Conroe considers changing number of multifamily units allowed per developed acre

Conroe City Council considered reducing the quantity of multifamily units allowed per developed acre during a March 22 workshop meeting to preserve more trees.

During the meeting, Director of Public Works Norman McGuire presented an agenda item that would reduce the number of units allowed per development acre to 12 units. According to agenda information, the city's existing ordinance allows 20 units per acre.

McGuire said the change would reduce the footprint of the development and allows developers to preserve more trees and provide additional landscaping.

Andrew Yousse, communications and public information officer for Conroe, said in a March 22 email the change applies to multifamily developments—apartments—and would not account for single-family homes, which include duplexes, or single-family home rental units or a unit development, such as townhouses and other zero lot line uses.

"We got developers coming into downtown. ... They come in with the spirit to develop to what's already existing in downtown. They have done a phenomenal job so far; we want to apply that same mentality throughout the city," McGuire said. "That's really what this tool allows us to do is partner up and give some of that back to the citizens and build a little stronger communities; we feel like we can do that with this tool."