Commission approves New Territory Detention Expansion No. 1 final plat with two conditions

The Sugar Land Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved the New Territory Detention Expansion No. 1 final plat at its Nov. 11 meeting, subject to two conditions required by city staff.

City staff presented the final plat for land adjacent to the New Territory subdivision in the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction. Staff said the plat covers 12.066 acres and includes three reserves: one of more than 10 acres dedicated and restricted to detention and two smaller reserves for landscaping and open space. Staff said the proposal requires abandonment of the existing Sartarsia (also transcribed as Sutartia/Sartarshie) Road and construction of a new 70-foot-wide right of way.

Staff reviewed the history of approvals: the preliminary plat was approved on May 25, 2023, and received two subsequent extensions. Staff also noted that city council unanimously approved the first reading of an ordinance regarding abandonment (transcribed as ordinance 23 65) and that a second reading is scheduled for the council’s Dec. 2 meeting; staff said the abandonment must be complete before the final plat can be recorded with Fort Bend County.

Staff recommended approval with two conditions: (1) revise the acreage of the Sartarsia Road right of way on the face of the plat from 1.206 to 1.162 per the development application handbook (section 4) and City of Sugar Land development code section 5-17, and (2) abandon the Sartarsia Road right of way before the final plat is recorded. A commissioner asked about a reported scrivener’s error; staff confirmed the acreage discrepancy and said it would be corrected before recordation.

Chairing the meeting, the presiding commissioner read the motion to approve the final plat with the two staff-recommended conditions; Commissioner Patel seconded. The commission approved the motion by voice vote, 7–0.

The commission’s action was procedural approval of the plat and did not itself effectuate the road abandonment; staff said the council’s second reading and subsequent abandonment action are prerequisites to recording the final plat.