Commission approves mobility-plan tweak to keep proposed Craver Ranch arterial out of floodplain

The Planning & Zoning Commission voted 5–1 to approve a mobility-plan amendment that realigns a portion of the proposed east–west secondary arterial through the Craver Ranch area to the south of a FEMA-designated floodplain. Staff said the realignment avoids environmentally sensitive areas and reduces long-term maintenance costs by removing the need for an extra bridge.

Mia Hines, senior planner, explained that the mobility plan allows administrative deviations up to 1,000 feet but the proposed shift exceeds that threshold, which is why the commission considered the amendment. Hines told commissioners the amendment "minimizes disturbance of that area" and noted staff supports the change because it meets approval criteria and reduces impacts to ESAs and floodplain crossings. Commissioner Pruitt said the realignment will avoid an unnecessary footprint across sensitive land and later called the motion, which passed 5–1.