An amended development plan approved by Prosper Town Council will add 600 multifamily apartments and 150 single-family lots to the Gates of Prosper.

At an Aug. 26 meeting, Prosper Town Council approved amending housing development plans for the Gates of Prosper, with Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Chris Kern and council member Marcus Ray voting against the changes.

The decision came after the Prosper Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously recommended denying the amendments Aug. 5, citing concerns about lot sizes, density and a lack of details.

What you need to know

The Gates is a mixed-use development with four subdistricts near the intersection of Preston Road and First Street.

The amendments, submitted by developer Blue Star Land, include:

• Subdistrict 2: adding 600 multifamily units (1,200 total)
• Subdistrict 3: adding 150 single-family lots (300 total)

According to town documents, Subdistrict 2 is designated as the residential lifestyle center. Subdistrict 3 was initially planned as the downtown center with offices and mixed-use buildings but will now be replaced by single-family housing.

Blue Star Land submitted the changes after working with staff to address recommendations from a 2024 joint Prosper City Council and Planning and Zoning work session, according to town documents.



The details

Council members raised concerns about the density and quality of apartments in Subdistrict 2 but approved the plan with nine added requirements, including:

• Capping two-bedroom apartments at 37%, with the rest as one-bedroom units
• Requiring any hospitality or retail tenants to be upscale
• Adding open-street fencing to Subdistrict 3 along McKinley Street and Main Street
• Requiring first floors to be at least 10 feet tall

Mayor David Bristol said the site near the railroad is limited to multifamily or industrial use, so he “can’t imagine what else [they] put there.”

Following the Aug. 5 denial, Blue Star also shared more details with council members about the planned lifestyle center, which could feature a hotel, upscale retail and high-end restaurants.

The discussion

Town staff said the amendments, aside from the new conditions, align with Prosper’s multifamily apartment standards that were adopted in 2024.

However, Bristol said the added requirements should not set a precedent for other developers.

Scott Shipp, director of engineering for Blue Star, said bringing in high-end retail clients often depends on nearby housing density.

“I don’t think that we’re out of line in what we’re asking for,” Shipp said. “It’s just a different market.”

Mayor Pro Tem Amy Bartley said one of her main requirements was that the developer pursue upscale hospitality and retail tenants to ensure a high-quality project for Prosper residents.

“Residents say they don’t want more multifamily,” Bartley said. “But they also say they want higher-end retail and restaurants, and you have a developer telling you this is how you get this.”

Another perspective

Ray said council members need to “hold the line to be consistent” with Prosper’s established multifamily standards.

“I have significant heartburn with the quantity of multifamily,” Ray said. “There’s not one [resident] that says they want more multifamily.”

Kern said he was concerned about the increased density of the apartments and that the changes don’t align with Prosper’s long-term vision.

“I just feel like we’re giving away our ability to negotiate in the future,” Kern said.

One more thing

Council also approved an agreement with Blue Star Land and the Prosper Economic Development Corporation for the design and construction of Godwin Parkway, which is planned to connect Dallas Parkway directly to the Gates of Prosper.