A preliminary plat for a proposed 1,110-Plus Home Subdivision is among the topics on the May 3, 2022 Sulphur Springs City Council Agenda.
The Planning & Zoning Commission in April gave preliminary approval of the request by James Webb of Oak National Development for a conceptual plat 278.24 acres of land west of Sulphur Springs into 1,159 single family lots with 11 common areas. The plan is for streets in what was presented as Stonebriar Phase III to be concrete with curb and gutter, and would include sidewalks. The request is being recommended for the City Council to approve Tuesday night, provided the developer meets certain stipulations.
With so many moving eastward from the Dallas Metroplex, the developers anticipate the sprawl will soon continue to Sulphur Springs. There’s also been discussions of industry which could potentially bring thousands of extra jobs which would require additional housing. Thus, the projected development is planned to accommodate increased population, the Planning and Zoning Commission was told during an April 18, 2022 meeting.
Similar housing lots in progress in Greenville are valued at $320,000 to $400,000, according to Jay Webb, owner of the property and real estate broker with Altura Homes.
The project is expected to take about 10 years to complete, and would be built in phases, provided the project and final plat are approved by the City Council at a future meeting later this year.
The preliminary steps – getting approval at each step from the city engineer, then presenting the plat for final approval by the City Council approval – is expected to take at least 6-7 months. Bidding the project and contracts would push the project out a few more months, putting the it at about a year before work begin, Engineering Concepts & Designs, LP, President Todd Winters told the P&Z Commission in April.
Construction of the first lots in phase 1, about 30-40 lots, would then begin in 2023. Allowing a few months to construct a house, the first residence likely wouldn’t be complete until the end of 2023 or early 2024. The second phase, development of another 50-100 lots, likely wouldn’t take place until 2025, Winters noted.
Very little information has yet to be provided regarding utilities and drainage for the development, according to Sulphur Springs Assistant City Manager/Community Development Director Tory Niewiadomski.
The development area is currently outside the city’s service area, where the city is not currently obligated to provide with utilities. It is within the extra territorial jurisdiction though. The developer said the plan is to request that the project be annexed into the city.
If annexed, the lots due meet current size per square foot lot requirements, although some corner lots and cul-de-sacs may need to be adjusted to meet lot frontage requirements for single family-6 zoning.
Niewiadomski said city staff had identified some potential problem area with the Stonebriar Phase III that would need to be addressed before it meets city standards and a final plat is approved.
Among the factors to consider is fire protection capacity for 1,159 additional homes and potential off-site water line improvements along CMH Road and State Highway 11/19, grades for sewer gravity, discharge calculations for potential impact on the SH 11 lift station and drainage calculations.
The developers are willing to do all of the studies and steps necessary, the P&Z Commission was told in April. The Stonebriar Phase III as currently planned would put about $350 million in property development on the city’s tax rolls. The developer are willing to make improvements to water and sewer as necessary at no cost to the city. If the lift station needs to be upgraded, it will be upgraded and replaced with a larger one.
The preliminary plat approval was sought in order to determine if the street right-of-way meets standards, to determine adequate easements for proposed or future utility service and surface drainage are provided. Adjustments would be made as needed. A final plat would be presented later, with all other required documentation, after those steps are complete, the P&Z Commissioners were told.
Niewiadomski recommended the Planning & Zoning Commission conceptually approve the preliminary plat for the general layout of the subdivision provided certain conditions and items are addressed prior to the final plat submittal. The commission agreed on April 18.
