
Arlington leaders approve apartment complex near airport after months of back-and-forth
Arlington officials have given new life to a proposed apartment community near Arlington Municipal Airport that was twice voted down by the Planning and Zoning Commission.During their Jan. 28 meeting, City Council members voted 6-2 in favor of Coppell-based JPI’s proposal for its 324-unit Jefferson Stephens project. In December, the Planning and Zoning Commission voted 5-4 against the North Texas apartment developer’s long-standing request to rezone a tract of land near the airport. JPI asked the commission to rezone 9.792 acres at 300 E. Stephens St. to Residential Multifamily-22 uses, plus 5,000 square feet of coworking space. The property is generally located south of East Interstate 20 and west of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. The new zoning would allow for 22 units per acre. On June 26, the commission voted 7-2 against a motion to approve the rezoning, but on Aug. 6, the Arlington City Council approved an appeal and remanded the case back to the Planning and Zoning Commission, by a vote of 9-0. In presenting its case to City Council, JPI said that the proposed apartments had drawn support from tech company E-Space, which recently established a headquarters and manufacturing facility not far from the Jefferson Stephens community. JPI said E-Space wanted to have upscale apartments nearby for its employees, which could number about 3,000.“One of the things that we have been in discussion with E-Space in terms of this as an opportunity for corporate housing is the resident experience, the things that they’re going to touch and feel, so that’s meaning high-quality cabinets, cabinet pulls, rockers on their light switch,” land development consultant Nikki Moore told council. “JPI is exceeding the (Universal Development Code) requirements in terms of square footage, parking and open space.”Moore acknowledged that planning and zoning commissioners are concerned about the complex’s location and whether multifamily was a better use than a commercial concern.“Is there a need for multifamily housing here, and can Arlington readily absorb the additional units?” Moore said. “The answer is a resounding yes.”JPI is well-known and respected in the industry, and the company commissioned a supply and demand analysis in Arlington that collected data on multifamily occupancy, Moore said. “They found that South Arlington, specifically this submarket, has maintained performance levels of 94% and Arlington is expected to absorb, on average, more units than completed in the forecast,” she said. That includes rental properties that have already been approved and are in the pipeline, such as The Mark, One Rangers Way, Enclave of the Highlands, The Grove and La Frontera, among others.“The apartment market has adequate demand for new developments entering Arlington,” Moore said. She also cited large corporations that are seeking high-end housing as part of their location selection process.“Most importantly, there has been no opposition to multifamily here for residents with the existing multifamily to the south,” Moore said. “This is an opportunity for Arlington to meet a housing need without going against opposition of single family owners.”When the request was before the zoning commission, it received support from some businesses in the area. But JPI’s request was opposed by the airport itself.“We would like to share our opposition to this request as the proposed rezoning is not the best use for a property located adjacent to the airport and directly under the traffic pattern for landing aircraft,” airport manager Trent Ballard wrote in a letter of opposition filed with the commission. “New development near an airport could trigger future aircraft noise complaints, light emissions complaints, create obstructions, create hazardous wildlife attractants, and radio interference with the navigational aids.”In the letter, Ballard noted that the airport is also home to Bell Textron’s Flight Research Center, where experimental flight testing and demonstrations have taken place for decades. “Further encroachment of the open space adjacent to the airport presents concerns for continued operations,” he wrote. “Additionally, development in this area would subject the city, airport and Bell to increased noise complaints.”Some zoning commissioners said that although they considered JPI’s project of high quality, they wished it was being requested in another location within Arlington.The location would be more fitting for a commercial business, some commissioners said. Also, concerns were raised about the approximately 1,300 apartment units already available within a 5-mile radius of the proposed JPI site.Commissioners Thomas Ware, Linda Finley, Paige Payne, Derek Carter and Ronald Maddox voted against the project’s approval in December. Ignacio Nuñez, Robert Blake Jr., Jacob Sumpter and David Greer voted in favor. At the Jan. 28 council meeting, Moore said JPI was making a $70 million commitment that would create more tax revenue for the city than other commercial businesses in the area.Mayor Jim Ross told Moore that her presentation and the support of E-Space made him lean toward a yes vote.“I’m not sure I’m interested in rolling the dice on a commercial property that is spec, not knowing exactly what’s going to go in there,” Ross said. Mauricio Galante, Raul Gonzalez, Rebecca Boxall, Long Pham and Barbara Odom-Wesley joined Ross in approving the application. Council members Nikkie Hunter and Bowie Hogg voted against the project, while Andrew Piel was absent.At the Arlington Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
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