Cleburne council unanimously denies rezoning for 300‑unit apartment proposal at 1303 East Kilpatrick Avenue

The Cleburne City Council unanimously denied a rezoning request Tuesday that would have converted about 16.5 acres at 1303 East Kilpatrick Avenue from industrial zoning to a planned development district to allow multifamily construction.

Planning staff presented the proposal as a multifamily project made up of eight three‑story buildings with a maximum of 300 units and a mix of one‑ to four‑bedroom floor plans. "The proposal is for the construction of 8 3 story buildings with a maximum of 300 units," planning staff said during the presentation. The applicant proposed 527 parking spaces, a reduced rear setback and capped density at 18 dwelling units per acre. The Planning and Zoning Commission had recommended approval by a 3–2 vote.

During the council’s public hearing and discussion, councilmembers focused on the site’s location along the US 67 frontage and on whether the change would conflict with the city’s long‑range land‑use objectives. Councilmember Derek Weathers said the site "is not appropriate for this land" and argued the city needs to hold on to industrial land in that corridor. A petitioner representative, Jake Brown of LDG Development, told the council he had "no presentation" but was available to answer questions.

Councilmember Weathers moved to deny the rezoning; the motion was seconded and carried unanimously. No public proponents or opponents spoke during the hearing beyond the petitioner’s representative, and the council took no further action on the project at the meeting.

Why it matters: Council members framed the decision as protecting scarce industrial land along a major frontage road that the city views as strategically important for future industrial development. The denial means the applicant would have to revise its proposal or pursue other sites if it wishes to advance multifamily development in Cleburne.