Council rejects proposed apartments, brownstones near Grapevine Main Station

A new 248-unit multifamily complex proposed on the corner of S. Dooley Street and E. Dallas Road was denied by a unanimous vote from Grapevine City Council during their joint meeting with the city's planning and zoning commission on Aug. 17.

The multifamily complex proposed by Trinsic Residential Group included 223 one- and two-bedroom units, 10 live/work units and 15 brownstone units on over five acres. It also included a four-level, 431-spot parking garage, a retail bodega open to the public and connectivity to the city’s current park trails.

Citing the Transit District Overlay, an amendment zoning ordinance relative to the Dallas Road transit corridor passed in February 2019, planning and zoning members and City Council members alike suggested that the proposal did not comply with the ordinance and was not appropriate for approval.

Larry Oliver, the commission's chairman, said the Transit District Overlay allows for medium density-only on the site, and that the proposed multifamily complex instead is a high-density development that does not meet the criteria set for the district.

“I don't believe this one conforms—it's too high-intensity... with that many units being developed,” Oliver said.

Grapevine Mayor William D. Tate said that approving such a project could open the door to bring more apartments to the city, rather than the expected commercial development. Tate said the higher density currently allowed in the ordinance projected an increased train ridership that hasn't materialized and would mitigate the potential traffic congestion from the developments.

“What we wanted is create an extension of Main Street down Dallas Road ... [to] create sales tax,” Tate said. "The people that [will live there are] not gonna ride the train, that's why you're providing [431] parking spots. ... It's an excuse to build apartments—and all you're gonna do is create more traffic in the residential Historic District.”