Kenneth Fambro, chief operating officer of Integrated Real Estate Group in Southlake, wanted time to explore increasing road widths, or right of way, in the single-family portion of the proposed Watermere development after some questions from the council surfaced. Council agreed to table the issue to the Aug. 27 meeting.
The details
The overall development would have 296 units, the majority of which would be in a 211-unit independent living building. The development also will have 38 single-family lots.
The applicant, IHS Real Estate Holdings LLC of Southlake, requested amending the comprehensive zoning ordinance for 18.5 acres of land, located near SH 114 and adjacent to the city's water tower and near Lois Street, North Oak Street, Walnut Street and Dorman Road. The amendment would allow for multifamily and single-family detached uses, according to the council agenda.
Zooming in
The proposed street widths are 24 feet curb to curb, whereas normal city street widths are 30 feet curb to curb, Carissa Katekaru, communications and public engagement administrator for the city, said in an email.
Fambro showed the map of the development at the meeting and discussed how his company approached the roadway. Roanoke Fire Chief Christopher Addington told council that emergency vehicles would have a difficult time driving through the streets.
“This is going to be tight as it is and really going to cause some concerns for me moving apparatus and setting up our apparatuses there,” he said.
Also of note
Fambro said if the development has a larger right of way then there will be no dedicated parking area, which was proposed in the development with 20 dedicated parking spots.
“The only other way I can get there is if I make a less-desirable lot [size],” he said, noting a request for the planned development would have to be changed to allow for smaller front and back yards.
He told council that in order to meet a larger right of way, the development would require a smaller lot for homes and that would reduce the overall number of lots. Senior housing would have more units in order to hit the target of the number of units that the developer agreed to with the city.
