Richardson commission backs Apollo Junior High expansion after traffic-related concessions

The Richardson City Plan Commission voted unanimously Dec. 16 to recommend approval of a Planned Development zoning application (Zoning File 25-18) that would allow the Richardson Independent School District to expand Apollo Junior High School and convert it to a 6–8 middle school.

The commission’s approval came with modifications to the staff-recommended traffic controls: commissioners directed that both left- and right-turn maneuvers be allowed onto Amherst Avenue and removed the staff proposal that would have prohibited on-street parking along a short section of Amherst during morning peak hours. The motion, made by Commissioner Roberts, passed unanimously with five commissioners voting in favor.

The school district and its architects said the project would modernize a compact, 18-acre campus at 1600 Apollo Road. Brian Nelson of HKS Architects told the commission, "The school will be expanding from 126,900 square feet to 206,000 square feet," and described new program elements including a competition gym, a new cafeteria with stage, an enlarged library, and a storm shelter. James Watson, Senior Executive Director of Operations for RISD, said the district’s planning and the 2021 bond underpin the programmatic shift to a 6–8 model and help meet updated Texas Education Agency and building-code requirements.

Staff and the applicant presented traffic analyses developed with the city’s transportation and mobility team. The proposed traffic-management plan routes parent pick-up and drop-off through a new internal circulation path (enter Driveway A, exit on Amherst under a controlled maneuver), separates bus circulation, and is designed to maximize on-site queuing to reduce on-street queuing on Apollo Road. To implement those circulation changes, staff originally proposed a 160-foot no-parking restriction on the east side of Amherst from 7:30 to 9 a.m. and several off-site mitigations such as extending turn lanes at nearby intersections.

Neighbors at the meeting objected to the parking restriction and to the placement of traffic onto Amherst. Chris Blackburn, who lives at the corner of Apollo and Amherst, said he opposed the restriction and told commissioners, "I didn't buy a home there, to jockey cars for the school," citing regular guests and service providers who use on-street parking. Other residents raised concerns about visibility, light, property values, and whether the project team had sufficiently involved the adjacent neighborhood in alternatives analysis.

Members of the commission said they supported the architectural upgrades and the district’s goals for safety and on-site queuing but wanted to avoid placing a concentrated burden on a small number of homeowners. Commissioner Cicek said she appreciated the design improvements but noted that the project ‘‘comes down to traffic,’’ urging staff to preserve parking where feasible. Staff noted the PD includes review triggers: when enrollment approaches build-out the city can request an updated traffic-impact analysis and re-evaluate permitted maneuvers if off-site impacts appear.

Key project details presented at the hearing include an increase in building area from about 126,900 to 206,000 square feet; an enrollment plan that moves from current 594 students to an initial 834 when the campus opens in 2028 and an ultimate capacity of roughly 1,000 students; on-site parking proposed at about 160–169 spaces, plus roughly 368 shared city parking spaces adjacent to the site; and up to 10 temporary portable classrooms during construction. The applicant said construction would start in 2026 with a target completion in August 2028 and that portables would be used for approximately one year during phased work.

The commission’s motion recommended approval of the PD with staff-scribed modifications allowing both left and right turns onto Amherst and eliminating the proposed no-parking restriction on Amherst during the morning peak. The commission closed the public hearing and forwarded the recommendation to the Richardson City Council, which will consider final action.

If the council approves the PD, staff will monitor operations and may require additional traffic study and mitigation at build-out or earlier if on-street queuing extends onto public streets, as spelled out in the PD conditions. The commission noted that many of the technical traffic refinements remain subject to city review and that city staff have authority to require updates to the traffic-management plan if queuing extends onto public right-of-way.

What’s next: the City Council will receive the commission’s recommendation and the PD exhibits; staff said additional data collection and an updated traffic-impact analysis could be required before construction permits are issued if the council or staff identify unresolved off-site impacts.