Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Rezoning topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Planning commission denies MF-36 rezoning on Baxter Well Road amid residents’ infrastructure concerns
Summary
The McKinney Planning and Zoning Commission voted 3–2 on Jan. 13 to deny a request to rezone land at FM 1461 and Baxter Well Road to MF-36 after residents and commissioners raised concerns about narrow roads, lacking infrastructure and compatibility with the area’s low-density character.
The McKinney Planning and Zoning Commission voted 3–2 on Jan. 13 to deny a request to rezone land at the southwest corner of FM 1461 and Baxter Well Road to MF-36, a multifamily zoning classification the applicant said would allow roughly 280–288 units. The commission’s denial will go to City Council; staff said the council will require a supermajority for approval because of the commission recommendation.
Why it mattered: Residents from the Baxter Well Road and Bloomdale Farms area delivered extended public comment urging denial, saying local roads and other infrastructure are inadequate for dense multifamily development. Several speakers described Baxter Well Road as narrow and deteriorated and said school buses and delivery trucks already strain the corridor.
What was proposed and who said what: Applicant counsel Bob Rotor said the proposal is a first step in an annexation and zoning process tied to a public-private partnership with the McKinney Housing Finance Corporation and NRP Group and described the project as meeting affordable‑housing objectives. Residents including Stephanie Wainberg, Caleb Blanton, Darren Riggs and Tessa Blanton told the commission that Baxter Well Road and nearby FM 1461 (future Lake Forest Drive) lack shoulders and are unsafe for the additional traffic they expect from multifamily development. Wainberg said Baxter Well Road is “no thicker than my cell phone” and urged commissioners to match development with infrastructure.
Staff responses and technical context: Staff (Jake Bedding) explained the property currently sits in the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ), not inside city limits; as a result, property‑owner mailed notifications required for P&Z hearings are not sent to addresses outside the city limits. Bedding said off‑site road improvements are typically required only when a traffic‑impact analysis (TIA) triggered by the development shows them to be necessary and that developers are normally responsible for frontage improvements; he also noted TxDOT’s 380 Bypass timeline is long and that some infrastructure upgrades are development‑driven.
Commission debate and decision: Commissioners expressed a mix of concern for property rights and skepticism about current infrastructure. Commissioner Lebo moved to deny the rezoning, citing likely impacts on nearby homeowners and the existing condition of Baxter Well Road; the motion passed 3–2. Commissioners who opposed denial acknowledged the need for housing but questioned whether this site is appropriate given the road and safety issues raised.
What happens next: The denial will be forwarded to City Council for a final public hearing and vote on Feb. 3, 2026; because of the Planning and Zoning recommendation to deny, Council will need a supermajority to approve the rezoning if it chooses to consider it. Any requirement for off‑site improvements would be determined later in the development review process, including through a TIA if required by staff.
