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Streetlights Residential is proposing a new residential development in East McKinney near the Old Settler’s Recreation Center.
The setup
Developers are proposing a mix of for-rent and for-sale townhomes alongside traditional multifamily buildings on nearly 18 acres, according to a city document. Streetlights Residential is seeking zoning approval for the project from the city.
McKinney’s Planning and Zoning Commission voted 5-2 to recommend approval of the request during a July 14 meeting. Commission members Russell Buettner and Charles Wattley voted against the motion to approve.
The zoning request will be forwarded to McKinney City Council for final consideration and action Aug. 4, according to the city document.
A closer look
Streetlights Residential is currently under contract to purchase the property from the McKinney East Group, according to a letter of intent. Greg Coutant, senior vice president of development at Streetlights Residential, said the property is currently zoned for a mix of single-family development and agricultural uses.
Though the project site plan is not finalized, developers are planning for a mix of two-story townhomes and three-story apartment buildings on the property, Coutant said. The townhomes would be located south of Greenville Road and the apartment buildings would be located to the north, according to his presentation.
Coutant’s presentation included a site plan for about 300 apartment units and about 63 townhome units. The property “slopes heavily” from south to north, which makes it difficult to develop for single-family or commercial uses, Coutant said. The mixed residential use gives developers the flexibility to plan a project that “would function on the site,” he said.
“The other major benefit of this mixed residential zoning district is the fact that it allows us a range of housing types,” Coutant said. “It’s not all single-family, it’s not all townhome, it’s not all multifamily and that allows us the appropriate density.”
Public input
City staff is recommending approval of the zoning request, according to the city document. City planner Kyara Robinson said that staff believe the mix of housing types will “complement the existing area and should not be detrimental to the nearby residential uses.”
“The proposed housing types permitted within the [mixed residential] district either align with the comprehensive plan specifically to the south or are considered compatible with the comprehensive plan criteria,” she said.
Six residents voiced concerns during public comment about the development’s potential impact on traffic and infrastructure in the area. Desiree Rose, who resides near the proposed development, said she understands McKinney is growing, but asked the commission to deny the request and preserve the property for single-family residential development.
“Adding nearly 400 more units will only increase traffic in an area that already struggles with safety,” Rose said. “More vehicles means more opportunities for speeding, cut-through traffic and accidents, placing children, pedestrians and homeowners at greater risk.”
Rose said she “strongly opposed” any future connection between Greenville Road and Airport Road. The barrier currently placed at the end of Greenville Road keeps it from becoming a cut-through route for traffic, she said.
Coutant said the developers “absolutely want to work with the neighborhood to try and find an acceptable solution” for Greenville Road. Streetlight Residential’s site plan does currently plan for a secondary entrance on Greenville Road, but developers are “very open” to finding a solution that satisfies neighborhood concerns, Coutant said.
“We’ve never seen Greenville as a major entry or exit on this property,” he said. “It will need to be improved. It’s part of the engineering ask for our project, for us to resurface.”
More details
During the meeting, city officials said the barricade on Greenville Road is a city decision and not a developer-led decision. The city is currently planning improvements to East Virginia Street, though the project is currently in the design phase, according to McKinney’s Capital Improvement Program.
