Allen City Council on Tuesday approved the first stage of a $6.9 million construction project to extend Ridgeview Drive between Watters Road and Chelsea Boulevard. The Allen City Council on Tuesday approved a design contract to extend Ridgeview Drive to Chelsea Boulevard.[/caption] The council approved a $484,550 contract with Dannenbaum Engineering to design the four-lane divided roadway project. The funding for the contract will come from sources already designated for Ridgeview Drive in the city's capital improvement program. Officials hope to begin construction on this phase of the project sometime next year, according to the city's Director of Engineering Chris Flanigan. The portion of Ridgeview Drive between Alma and Stacy roads has already been extended, and opened to the public in May. The city is working with Allen ISD to accelerate the eastern portion of the project near Chelsea to accommodate construction of the district's 18th elementary school, which is scheduled to open in time for the 2017-18 school year. The school district has agreed to assume the costs of the accelerated design and construction, according to city documents.

Zoning discussions

The council also approved a zoning change and tax abatement to accommodate the construction of a data center off Allen Commerce Parkway west of US 75. The 10-year, 50 percent property tax abatement would support construction of Compass Datacenters' first three pods. The townhome developer will have a chance to address council members' concerns before the Nov. 22 hearing.[/caption] After a lengthy public hearing Tuesday, council members rescheduled a vote on a proposed zoning change for a 19-unit townhome development off Greenville south of Main Street. Nearby residents spoke out opposing the measure, and council members expressed concerns ranging from aesthetics to accessibility to emergency vehicles and school buses. The public hearing on the townhome development is scheduled to continue at the council's Nov. 22 meeting.