Plan Commission recommends approval for Twilight Plaza rezoning over neighbor objections, 6-1

The Richardson Plan Commission on Nov. 18 recommended approval of Zoning File 25-19, a planned-development rezoning for Twilight Plaza at 508 Twilight Trail, by a 6–1 vote.

Staff said the subject property is about 2.3 acres with two single-story office buildings totaling about 26,500 square feet and currently provides 116 parking spaces. The applicant seeks PD zoning to allow a broader mix of uses not permitted in the existing OM office district, including bakery, community garden, fine-arts studio, health club (including yoga), personal care services, a community theater, and restaurants without drive-through service. The PD would also formalize two exceptions: a standardized minimum of 116 parking spaces rather than per-use parking calculations, and retention of existing wooden dumpster screening instead of a masonry screening wall.

Taylor Pardue, representing the owners of Twilight Plaza, described the property’s 1997 ‘Hacienda’ design and said the owners have renovated the site since buying it in 2019. Pardue told the commission the owners had aimed at community-facing tenants and had engaged Heights Park Neighborhood Association leadership. He said, “We’re not looking for a late night hangout spot,” and added the owners would negotiate hours with future tenants and had no immediate plans to install a full-service restaurant.

Neighbors expressed concern about traffic, noise and odor. Debbie Fish, owner of 516 Twilight Trail next door, said many of her office tenants would not want to be adjacent to a restaurant and urged the commission to limit uses. “Most of my office clients do not want to be next door to a restaurant,” she said. Fish and another nearby property owner also said they received notice late and asked for more direct outreach to adjacent neighbors.

Pardue acknowledged an outreach oversight and apologized: “It was an oversight on our part and we should have,” he told the commission, saying the owners had directly engaged the neighborhood association leadership and some nearby businesses but not all adjacent property owners.

Staff told the commission a traffic memo was submitted and that, based on the proposed uses and no increase in parking supply, staff did not expect traffic beyond what current zoning could generate. Staff also said performance standards and code enforcement address odor and noise concerns, and that restaurants are permitted in nearby commercial zones; the PD was crafted to allow tenant flexibility consistent with the Envision Richardson enhancement-area plan for West Arapaho.

Commissioner Roberts moved to recommend approval of the PD as presented. The commission voted 6–1 to recommend approval; Commissioner Purdy voted in opposition. The recommendation advances the application to city council for a final decision.