A 39.2-acre commercial and light industrial development planned for the northeast corner of University Drive and Lovers Lane is making headway in Prosper.
The land was previously zoned for commercial development, and the applicants’ rezoning request would amend the zoning to allow for light industrial and limited manufacturing on part of the site.
The rezoning was delayed after several residents of the Willow Ridge neighborhood directly north of the planned development spoke in opposition to the project at a July 21 meeting.
After project developers met with residents, Prosper’s Planning and Zoning Commission voted 7-0 in favor of the rezoning at an Aug. 4 meeting.
At a glance
The development will be made up of three tracts, according to town documents:
- Tract One: Retail
- Tract Two: Light industrial
- Tract Three: Cottage logistics
Tract One, which sits on the corner of University Drive and Lovers Lane, will be a Rooms To Go, a project representative said. Rooms To Go is a furniture chain specializing in sofas and bedroom sets, according to the company’s website.
Tract Two is designed for offices, showrooms and warehouses for businesses requiring 5,000-20,000 square feet of space, the representative said.
Tract Three, which is adjacent to single-family homes in the Willow Ridge neighborhood, is designated for “cottage logistics.”
For the purposes of this development, cottage logistics refers to businesses that specialize in “small-scale and individualized” production and specifically excludes any mass-produced manufacturing, according to town documents.
Spaces within Tract Three will be for businesses that require roughly 1,000-2,000 square feet of space, the representative said.
“The type of tenants that will be in [Tract Three] are growing businesses,” he said. “They’ll be pool cleaning businesses, they’ll be art framing businesses.”
Taking a step back
The rezoning was originally tabled at the July 21 meeting to give the developers time to meet with the Willow Ridge Homeowners Association and address resident concerns surrounding noise, light pollution and traffic, according to town documents.
Developers plan to reduce the noise impact on nearby residents using a “living screen,” a barrier made up of existing trees along the property line plus additional trees or shrubs to be added by the developer, the representative said.
The development team also addressed light pollution concerns by adjusting the height of the buildings in relation to the line of sight for adjacent homes.
“Your light pollution drops almost to zero as you get close to the residential piece,” the representative said.
Finally, developers will mitigate traffic concerns by building an extension of Richland Boulevard that will run through the development and connect to Lovers Lane, according to town documents.
Offering input
“We don’t often see developers be as open and amenable to comments,” commissioner Glen Blanscet said. “There’s some compromise that has to be made, and I’m grateful to the homeowners that seemed to recognize that as well.”
Multiple homeowners addressed the commission, stating that while they still have reservations about the development, they appreciate the developers’ willingness to hear their concerns and take suggestions.
“Overall, we’ve made a lot of progress,” Willow Ridge resident Katie Chatfield said.
Following the commission’s recommendation of approval, the rezoning is scheduled to go before Prosper Town Council for final approval on Aug. 25, per town documents.
