The College Station city council has its first residential neighborhood with a city enforceable restricted occupancy overlay district.
Better known as a ROO, the council voted six to one at their September 22 meeting to approve the application that was supported by 19 of 26 homeowners in North Forest Estates. Those homes are located between St. Thomas Aquinas church and Emerald Forest Park on Justin Avenue.
HOA president Mark Hawthorne said the 18 to 24 month process now makes the city the bad guy by enforcing rules that includes no more than two unrelated residents in a home.
Hawthorne also said the HOA expected higher property values and fewer investor owned companies to buy homes as the result of the ROO.
Elizabeth Cunha voted no, saying she has a problem with excluding people.
The council was told that two members of the planning and zoning commission voted no because of their general opposition to the ROO district.
Click below to hear comments from Mark Hawthorne and Elizabeth Cunha from the September 22, 2022 College Station city council meeting.