By JACQI LEYVA-HILL
Special to the PRESS
After months of revisions and review, local officials have approved plans for a new townhome-centered residential subdivision in Laguna Vista, clearing the way for the project to move into final permitting stages.
During a recent joint meeting, the Board of Adjustment and Planning & Zoning Commission considered updated plans for the proposed Southside Bayside Subdivision. Project engineer Jerry Benavides presented a redesigned layout that responds to prior feedback from city staff and board members.
The development, located along the south side of town, is now primarily residential. Earlier versions of the plan included a larger commercial component, but the updated design reduces commercial space from about 15,000 square feet to roughly 8,000 square feet. Benavides said the shift allows more of the property to meet current residential standards and improves the overall layout given the site’s shape and infrastructure constraints.
According to the presentation, approximately 85 percent of the lots now meet city code for frontage and lot size. Those include the larger residential lots and several standalone homes planned along the perimeter of the development. However, the applicant requested variances for a group of interior townhome lots that are narrower and slightly smaller than required under existing ordinances.
Benavides explained that those townhomes would still include two-car garages and additional driveway parking, allowing up to four vehicles per unit on private property. Visitor parking is also planned outside the gated portion of the subdivision. To address safety concerns, the design includes five-foot breezeways at regular intervals between groups of units to allow emergency access and fire separation. The project engineer noted that the fire marshal reviewed the layout and confirmed that emergency vehicles, including ladder trucks, could maneuver within the site.
Board members also discussed drainage, floodplain elevations, and the preservation of nearby wetlands and mangrove areas. The developer stated that retaining walls and engineering measures will be used to protect environmentally sensitive areas and manage stormwater flow without encroaching on protected zones.
City staff indicated the revised plan met engineering and safety review standards. Following discussion, the Board of Adjustment approved the requested variances, and the Planning & Zoning Commission approved the subdivision layout.
Richard Engle, a member of both city boards, made the motion to approve the revised plan with no additional requirements. The motion passed unanimously.
“It is very gratifying to see this project move forward for our town,” Engle said. “While a greater commercial component would have been very good as retail options remain limited for our residents, it’s good that the developer continues to have that in the plans. The variance approved is minimal and certainly fulfills the ‘spirit’ of the ordinance if not every letter. The purpose of the Board of Adjustments is to give exceptions as proper when circumstances call for it. I applaud our board members, especially the Chair, in helping to secure that our actions remain consistent with our role and are in service to our community.”
With those approvals in place, the project can now proceed to the detailed design and permitting phase, bringing a new housing option to Laguna Vista as growth continues across the Laguna Madre area.
Comments