The Mesquite City Council approved rezoning 15 acres of land at 401 Falcon Ridge Pkwy. from Land Reserve to Commercial-General for a proposed affordable senior housing development.
Plans for the development include selling the 15 acres to Commonwealth Development Corporation to construct a multi-phase multifamily development that would net up to 220 units. The proposal indicates Phase One of the project would only consist of 36 units.
Apartments would be split between one- and two-bedroom units. Pricing would sit at 60% of the Area Median Income. Individual units would contain private entrances and patios. The development would also include a clubhouse and other amenities.
The site is currently owned by the City of Mesquite. To the north and west of the property is vacant land also zoned Commercial-General. South of the property is the existing Mesa View Regional Hospital. To the east is an existing single family residential development.
Controversial Proposal
Plans for the development have yet to be submitted, as the focus has been entirely on ensuring the land has the proper zoning and selling it off. Despite this, it has sparked a large controversy in the small town. Detractors of the proposal are concerned it would tarnish the neighborhood character, as well as cause an increase in both traffic and crime. Detractors claimed commercial development or hospital expansion would fit the city better.
Supporters of the potential housing development drew attention to the fact that the six-lane Falcon Ridge Parkway can handle the amount of traffic the development would bring. On top of this, turning the land into a commercial development would make for an even greater traffic increase. Each direction of the road has a capacity of 5,400 vehicles/hour.
Supporters also argued that an owner only owns a view if they purchase an easement over the airspace of a development. If a development fits guidelines and is approved by Council, it is allowed to be constructed. Affordable housing, particularly affordable housing interspersed throughout well-off communities, has no notable impact on crime rates.
The site was previously reserved for a potential hospital expansion plan from 2002 to 2012. The reservation expired after 10 years. Developers have spoken with the hospital, which has stated it has no interest in expanding onto the parcel.
Previous Meetings
During Council’s Jan. 14 meeting, changing the zoning to Multifamily was considered. Due to resident opposition, the zoning change was denied, and a zoning change to classify the land to Commercial-General was scheduled for the Feb. 25 meeting.
Commercial-General zoning provides the same guidelines as multifamily developments but also provides greater flexibility for the City to develop different types of projects should the senior housing development fall through.
