Plan commission recommends Richardson West middle school redevelopment despite neighborhood traffic, staging concerns

The Richardson City Plan Commission on Feb. 3 voted unanimously to recommend approval of a planned-development rezoning that would allow Richardson ISD to rebuild West Junior High as a three-story, about 200,000-square-foot middle school and relocate the baseball stadium on the campus.

The commission’s recommendation follows a staff presentation that described three tracts on the site and a proposed planned-development overlay to permit a maximum building height increase from 50 to 60 feet to accommodate the new three‑story building and competition gym. Staff said the proposal includes a minimum of 833 parking spaces across the three tracts and several special standards for landscaping, screening and lighting.

“Tract A contains Richardson High School to the south as well as West Junior High to the northeast,” staff said in the presentation. Staff also noted four written statements in opposition were received, chiefly raising concerns about traffic, adjacent parking and field lighting.

Neighbors who live immediately behind the site told the commission they fear daily traffic and staging impacts. “The project information shows daily trips increasing by 38%,” said Chrissy Cortez Malthus, who said Magnolia Drive backs up today and that the proposed north parking lot would be “right behind my house” with potential for bright lighting, increased heat and stormwater runoff. Rob Hopper, another Magnolia resident, warned the alley used for neighborhood driveways could become a shortcut during drop-off and create safety risks for children.

The applicant and design team said the project’s circulation plan and staging are intended to reduce street queuing and improve on-site stacking. Architect Greg Estes described a circulation scheme that separates bus lanes from parent drop-off lanes and relocates the main entry to the north to create longer on-site queuing. “We’re trying to get cars off of the street,” he said, adding the team plans physical queuing and separate bus routing to reduce conflicts.

Project staff and the applicant offered several technical details: the school currently enrolls about 709 students and is expected to open in 2028 with roughly 927 students initially and capacity for about 1,000; the team said construction phasing is designed so the existing junior high can remain operational while the new building is constructed where the stadium now sits; lighting design will be refined in construction documents and the project team said they will use shields or deflectors so illumination at property lines meets city requirements.

Residents asked for clearer setbacks and a detailed staging plan before council action. The applicant acknowledged the neighborhood concerns, said Track C is likely to be used as a construction laydown area with fencing and screening, and pledged to share more-developed construction logistics as those plans are finalized.

Commissioners asked staff to monitor nearby streets (including the Holly–Mimosa intersection and Magnolia) after the school opens and to consider enforcement and potential extension of the school zone if parents continue to bypass congested intersections. Staff said the traffic impact analysis includes “background plus development” (future) operations and that full analysis is available separately from the packet.

After public comment and discussion, the commission moved to recommend approval of zoning file 20‑522 (Richardson West) with the special conditions presented by staff; the motion passed unanimously. The item is tentatively scheduled for City Council consideration on March 9.

The commission’s recommendation is advisory; City Council will take the final vote on the rezoning request.