Kennedale planning commission recommends conditional approval of Alta Landing PD after residents raise safety, compliance concerns

The Kennedale Planning and Zoning Commission on Nov. 20 recommended that city council approve a planned development zoning change for Alta Landing Apartments (PC case 25‑17619) after public comment and a developer presentation that laid out specific fixes and enforceable conditions.

Residents urged the commission to deny the rezoning or to make any approval tightly conditional. Tracy Vaught, a nearby resident, said Alta Landing was “nonconforming in multifamily” and cited specific code concerns including setback violations and a retaining wall that exceeds the five‑foot limit in Section 10; she told the commission a vehicle once went “over the retaining wall through the fence into a neighbor’s yard,” calling the situation unsafe. Mike Watson, another neighboring resident, asked that any PD include “clear and enforceable deadlines for all promised improvements,” annual compliance reviews by the city, written HOA input for amendments, and a ban on administrative amendments.

City staff and the developer said the PD is the proper legal tool to make commitments enforceable. Staff explained the PD would become ordinance and allow the city to require and enforce work that multifamily zoning alone does not mandate. The staff recommendation to the commission was to approve the PD and move the case to city council.

Representing the developer, Bill Dahlstrom of Wood Partners said the company is not proposing additional units or height but is offering multiple enhancements that were written into the PD: planting 26 additional trees to improve screening, increasing an existing boundary fence from 6 to 8 feet and adding an internal 6‑foot fence, prohibiting carports and parking garages, relocating dumpsters, installing lower‑profile LED lighting, adding a guardrail and instituting a valet trash pickup program. “We are proposing to plant an additional 26 trees,” Dahlstrom said; he added that many of the listed enhancements are included in the PD document and, once in ordinance form, would be enforceable.

Developer Ryan Miller said the team would move quickly on some items: the trees would be ordered “the week after Thanksgiving” and could be installed within two to three weeks depending on availability; dumpster relocation requires drainage work and reinforced concrete and is contingent on engineering and contractor scheduling. Miller said the developer has bids in hand for the dumpster work and expects internal company approvals before starting construction.

Commissioners questioned which fixes had already been completed and which required engineering work. Staff and the developer confirmed some items — including guardrails and adjusted lighting — were already implemented; others need further work and timelines that the PD would capture. The PD also includes a neighborhood‑engagement provision: the property owner would provide at least 30 days’ written notice to the Steeplechase Homeowners Association before filing any application to change or amend the zoning classification for the property.

During discussion, the commission added a requirement that the developer provide additional information about how the PD and proposed changes would affect the Steeplechase community and the city at large when the case moves to city council. An unidentified commissioner moved to recommend conditional approval with that requirement; the motion was seconded and the commission voted unanimously to recommend approval to city council.

The commission’s recommendation now goes to Kennedale City Council for final action. The public record for this item is PC case 25‑17619; the PD document lists the developer’s proposed conditions and timelines, and the commission’s recommendation includes the additional reporting requested to inform the council’s decision.