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Council unanimously approves PD to add five units at Richland Park Apartments on Abrams Road
Summary
The council adopted an ordinance allowing Richland Park Apartments to convert underutilized common spaces into five additional units, raising site density from 82 to 87 units; the City Plan Commission recommended approval with reduced parking and amenity-point requirements, and the council voted to adopt the ordinance unanimously.
The Richardson City Council unanimously adopted an ordinance to create a planned development district for the Richland Park Apartments at 951 Abrams Road, allowing the owner to finish out underutilized interior spaces and add five new dwelling units within the existing building footprint.
Senior planner Derek Peters briefed the council on zoning file 25-23, describing the property as a 3.09-acre site developed under the former town of Buckingham standards. The project would raise the site from 82 to 87 units and keep the existing 166 parking spaces; the City Plan Commission recommended approval after recommending a reduction in required parking and amenity points, citing the site’s current parking surplus and unit count well below thresholds that trigger higher amenity requirements.
Architect Eddie Cervantes, speaking for the applicant, said the additional units would be built inside existing, underutilized community-building space and would not expand the building footprint. Neighbors expressed safety concerns tied to ingress and egress: Mark Wickersham and a neighborhood president urged staff to examine the need for an additional entrance or a safer turn lane because the only entrance effectively requires northbound access from Abrams Road and creates difficult U-turns from other directions.
Council members acknowledged the traffic concerns and asked staff to evaluate potential changes to ingress or traffic-control features, but several members noted the small scale of the addition (five units) and supported approval. Councilmember Dorian said the units will provide smaller-footprint options for individuals or small families and that the applicant had indicated parking remained sufficient.
The council voted to adopt the ordinance as presented, with the conditions recommended by the City Plan Commission. Staff said any future site-plan changes that would alter parking or footprint would return to CPC or council review.
Next steps: The ordinance was adopted; staff will follow up on residents’ traffic/egress questions and advise council if feasible traffic improvements or a plan amendment are required.
