Streetlights Residential gets zoning approval for apartments, townhomes in East McKinney

A new residential development may be coming soon to East McKinney after approval of new zoning.

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McKinney City Council members approved new zoning Aug. 4 for 17.9 acres of land in East McKinney. The zoning enables Dallas-based developer Streetlights Residential to construct a mix of for-sale and for-rent townhomes alongside traditional multifamily buildings, according to city documents.

Developers are planning for construction of about 300 apartments and about 68 townhomes, according to the applicant’s presentation. Greg Coutant, senior vice president of development for Streetlights Residential, said they were intentional in planning the site to be “as good a neighbor as possible” while still providing a mix of residential units.

“We believe that this proposed zoning district allows us the flexibility to blend the height, reduce the height as we work towards the single-family neighborhood to the south and transition that density in a way that’s respectful for those existing homeowners,” he said.

The details

The traditional multifamily buildings will be located north of Greenville Road and stand three stories tall, according to a letter of intent for the project. Two-story townhomes will be located south of Greenville Road where the site borders some single-family homes, according to the applicant’s presentation.

While McKinney’s comprehensive plan calls for commercial development in this specific area, city staff recommended approval because residential zoning is less intensive, McKinney Planning Director Lucas Raley said.

“We find that this development will complement the surrounding area and support the Mill District vision by introducing additional housing choices,” he said.

McKinney’s Planning and Zoning Commission voted 5-2 to recommend approval at a July 14 meeting.

Public input

Three residents who live near the proposed project spoke during public comment. Each resident thanked Coutant for meeting with nearby neighbors to discuss the project and hear concerns. They requested the city and developer work together to incorporate infrastructure improvements along Greenville Road and the surrounding area.

McKinney resident Kristal Jimenez said they would like sidewalks and lights installed on Greenville Road.

“I know that there’s been discussion with our engineering department but Greenville is not in the books to be fixed or revisited for a while,” Jimenez said.

There are currently no capital improvement projects slated for Greenville Road, according to McKinney’s Capital Improvements Program website. There are improvements slated for other roads in the area including Neilson Street, Miller Street and Anthony Street.

McKinney Engineering Director Gary Graham said city officials can collaborate with the developer to address resident concerns while working within budgetary constraints.

Quote of note

Council member Patrick Cloutier said he was “reluctant” about this project but Streetlights’ plans for the property is a “good activation” for the area.

“I do recognize that we do need some modern stuff over there and that only comes through good development,” he said. “I think this is good development.”