commission’s discussion, several commissioners proposed a stricter condition: that the developer construct Century Boulevard across the property's creek crossing to Bullock Road as part of the project. The developer’s representative said that mandating the creek crossing would substantially increase cost and likely make the proposed project infeasible, raise Army Corps/FEMA permitting considerations and could force a different, denser proposal to be submitted.

Facing unresolved questions about secondary access, environmental permitting and cost allocation, the commission voted to table the conditional-use request and associated subdivision to the next month to allow staff, the commission and the developer to explore alternatives, potential city–developer partnerships, and more precise cost and permitting information.

What’s next: rezoning and future land‑use recommendation will go to city council; the conditional-use and preliminary subdivision will return to the planning commission for further review after additional information is gathered.