Stoneleigh 1P/PP-CS 970110Peter & Madeleine White
600 \Vellingt~n Road Coppell, Texas 75019
Tel: (972) 393-0160 Fax: (972) 393-4609
January10,1997
Tom Morton
Mayor
City of Coppell
P.O. Box 478
Coppell, TX 75019
Dear Mayor Morton:
I am writing to you on behalf of my family and my neighbors in the Riverchase subdivision with
regard to the 360-unit Stoneleigh apartment complex proposed for Riverchase Drive.
Concerned citizens have come out in force at two planning and zoning meetings and at a
meeting with the developer to o.o.oose this proposed development at this location at this time.
As a neighborhood, we are gravely concerned that the appropriate infrastructure has not been
built, and, indeed, may never be built, to accommodate this type of development at this
location.
Specifically, a proposed road, Fairway Drive, has been planned to connect Beltline directly to
Riverchase for many years. There are curb cuts for this on both Beltline and Riverchase.
However, the current landowner has never been required to build this street, although
development has progressed and the area is steadily reaching build-out_ City staff acknowledges
the severity of the traffic problem at Beltline and Riverchase/MacArthur, reflected in soaring
traffic counts and coundess accidents and "near miss" incidents.
This proposed apartment complex represents potentially 700 more cars per day at peak
hours. This proposed complex is also only one of Cwo potential mesa-apartment
complexes legally allowed on Riverchase Drive. Recently, approvals have tbeen granted
at this same intersection for fast food restaurants, a new fire station, additior~ingle.family,
ret.ail, a car wash, and a utility monitoring station. Yet, nothing has been tied to these
prolects to mitigate traffic impacts from these developments. During the expansion of
Sandy Lake, Riverchase is likely to become a popular route for traffic wanting to
avoid the congestion on Sandy Lake at MacArthur. Yet, nothing is being done to
manage this likelihood. A middle school will be built south of Beltline on MacArthur. Our
children will not be provided bus service because of a 2-mile limit, so expect even more
pedestrian (kids!!!) and vehicular traffic at peak periods once the new middle
school is built. Still, nothing is being contemplated to alleviate current and pending problems
at the treacherous Beltline and MacArthur intersection.
City staff, as a result of our neighborhood outcry, appears to be investigating the ability of the
City to obtain the necessary right-of-way across the railroad tracks from DART in order to
complete Fairway Drive. This may not be the only solution to this burgeoning traffic problem,
but it is the one that makes the most sense for near and long-term issues. We urge the City
Council to defer approval of this development until we know:
· this right-of-way has been obtained,
· exactly where the road will cross the tracks,
· timing of construction, and
· how it will be funded.
As a community, we would never let a home be built without a sewer; let us continue to
encourage responsible development by making sure that adequate infrastructure exists to
properly serve the residents and the developers.
Thank you for your serious consideration of this life safety issue, and for your continuing
service to all the neighborhoods of Coppell.
Sincerely,
Madeleine VVhite