A majority of College Station city council members voted against approving a zoning request to build a multimillion dollar student housing complex bordered by Holleman South, Harvey Mitchell Parkway, and Wellborn Road.
The council then approved postponing final action until August 27.
Aspen Heights, according to the developer’s concept plan, contains 174 buildings. The proposal calls for constructing two to five bedroom units in the 20 to 40 foot tall buildings.
While the proposal was endorsed by the Planning and Zoning Commission, city staff repeated its opposition to the council based on the additional traffic it would generate at Harvey Mitchell and Holleman.
Blanche Brick was among the council members expressing traffic concerns.
Landowner Jim Butler pointed out not all the traffic congestion comes from existing student housing in the area.
The city’s transportation planning coordinator, Danielle Singh said traffic volume at the intersection was already declared unacceptable. She disagreed with councilwoman Julie Schultz on the impact of using a private shuttle bus to and from Texas A&M.
While the city can’t require the private shuttle and improvements to the intersection are seven to ten years away, Schultz was the only one supporting the project as recommended by P&Z.
After Schultz failed to get a second on her motion to approve the rezoning, her motion to postpone final action until August 27 passed on a 5-1 vote.
