Developers and staff discuss allowing 40‑foot detached homes in Meridiana townhome zones; no vote taken

A developer representative told the Manvel Planning, Development & Zoning Commission on Feb. 9 that a proposed PUD amendment would allow 40‑foot‑wide detached homes in remaining townhome land‑use areas of Meridiana in place of required attached townhomes. The presenter framed the discussion as a request for commission feedback before formally filing an amendment.

The presenter said the goal is to give the development more product flexibility, noting market demand for detached homes in the master‑planned community and suggesting that 40‑foot lots could create benefits such as additional on‑street parking and larger setbacks. "So I'm here tonight to talk about the possibility of a potential PUD amendment to allow 40 foot wide lots, with detached stand alone homes in lieu of the currently allowed and required attached products," the presenter said.

Staff advised the commission that, from a planning perspective, the change appears supportable but engineering is reviewing lot‑width implications; staff noted that if staff had its way it might prefer wider lots (50–60 feet) in some contexts, but that 40 feet can be workable given current local patterns. Commissioners raised concerns and benefits including reduced density, potential on‑street parking increases, and higher insurance premiums for attached units versus detached homes.

No formal motion or vote was taken; the presenter said the developer would proceed with a formal amendment filing if the commission’s feedback suggested it was viable. Staff will continue technical review and provide guidance if the applicant proceeds to an official PUD amendment application.