Council approves Parkway Estates planned development, clears path for 83 townhomes

The Washington City Council approved a preliminary development plan and rezoning for Parkway Estates, a proposed 83‑unit planned residential development on a 7.1‑acre site off Fox Crest Drive.

Planning staff presented the project as the third stage of preliminary development approval; the site contains parcels currently zoned R2 and R3 that the developer asked to reclassify to Planned Residential Development (PDR). The plan calls for a mix of rear‑loaded interior townhomes and front‑loaded perimeter homes, a 30‑foot landscape buffer on the east, sidewalks on the main road and interior alleys to serve rear garages.

"We are proposing 83 attached single‑family homes with a mix of front‑ and rear‑loaded units," planning staff said, noting the comprehensive plan designates the area as type‑2 suburban residential. The planning commission recommended approval with conditions including a 12‑foot interior alley allowance if interior units are sprinklered, a 30‑foot landscape buffer, a 40‑foot maximum building height, and a homeowners association to manage certain maintenance responsibilities.

City staff and the street department discussed operational concerns about alley widths, trash pickup and snow removal. Staff recommended the city keep responsibility for snow removal on the new streets so trash pickup is not interrupted in winter storms; the developer agreed to widen radiuses and build alleys with thicker concrete to accommodate service vehicles. "We're going to build the alleys seven inches thick — the city standard is six — because of the trash trucks," developer Kurt Ernstto said.

Todd Meyer of Houston Homes said the alley design anticipates waste‑collection operations and that the build would proceed in phases (infrastructure first, homes built as units sell). Council members sought clarification on trash‑truck operations for one‑way alleys and were told the plan includes signage and turning radiuses accommodating collection routes.

After a public hearing, the council approved the preliminary development plan by motion and later adopted a resolution and rezoning ordinance moving the parcels to Planned Residential Development; the rezoning passed by roll call. Planning staff said final development plans must conform to the approved preliminary plan and the city will continue coordinating on alley design, snow removal and construction standards before accepting street maintenance into the city system.