Developer Blake Magee Company proposed expanding the Woodside Municipal Utility District to include an additional 162.5-acre tract at a May 26 City Council workshop. The request includes annexing the land into city limits to create a new age-restricted residential development.
What happened
The proposed project would integrate the tract of land, which is located at the northwest intersection of Ronald Reagan Boulevard and Hwy. 195, into the Woodside MUD, or create a separate MUD.
The development is part of a partnership with Pulte Homes and would be modeled after Del Webb’s Sun City Texas active adult community, said Amy Payne, a senior project manager with Blake Magee.
The plan includes 520 single-family units on the new land, as well as a request to transition an adjacent 140 units from traditional housing to active adult.
What they’re saying
Because the proposal exceeds the city’s MUD policy, which caps age-restricted housing at 10%, some council members expressed opposition. Exceeding this cap conflicts with the city’s goal of providing accessible and diverse housing options for residents of all ages, said District 6 council member Jake French at the meeting.
“I still don't think it's in the best interest of the larger community fiscally or from a housing accessibility perspective,” French said. “It's saying people younger than a certain age can't buy within their community, which is inherently discriminatory.”
However, Payne said the housing market shows a need for age-restricted communities, and the traditional homes in the Woodside development are selling at a slow rate, Payne said.
District 3 council member Ben Butler opposed the 55-cent MUD tax rate. Payne said the rate is necessary to finance essential infrastructure, such as roads and waterlines, and would likely be decreased after seven to 10 years.
“I think that we need to do whatever we can to keep [the tax rate] to a minimum and make sure we only pay for the things that are in the policy,” Butler said.
Council members also suggested designating more land for commercial use along Hwy. 195 rather than having residential properties back directly up to the road.
What’s next
To meet the city's standards required for MUD developments, city staff requested design modifications, including installing an 8-foot masonry sound wall to limit highway noise and constructing a roundabout instead of a four-way stop at the main road.
Developers said they will take the feedback on commercial zoning and development terms back to their team for further review before moving forward.
