FORNEY, Texas — The Forney City Council approved a number of public hearing items which will further the progress of two proposed developments within the city — Gateway Parks and Brooklyn Village.
FORNEY, Texas — The Forney City Council approved a number of public hearing items which will further the progress of two proposed developments within the city — Gateway Parks and Brooklyn Village.
The larger of the two projects, Gateway Parks, sought a request from the Forney City Council to rezone 546.012 recently annexed acres from an Agricultural District to a Planned Development District to make way for a 1,860-lot master planned community tucked in between Farm-to-Market (FM) 1641, County Road (CR) 212, and Helms Trail.
Gateway Parks had previously seen months of opposition from neighbors who, attending previous Planning and Zoning Commission meetings, cited additional traffic, crime, and home value concerns. The developer, who attended those meetings, met with and addressed many of the neighbors concerns — changing their concept plan several times allowing for landscape buffers and road development assurances.
Tonight, two neighbors spoke about the development. Rusty Evans, who echoed many of the same concerns from other neighbors at previous meetings, urged the developer to consider larger lot sizes such as half an acre or more. The developer compared their lot sizes, home sizes, and home values to those of Devonshire.
“The market study that our client has gotten say 100 percent our competition is Devonshire,” said Jerry Sylo, a representative of the developer. “That’s what they are trying to emulate, that’s what they are trying to compete with.”
“Things like the large amenity center, things like the landscaped boulevard, things like the elementary school being the focal point in the neighborhood, those are the things that create that type of community and help to compete against communities like Devonshire,” said Sylo.
Richie Rodgers, who owns a home in Grandview Estates, initially had eight homes border his one-acre lot and said the developer has offered a solution to his privacy concerns, but at a price.
“They [the developer] offered me that acre of land to give me a buffer,” said Rodgers.
“I have to purchase it to buy my freedom,” Rodgers said chuckling. “That’s what I’ve chosen to do.”
Rodgers sought assurances he would be able to purchase the property and ultimately said, “He [the developer] is doing a lot. He’s a big developer and has a lot of cash, they can do whatever they want to do, but he’s working with us.”
“Thank you for that,” said Rodgers speaking to the developer.
The Gateway Parks planned development is part of a 2,000-acre overall master plan which will span from FM 548 north of U.S. Highway 80 to FM 1641 south of U.S. Highway 80 which will be connected by the Gateway Boulevard and the Gateway Bridge. The developer invested $12 million in the Gateway Bridge and will have invested $13 million in infrastructure at Gateway Parks before the first homes begin to be built in approximately two years, according to Sylo who said the homes and the project will be “expensive.”
“I’ve never worked with a developer that has been this willing to work with a neighborhood.” said City Manager Brian Brooks. “I do appreciate the hard work, this has been a process.”
With all council members present, the zoning change was granted with a 6-1 vote with Council member Andy Parker opposing the change.
The 40.854-acre development, Brooklyn Village, sought changes to their Planned Development District to use alternate materials such as Hardie-board siding and reduced masonry requirements to achieve an “New England cottage” or “Craftsman” style home.
Despite initial opposition from neighbors, the development changes were approved by the Forney Planning and Zoning Commission meeting earlier this month with only one neighbor returning to speak to the commissioners — reversing her stance of opposition to one of approval.
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Brooklyn Village is located east of Pinson Road/FM 740 and south of Bowie Street and is proposing 184 residential lots.
The council members approved Brooklyn Village’s amendment to their Planned Development District and also an ordinance amending the City of Forney Comprehensive Plan to change the future land use map designation from commercial to residential.