I
n the rapidly expanding suburb of Prosper in North Texas, bigger is now considered better. The town council recently approved changes to its zoning laws to allow for taller apartment buildings in future developments, shifting the focus from low-density to high-density properties. According to a report by the Dallas Morning News, this change was necessitated due to the town's rapid growth and the need for more efficient land use.

    During an August 27 meeting, the council unanimously voted to ban new garden-style apartment complexes, which typically feature multiple low-rise buildings spread over large areas of land. Instead, new multifamily developments will be allowed to reach up to eight stories, a significant change from the previous three-story limit.

    This ordinance change reflects Prosper's growing need for more efficient land use, especially as the town continues to experience rapid growth. The change was particularly necessary considering that the town's multifamily housing standards had not been updated in over a decade, according to David Hoover, Prosper's director of development services.

    "The type of development that was being pursued long ago is extremely different from the types of development pursued in today's world," he said, adding that the new regulations are designed to encourage modern, space-efficient designs.

    One of the key updates to the ordinance is the requirement for mixed-use developments. New apartment buildings will need to accommodate retail tenants on the first floor, ensuring that new projects contribute to a more integrated, community-focused environment.

    Additionally, developers will need to create planned development districts, which require approval from both the zoning commission and the town council. This process allows for a mix of commercial and residential uses, making developments more versatile and better suited to Prosper's evolving urban landscape.

    Parking structures will also change under the new rules. Rather than the large surface lots that typically accompany garden-style complexes, the new developments will be required to integrate parking garages within the buildings.

    "We have less and less land to dedicate 20 acres to an apartment complex," Hoover said.

    Prosper currently has around 1,300 multifamily units, with an additional 1,300 units in various stages of development. Still, Hoover believes that number is "probably too low" for the town's growing population.

    To accommodate this growth, new multifamily developments will be concentrated in specific areas, including downtown Prosper, along the Dallas North Tollway, and at the Prosper Town Center area at Preston Road and U.S. 380. Hoover assured residents that the council did not anticipate "a whole row of eight-story apartment buildings up and down the tollway."