Allen approves zoning change for 2-acre single-family housing site

A quiet 2.097-acre parcel near Allen Heights Drive and Bethany Drive is set to change from agricultural and open space zoning to a small single-family neighborhood after Allen City Council unanimously approved the rezoning on April 14.

The site sits at the northwest corner of Allen Heights Drive and Bethany Drive, about 415 feet north of that intersection in the Allen Heights Addition. City documents place it in the G.W. Ford Survey, Abstract No. 328. The Allen Planning and Zoning Commission had already recommended approval on March 17.

What replaces the current zoning is modest by North Texas growth standards but significant for the homes nearby: eight single-family houses on lots ranging from 6,000 to 7,900 square feet. The zoning district allows up to 5.2 dwelling units per acre, while the applicant is proposing 3.2 units per acre, keeping the project below the district maximum.

The concept plan also spells out how the new homes would fit into the existing edge of the neighborhood. The plan shows an access point aligned with Bethany Lakes Park, a northbound left-turn lane and an 8-foot masonry wall. The applicant is proposing about 0.2 acres of open space, along with at least five benches and at least two playgrounds, details that suggest the development is meant to function as a compact residential pocket rather than a dense infill block.

For neighbors, the most immediate concerns are likely to be traffic, sightlines and how the project’s scale changes the feel of the corner. Eight houses will add cars, pickups and daily trips to a site that was previously planned for agricultural and open space uses, but the lower-density layout and masonry wall also show an effort to make the project read more like a contained subdivision than a larger apartment or mixed-use complex. The access point near Bethany Lakes Park could make the corner feel more active, while the lot sizes and open space are likely to soften the transition to nearby streets.

The vote came as Allen continues to handle neighborhood-scale decisions alongside larger infrastructure work. The same April 14 agenda included a $2.1 million Greengate neighborhood improvements contract and a $5.2 million contract for Jupiter sanitary sewer and Oak Hill water main replacement. With Allen 150 Fest scheduled for April 25, the city is marking its 150th year while still reshaping familiar corners one parcel at a time.