The Midlothian City Council unanimously approved a new comprehensive plan during Tuesday night’s regular meeting after going over the updated plan to add additional changes.

The plan, which is called “Guiding Our Future — Midlothian 2045 Comprehensive Plan,” includes city vision and guiding principles, revisions to the thoroughfare plan and future land use plan, a comprehensive planning program, and official policy for the future of the city.

Daniel Harrison, project manager with consulting firm Freese & Nichols Inc., went over the updates to the plan that have been made since the previous City Council meeting. The biggest change was reducing the city’s maximum population from 140,000 to just over 110,000, by reducing the density in modules.

The thoroughfare plan also underwent minor edits, including the removal of a ramp from U.S. Highway 67 and the rerouting of a future road east of Midlothian Parkway.

More tweaks were made to the plan before final approval. At the suggestion of councilmember Ross Weaver, the country module was expanded to the Thomas Trail subdivision, and medium density was buffered along U.S. Highway 287.

The plan contains more than 150 actions and addresses how each action would be implemented. An incremental approach would be used based on priority and available resources. An annual status report would be presented to the City Council, and a formal audit of the plan would be carried out every five to seven years.

Mayor Justin Coffman thanked all parties involved for their work in what he called “a labor of love.”

More information on the new comprehensive plan is available at https://www.midlothian2045.com .

All seven members of the council were present.

Other items

• Mayor Coffman presented a proclamation declaring the week of Oct. 14-18 as Chamber of Commerce Week in the city of Midlothian.
• The approved consent agenda included previous meeting minutes; the purchase of a total of six vehicles; a restriping of Midlothian Parkway between Mount Zion Road and the U.S. 67 service road; a three-year regulatory contract with the Trinity River Authority of Texas for inspection, sampling and analysis services; an agreement for tree trimming and removal services; and contracts for the purchase of water treatment chemicals.
• A $25,659 Midlothian Community Development Corporation grant to the city for the Merry & Bright Shop Local program was pulled from the consent agenda and approved separately.
• The council voted to deny without prejudice a rezoning of a 23.53-acre property at the northwest corner of Midlothian Parkway and West Main Street from Agricultural to a planned development for single-family uses. The applicants are free to bring the proposal back before the council.
• Also denied, citing traffic concerns, was a rezoning request for an 81.446-acre tract along Tower Road from Agricultural to a planned development district with residential zoning.
• An addendum to a contract with Emergicon, LLC for hardware and software upgrades related to patient documentation and billing was approved.
• An agreement with Watson Consoles was authorized in the amount of $320,908 for dispatch consoles for the North Ellis Emergency Dispatch Center, which Midlothian operates.
• An impact fee reimbursement agreement was reached with Knox Street Partners No. 28, Ltd. for improvements along U.S. 287 between Presidential Parkway and Walnut Grove Road.
• An agreement was approved with SHI for a rapid threat subscription in the amount of $113,371.