Manvel residents and City Council members raised concerns about drainage, traffic impacts and the proposed density of a nearly 100-acre residential development presented by Risewell Group at its July 6 meeting.
What residents need to know
The proposal includes about 250-270 homes on lots ranging from 7,200-10,000 square feet, with larger premium homes around 19,400 square feet, according to presentation documents.
The property is currently zoned open single-family residential, which requires minimum 1-acre lots, or around 43,000 square feet, city documents show.
The revised plan includes about 2 acres of commercial space along Masters Road, as well as onsite detention with walking trails, seating areas and landscaping, presentation documents show.
The developer has also begun a preliminary traffic study, indicating that some intersections could require future improvements such as turn lanes and traffic signals.
In their own words
Several council members questioned whether the proposal reflected community feedback received during the June 15 meeting.
"There was a lot of feedback from the community, there were comments from council, and this seems very similar to what we had seen before,” Knox said.
Mayor Dan Davis said he remained opposed to the proposed density, adding that he hoped the delay would have resulted in a plan closer to one home per acre.
Public input
Several residents spoke against rezoning the property for lots smaller than 1 acre during public comment.
“I think they need to make it 5 acres per house. [Masters Road] can’t handle [the traffic],” resident Rodney Alexander said. “Everybody moved here to keep it simple.”
Resident Tim Liston said he is opposed to the zoning change, noting that it could set a precedent for future city councils and encourage dense development.
“I just don’t want to see this area become the urban sprawl that a lot of small towns have now regretted around the Houston area,” Liston said. “If somebody wants to buy a smaller home on a crowded lot, there are many places within 15 minutes to find them. Let’s protect what we got here.”
Also of note
Council member Jason Albert said the discussion should focus less on lot sizes and more on infrastructure concerns, including traffic and drainage.
He noted the developer's proposal aligns with the city's future land use map, approved in May, which designates the proposed development area as “suburban residential.”
The designation does not directly match a current zoning district, but supports residential development with a minimum lot size of 6,300 square feet, city documents show.
City officials noted that the planning map is intended to guide future development decisions and does not supersede existing zoning regulations, as previously reported by Community Impact.
What’s next
City officials indicated that the developer will consider public comments and council feedback before determining how to proceed.
If Risewell Group moves forward, it must submit a rezoning application for council consideration.
Council members also said they would like completed traffic and drainage studies before making a final decision.
