Developer Tommy Spinosa has clarified conflicting information submitted last week to the Planning Commission about the number of residential lots planned for the fifth phase of Rouzan, his traditional neighborhood development in Southdowns.
According to Planning Commission staff, the 38-acre fifth phase for Rouzan calls for a total of 223 single-family residential units, composed of 51 low- and 172 medium-density lots. Low-density residential allows for 5.9 units per acre while medium-density residential allows for 12.1 units per acre.
Spinosa originally submitted a plan that included a typographical error that indicated 33 high-density lots were also planned for the phase. However, high-density residential is not allowed in that part of the TND so he was required to resubmit new plans.
While lot density on a plan application may seem like a trivial detail, it’s significant because of the controversy over Rouzan that dogged Spinosa for years. Residents of nearby Southdowns were concerned about too much density in the neighborhood, and the TND ordinance that was crafted specifically for this project carefully spells out how dense residential development can be and where it must be located.
Spinosa also recently filed a revised concept plan for the 17-acre Village Center, which will contain 100,000 square feet of space and be anchored by an Alamo Drafthouse theater. The plans also indicate a nearby mixed residential area will be nearly 73 acres, with 18 acres of neighborhood edge and 9.5 acres of green space.
Construction is due to begin on the Village Center as soon as the developer receives permits from the city-parish. He applied for those permits last summer and has cleared the property in anticipation of starting construction. It is unclear what is behind the delay. Numerous calls to the city-parish permits department have not been returned.
—Stephanie Riegel
