Roanoke Ranch: Council pauses 70-acre development
Officials tabled a proposal for retail and industrial structures after residents raised concerns about traffic and multifamily housing.
By Karan Meyer ·
The Roanoke City Council reviewed a third concept for a major land development in the north side of the city on Oct. 27. The council tabled the item for the Nov. 17 meeting after a lengthy discussion regarding the project's impact on the Briarwyck neighborhood. The site, located along State Highway 114 and Briarwyck Parkway, comprises 70.1 acres.
Pelican Industrial, the company behind the project, proposed a design that includes a town center with seven connected retail spaces. These units range from 5,000 to 37,200 square feet. Two additional structures within the retail area measure 14,500 and 6,500 square feet respectively. The plan also features seven pad sites along the frontage road between Al Slaughter Parkway and Briarwyck Parkway.
The development includes two large industrial buildings. Austin Pipkin, the Texas market leader for Pelican Industrial, stated the western building will measure 88,000 square feet and the eastern building 98,000 square feet. These structures combine office and warehouse space with lower clearance heights than typical distribution facilities. Pipkin noted that office space will comprise approximately 15% of the finished buildings, compared to 5% or 8% in larger warehouses.
The Planning and Zoning Commission initially recommended approval with 15 conditions. The council reduced this number to 13 during the Oct. 27 session. Council Member Brian Darby explained that these conditions will become standards for the planned development rather than suggestions. The proposed changes will be added to the ordinance when the item returns to the council.
Residents submitted 142 letters from 105 individuals regarding the project. Common concerns included traffic flow, signage facing the subdivision, and the types of permitted businesses. Mayor Carl E. Gierisch Jr. expressed satisfaction that the latest proposal removed multifamily housing. He cited feedback from the Briarwyck Homeowners Association and council members that indicated a desire to stop multifamily construction in North Texas.
Specific modifications to the plan include increasing the setback from residential properties from 50 feet to 65 feet. The retail development expands to more than 50 acres from the initial 25-acre concept. To manage traffic, hooded curbs will direct semitrucks to Highway 114. A new east-west road will connect Al Slaughter Parkway and Briarwyck Parkway to reduce traffic on Bristol Street.
Additional conditions require an 8-foot masonry wall, an evergreen tree line, and no backlit signage facing homes. The plan prohibits standalone automotive uses and outlines specific construction hours. Council Member David Brundage, who lives in the Briarwyck development, praised the developer for listening to neighbors. He stated that voting for multifamily housing would likely cost him support in future elections.
Source: Community Impact
