Friendswood City Council approved the amendment for a zoning classification for Avalon, a master-planned community on Nov. 4. The development does not meet the city’s requirement for 90-by-130 foot lots, thus requiring a special permit.
The council had previously approved the item in May. However, the 115 acres council approved had grown to 156 acres, requiring the council vote again. Council voted 4-3 to approve the permit, with Council Members John Scott, Robert Griffon and Brent Erenwert opposed.
Avalon is a master-planned community with homes, green space and a lake. The new development includes 53 more lots than previously proposed, resulting in a total of 259 lots in Friendswood. The development also did away with its 80-foot lots to increase its number of 60-, 70- and 90-foot lots. The increase to 90-foot lots was in line with council’s wishes, developers said; however, it did not fulfill the city’s lot requirement, causing some council members to vote against it. Council members expressed opposition to this, though council members in favor have argued that the council can grant exceptions to the 90-foot rule when it is fitting.
“If you can explain to me how you take the same green space and the same land space and you increase the lot size and you get more houses, it’s all just a facade,” Scott said at the Oct. 7 council meeting.
Other concerns about the development included flooding concerns, which Griffon mentioned at the Oct. 7 meeting.
Avalon’s development is contingent on the Friendswood Lakes Boulevard construction. Part of the development lies in League City, but if Friendswood is able to purchase that portion of the development, the item would come before council again.
The council had previously approved the item in May. However, the 115 acres council approved had grown to 156 acres, requiring the council vote again. Council voted 4-3 to approve the permit, with Council Members John Scott, Robert Griffon and Brent Erenwert opposed.
Avalon is a master-planned community with homes, green space and a lake. The new development includes 53 more lots than previously proposed, resulting in a total of 259 lots in Friendswood. The development also did away with its 80-foot lots to increase its number of 60-, 70- and 90-foot lots. The increase to 90-foot lots was in line with council’s wishes, developers said; however, it did not fulfill the city’s lot requirement, causing some council members to vote against it. Council members expressed opposition to this, though council members in favor have argued that the council can grant exceptions to the 90-foot rule when it is fitting.
“If you can explain to me how you take the same green space and the same land space and you increase the lot size and you get more houses, it’s all just a facade,” Scott said at the Oct. 7 council meeting.
Other concerns about the development included flooding concerns, which Griffon mentioned at the Oct. 7 meeting.
Avalon’s development is contingent on the Friendswood Lakes Boulevard construction. Part of the development lies in League City, but if Friendswood is able to purchase that portion of the development, the item would come before council again.
