Council approves 54-unit Abbey Lane townhome development after neighbors press for traffic, access and fencing protections

At its January meeting the Carrollton City Council approved a rezoning request to allow a 54-unit townhome development on about 7.8 acres near Abbey Lane and West White Street.

The project, proposed by Trit Quality Homes, will be developed as a planned residential development (R-PD) with a mandatory homeowners association, a 20% cap on units leased at any one time and an occupancy limit of no more than two unrelated individuals per unit, city staff said. The council’s approval added two conditions to the planning commission recommendations: the developer must reach a development agreement with the city regarding an adjacent city‑owned parcel, and the motion specified a 6‑foot privacy fence along lot backs that abut existing properties.

Why it matters: Neighbors directly adjacent to the site told the council they were not adequately informed about the project and said the area lacks sidewalks, suffers speeding and has limited sight lines. Several residents asked for a traffic and pedestrian-impact study and for stronger barriers to prevent cut‑through foot traffic onto private property.

Residents pressed multiple concerns during public comment. Margaret Campbell, who lives on Rome Street near the proposed site, said she and neighbors were unaware of the project until survey work began and asked whether traffic and pedestrian assessments had been completed. "54 town homes is excessive in an already congested area," Campbell said, and urged that the city consider smaller-scale patio homes or other alternatives.

Randy Hanscom, owner of Indulge Salon & Day Spa on Rome Street, told the council that White Street is "a tough street to walk on on a good day" and pressed the council to require a route that lets pedestrians avoid walking through private property.

Developer response and details: Mason Trit, a project owner, described the community as "maintenance‑free," with two dog parks, substantial green space and roughly 28 guest parking spaces (with four to six additional spaces possible in final engineering). Trit said the HOA dues are expected to be "between $200 and $225 a month" to cover exterior maintenance and landscape requirements.

On the specific access and buffer questions, city staff and the applicant said final engineering will determine exact grades and buffer widths. Ordinance options discussed include a 50‑foot undisturbed buffer, a 20‑foot planted buffer, or a 10‑foot planted buffer with a fence; the concept plan shown to council exceeded the minimum buffer requirements, staff said.

Council action: After discussion and a developer rebuttal addressing traffic, the council voted to approve both connected rezoning requests with the planning commission’s recommended conditions plus the development‑agreement requirement and the added 6‑foot privacy fence condition. The motion passed by voice vote, with a recorded count of three in favor and one opposed.

What’s next: The approval is conditioned on a development agreement about the city parcel and on final engineering, which will settle buffer widths, driveway and circulation details, and any additional parking adjustments the developer proposes. The council’s action does not itself authorize construction; permitting and engineering must follow.