Friday, Nov. 21, 2008

Carillon Passes, Compromise Cited

Some Residents Still Unhappy About Council Compromise

By Nicholas Sakelaris

Staff Writer

Construction could start early next year on new offices and homes in the Carillon project. It’s a major development that could boost population enough to require a new elementary school in the north part of town.

New retail won’t be far behind in the mixed-use development.

The Southlake City Council unanimously approved the 285-acre project Tuesday. Attached housing, which had been controversial, was dropped from the plan.

The project, located between Carroll Avenue and White Chapel Boulevard north of Texas 114, will have 404 units of varying sizes, the smallest being the zero-lot line houses called Villas. That brings the overall residential density to 1.8-units per acre.

A total of 123 Villas are planned, the smallest on 45-foot-wide lots. The council chose that option rather than having the Maisons, attached units that have many nearby residents opposed.

The French Renaissance-style project will have a mixture of residential, a 300,000-square-foot office campus and a pedestrian-friendly retail and restaurant center that could include a hotel.

Engineering and construction plans are being finalized and dirt could start moving on the first phases in the first quarter of 2009, said Jeff Kennemer, senior project manager for Hines Interest Ltd.

The blanket zoning sets the framework, but individual buildings will still need site plan approval.

"With each building that comes forward we’ll have the opportunity to look at the architecture," said Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Gregory Jones.

Mayor pro tem John Terrell thanked the neighbors for voicing their concerns about the project, which had stirred controversy among many nearby residents. He said the input had resulted in improvements to the development. "It hasn’t gotten to where a lot of neighbors want you to be," Terrell told Hines officials. "But I do believe Hines has done a lot to meet some of the concerns. I think it has reached a very good compromise."

Katie Simpson, who has led opposition to the project and lives in an adjacent neighborhood, said many of her neighbors are unhappy about the compromise. She said Hines hasn’t made enough concessions regarding density and construction traffic.

Councilwoman Pamela Muller applauded Hines’ efforts to reach a compromise by eliminating the attached units.

"I’ve always opposed the Maisons. To me they’re apartments or town homes. We only allow them in Town Square," Muller said.

Houses will range in price from $600,000 for Villas to nearly $2 million for the bigger Chateau units.

In other action, the council approved a zoning change and site plan for the next phase of Bicentennial Park, but left the batting cages out, for now.

The next phase will have four ball fields, a new concession stand, four to six lighted tennis courts, a new entrance on Shady Oaks Lane, a roundabout and other amenities.

The city will build a wooden fence to screen the lights and noise from the four new ballparks planned at the northeast corner of the park near a residential area.

Batting cages were the most contentious part of the plan for residents on nearby Love Henry Court, who say they already hear the ping of aluminum bats at existing cages.

Claudia Pillow pleaded with council members to relocate the new batting cages away from homeowners.

"Our house is directly behind the batting cage," Pillow said.

Instead, the council decided to postpone taking action on the batting cages while staff explores ways to buffer the noise.

Residents also pushed for a masonry screening wall, but city staff warned it could cost $400,000 to build.

In addition, the historic White’s Chapel Cemetery will get a fence to protect the final resting place of many of the area’s pioneers.

The City Council approved a site plan for a high-end wrought-iron fence for the 157-year-old cemetery at the intersection of Southlake Boulevard and White Chapel Boulevard.