City Council OKs zoning for 38-lot project

Both Dorian Carra and Bricen Glover (not pictured) of Midlothian Troop 512 were recognized at Tuesday nights Midlothian City Council meeting by Mayor Justin Coffman for having achieved the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout, the highest honor in Boy Scouts of America. Also pictured is Wesley Simon, scout master. Photo Credit: City of Midlothian
Bill Spinks
wspinks@cherryroad.com

The Midlothian City Council Tuesday night approved a zoning change for a 38-lot planned residential development west of South 14th Street and north of McAlpin Road.

The zoning change from Agricultural was approved, with an added amendment suggested by councilmember Mike Rodgers that a masonry screening wall be used from the front of the pad site to the front of the next pad site, with decorative steel being used in the front yards. Another amendment would allow only single-story homes adjoining McAlpin Road.

City planning director Mary Elliott reviewed design standards for the proposed 16-24-acre development, which included a minimum of 50 percent of homes with side entry or J-swing garages; anti-monotony provisions such as a minimum of 4 lots skipped on the same side and differentiated elevations defined; a 6-foot masonry screening wall along McAlpin; and a 15-foot-wide landscape easement with trees along 14th Street.

Mayor Justin Coffman raised a concern about two-story houses overlooking a major thoroughfare, in this case 14th Street. Developer Todd Winters said the 15-foot buffer would ease that concern. Councilmember Rodgers also encouraged use of a landscape buffer along McAlpin, saying that a bare brick wall “screams big city.”

Councilmembers Allen Moorman, Anna Hammonds and Clark Wickliffe were not present for Tuesday night’s meeting.

Other items

  • Much of the meeting involved recognitions by the council. Mayor Coffman presented a proclamation honoring Sissy Franklin for her 30 years of service with Manna House including 20 as executive director; and Coffman issued a proclamation declaring Severe Weather Awareness Week in the city.
  • The council also recognized Dorian W. Carra and Bricen Glover for earning Eagle Scout status. For his project, Dorian collected over-the-counter supplies to be used by patients with diabetes being served by Hope Health in Ellis County. Bricen collected unique artifacts and memorabilia from local veterans to be donated to the Smithsonian Museum in honor of the their military service.
  • Councilmembers received a presentation on the city’s financial audit for fiscal year 2023-2024 from representatives of Pattillo, Brown & Hill, LLP.
  • The approved consent agenda included previous meeting minutes; authorization of a contract with the Ellis County Elections Administrator for the May 5 election; agreements for disaster recovery and remediation to ATI Disaster Recovery Services and Blackmon Mooring & BMS CAT; a contract with Rightway Lawn and Tree Maintenance, LLC for citywide brush cut mowing services at a cost of $138,400; authorization for furniture, fixtures and equipment for the new Public Safety facility in the amount of $1.2 million; and the replacement of two links for the Ellis Countywide Radio System’s microwave ring at a total cost of $100,572.
  • A proposed ordinance reducing the posted speed limit along U.S. 287 to 60 mph was denied by a 3-1 vote. The highway is presently posted at 65 mph. Councilmembers expressed unhappiness with the Texas Department of Transportation on the slowness of projects in the area, in particular the addition of frontage roads along U.S. 287. Councilmember Wayne Shuffield cast the lone vote in favor, in the spirit that “something needs to be done.”
  • Following an executive session, the council authorized the purchase of a 0.598-acre property and a 0.053-acre property for easements in an amount of $66,650 in relation to the McAlpin Road project.

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