Waxahachie council approves 3,100-acre planned development after heated Brookside Road hearing

The Waxahachie City Council approved a plan‑development zoning change and related development agreement for a roughly 3,100‑acre project near Brookside Road Wednesday night, despite strong opposition from nearby residents and continued staff bargaining over technical language.

The ordinance, ZDC2322024, permits a new planned development requested by Dennis Church of Mento Communities Texas LLC and adds land owned by Walton Texas LP and United Presbyterian Homes. Staff and the developer described the proposal as a mixed‑product community asking for 13,270 dwelling units, a minimum of 400 acres of open space and multiple neighborhood commercial nodes. City staff emphasized the project includes commitments for road and park infrastructure plus funding toward public‑safety facilities.

Why it matters: The project would significantly expand buildable land on Waxahachie’s north side and — if fully built at the density discussed — could accommodate tens of thousands of residents over the development’s multi‑decade buildout. Council and staff framed the vote as choosing between regulated, developer‑driven infrastructure commitments and leaving the site to piecemeal or county‑level development that could provide fewer protections for existing residents.

Council and staff briefed the public on three of the ordinance’s headline numbers. Trenton, a city staff presenter, told the council: "They are…