Argyle’s planning and zoning commission on Wednesday night recommended approval of a large commercial development that may be anchored by an H-E-B grocery store and Baylor Scott & White hospital on the southwest corner of I-35W and Robson Ranch Road by a vote of 6-1, sending it to town council for final approval, which will hear it at its March 17 meeting.
The plan has been modified from the last time it was brought to the commission, shrinking the acreage from 196 to about 123. The developer requested that the requirement for landscaping or green area be reduced from 20% down to 15%.
Multiple board members stuck to their original plan of 20% green space as a way to ensure the area is still aesthetically pleasing and adheres to the beauty of a small town. They referenced the cities of Silverthorne, Colorado and The Woodlands, Texas, as cities that have big commercial presence but remain pretty due to their greenery.
The development is expected to generate about $131 million of new private investment, $17 million in new tax revenue and $131 million in net new sales tax revenue over the next 30 years. In addition, they project the new businesses would bring about 3,200 new jobs to the area.
“This vote by the Argyle Planning and Zoning Committee is a great vision for Argyle and a huge value to our community,” said Argyle realtor Dave Salisbury.
The H-E-B is very enticing, economically, to the town of Argyle, but the P&Z Commission were clear that it won’t be something that will be easily passed. They argued for the landscaping percentage and were concerned about traffic on Old Justin Road, which commissioner Mike Udovic said is already very busy. Another worry is too many tall buildings, which might also take away from the small town, rural feel of Argyle.
“You can hear the passion in the voices… we are wanting to do it right,” said commissioner David Snell.
The motion was approved 6-1 with Udovic being the only member voting no. He argued that, as a resident of Argyle, he moved there because the rural feel of the town and fears a large development on the Heritage tract would move Argyle away from that.
(Correction: A previous version of this article had another member of the commission as the dissenting party, which has now been updated to accurately represent the votes.)
