The Orange Planning and Zoning Commission will once again review the plans for the Cypress Shadows Estates II subdivision by Sam Peveto. Last year, the commission, along with the city council, rejected the preliminary plat.
The proposed 35.8-acre subdivision is off FM 1130. It is outside of the city limits, but within the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction, which means the city is allowed to approve the plans.
Last year, several people living in the adjacent Chasse Ridge subdivision protested the preliminary plat, mainly because they were worried about drainage and the development causing their land to flood. Chasse Ridge subdivision is in the city limits.
The Planning and Zoning Commission will meet Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. in the Council Auditorium next to the Orange Public Library. A quorum of the city council may be at the meeting. The council will vote on the plat during a future meeting.
A public hearing for citizen comments will be held before the commission votes on the preliminary plat.
In a report to the Planning and Zoning Commmission, City Planning Director Kelvin Knauf said the city staff, along with staff from the Orange County Drainage District, “have met numerous times” with Peveto. Knauf said Peveto hired “a reputable engineering firm” to work on drainage solutions.
The subdivision will have ditches and a retention pond, Knauf reported.
The preliminary plat has the tract divided into 22 lots with a minimum size of one acre each. The subdivision plan has a looped street system opening onto FM 1130.
The plans, according to the city, have a water well for each lot plus an on-site sewage treatment system on each lot.
The people of Chasse Ridge have a valid concern. Im all for growing the area but I dont think there should be any big development project that has the potential to reroute the normal drainage without a comprehensive plan worked out with the city as well as county. My first thought is if this development needs a retention pond the models may have shown there is a high potential for inundating downstream areas with more water than they would typically see. I also believe that the county should first expand the outflow in any area there is development before the build can proceed. If you cram more into the same size funnel without enlarging it there will be a problem.
John-I think you understand the issue better than most and that includes county and city officials. If i remember correctly the city filed suit last year about the developers rerouting of water but have not heard of the results of that suit.