In Princeton, there’s build, build and build some more.

Several new housing developments were approved by the Princeton City Council during the regular meeting Monday, Jan. 24.

Princeton Retreat, which will be situated off of County Road 408, will contain 55 single-family homes, an amenity center and park area for residents to use. Council unanimously approved it.

Councilmembers also considered the preliminary plat for the final addition to the Princeton Crossroads development, located near Lake Ridge and E. Princeton Drive. The new housing expansion, called Litehouse Village, will put in 146 single-family units for rent to complement the multifamily housing already built.

Ron Thomas, who spoke on behalf of the developer, told council part of the development includes improving the existing roads nearby.

“This helps improve some of the offsite cost,” Thomas said. “We all know what Hazelwood has been doing the last several years. The little corner piece on the property will help improve Cole Street and add another southbound thoroughfare for Hazelwood.”

The plat was unanimously approved by councilmembers.

Council narrowly approved a development agreement with Varma and Sireesha Penmasta to develop a tract of land inside the extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) of Princeton near Charley’s Concrete on County Road 982. Much of the debate on the proposed development revolved around the 110 townhomes that would be constructed.

Councilmembers Keven Underwood and David Kleiber expressed their reluctance to approve more apartments in the city. They both preferred more single-family homes rather than multifamily housing solutions.

Council narrowly approved the development agreement, 3-2, with Kleiber and Underwood voting against.

In other business, councilmembers approved a special-use permit for Hannah Mahan to operate a home daycare under Texas cottage business law. 

Mahan has over four years of experience caring for children, and would be limited to caring for six children at any time. 

Councilmembers also greenlit a reimbursement agreement for the Sicily Public Improvement District, which will reimburse the developer for certain costs relating to infrastructure for the Sicily development. City Manager Derek Borg said the agreement was standard for most PIDs.

Additionally, Borg informed council about the use of bond funds to construct Fire Station No. 2. He said the bond funding should account for all long-term costs, but city staff are attempting to find a way to pay for some of the initial costs and are looking outside the bond for additional money. There was no policy consideration.

The Home Rule Charter Commission and other commissions had most of the vacancies filled by council during the meeting. Following an executive session, councilmembers elected to nominate an entirely new Home Rule Charter Commission after the previous commission lacked enough members.

The next council meeting will be held Monday, Feb. 14 at either City Hall or the Municipal Complex at 6:30 p.m. and streamed on the city’s website.

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