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Neighbors and developer clash over 14,480 sq ft Sandy Lake center; council declines approval
Summary
A proposed 14,480-square-foot commercial center on Sandy Lake Road drew strong neighborhood opposition over traffic, restaurants and tree loss; the council declined the planned-development amendment after months of review and extensive public comment.
Councilors on April 28 declined to approve a planned-development revision that would allow a 14,480-square-foot commercial center and patio space on a roughly 2.03-acre site along Sandy Lake Road, after residents and the applicant traded proposals and compromises on building placement, tenant types and traffic mitigation.
Developer Tyler Ali showed a reworked plan that moved the building rearward, added landscaping and proposed a 71-tree buffer, a no-drive-through condition and a $25,000 HOA screening contribution. "We tried to save a few more trees," Ali said, describing last-minute plan adjustments intended to address neighbor concerns.
Neighbors said the site is shallow and close to a busy Sandy Lake/Denton Tap corridor that already suffers congestion and accidents. Several residents argued that adding restaurants or patios would significantly increase trip generation and invite late-night noise, pests and trash problems. One resident summarized the neighborhood's position: "We want to protest against this PD; we want to cancel this PD and rezone it as a green belt," a resident told council during public comment.
Staff reminded council that the Planning & Zoning Commission had recommended approval subject to detailed engineering, drainage and traffic review, but several council members said the public safety and traffic questions were not yet resolved. The council considered an amendment limiting certain hours for trash pickup but ultimately the motion to approve the PD with conditions failed on the council floor.
Councilors who spoke in favor said the revised plan was an upgrade compared with an older concept plan and that the site would likely be developed in some form regardless; they urged a negotiated path forward on traffic signals, tree preservation and tenant mix. Opponents pointed to near-term quality-of-life impacts for the homes immediately behind the site and asked for stronger guarantees restricting restaurants, patios and noise.
Outcome: motion to approve PD214R10 failed; the applicant may return with further revisions, and councilors asked staff and the developer to pursue additional traffic analysis and mitigation options before another vote.
