Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use Merritt Crossing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Rowlett council denies comprehensive-plan change for 185-unit Merritt Crossing on Merritt Road
Summary
After an extended public hearing and split testimony from residents and the developer, the Rowlett City Council voted against changing the comprehensive plan for 8500 Merritt Road to allow a 185-townhome project, citing long-term employment-center goals and concerns about piecemeal development.
The Rowlett City Council voted down a request to amend the city’s comprehensive plan for a 23.6‑acre tract at 8500 Merritt Road that would have allowed a 185‑unit townhome development known as Merritt Crossing.
Derek Hall, the city’s community development director, told the council the applicant asked to change the future land use designation from “Employment Center” to “Medium Density Residential,” adopt a regulating plan and approve a minor access warrant to connect the site to Merritt Road. Hall said the project would contain Townhome‑2 units, provide two parking spaces per unit and about 90 visitor spaces, and include five open‑space lots and a north–south connector consistent with the master thoroughfare plan.
Shai Bali Desai, director of entitlement for Bridal Tower Homes, described site and design features, saying the project meets the form‑based code’s development standards and provides 14% open space where 10% is required. “Our concept plan shows the layout of the 185 townhomes,” Desai said, adding the alleys and access were sized to accommodate fire apparatus.
Public comment was split. Supporters made a property‑owner and market‑demand case: Chris Williams and others who own parcels in the assemblage urged the council to allow the owners to move forward, while consultants from Range Realty Advisors said more rooftops help attract retail and employment users over time. Opponents pressed drainage and infrastructure concerns, questioned whether the parcel should remain part of a contiguous employment center and warned of a concentration of rental product along Merritt Road. “This is the last piece of land in the North Shore area that Rowlett has to expand its opportunities for employment centers,” one opponent said, urging the council to protect the long‑term plan.
Council debate focused on competing objectives: the comprehensive plan’s long‑range vision for an employment center and residents’ concerns about traffic, drainage and the character of future development. Councilmember Michael Shoop moved to approve the request; the motion failed. The council recorded a vote of 1 in favor and 6 opposed, with Councilmember Bowers the lone affirmative vote.
The council’s action preserves the existing future land use designation for the site. Mayor Winget and several council members noted that while they respect property‑owner rights, approving isolated residential conversions could fragment the larger North Shore employment‑center strategy. Hall said staff will continue to work with property owners and developers on options that align with the city’s long‑term planning objectives.
What happens next: The comprehensive‑plan map remains unchanged for 8500 Merritt Road. Developers and landowners may return later with revised concepts, or pursue other entitlements consistent with current land‑use and zoning regulations.
