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A long-planned 391-unit apartment development at Alpha and Welch roads moved closer to construction Tuesday, July 21, after the Farmers Branch City Council unanimously approved the project’s detailed site plan.
The development would transform the former Tuesday Morning truck parking lot at 4707 Alpha Road on the city’s eastern side. The approximately 5-acre project would include two five-story apartment buildings wrapped around a seven-story parking garage.
Plans call for 260 one-bedroom apartments and 131 two-bedroom apartments. The project would provide 656 parking spaces, including 10 spaces along the eastern side of the property near the fire lane.
The council approved the site plan under Resolution 2026-059. The project must still receive building permits and other development approvals before construction can begin.
The property is within Planned Development District 107, which the council created specifically for the project in May 2022. The zoning permits multifamily housing on the site.
Planner Brian Campbell said the proposal generally meets the city’s multifamily development policy and is consistent with the Farmers Branch 2045 Plan, which calls for a mix of higher-density housing, offices, commercial development, light industry, parks and open space in the surrounding area.
The apartment complex itself would not include shops, offices or other commercial uses. However, Campbell said several nearby properties are entitled for potential multifamily development and that the additional housing could support compatible retail and commercial uses in the area.
The Planning and Zoning Commission initially recommended approval May 11. The project returned June 22 with updated unit and parking figures and additional site improvements, and the commission again recommended approval unanimously.
Plans include a pool and courtyard for each apartment building, a first-floor club and amenity space, a dog park and an outdoor seating area with an art installation.
The applicant proposes landscaping 28% of the property and preserving 24 of its 36 existing trees. A 6-foot-wide sidewalk would run along Welch Road, while a 10-foot-wide sidewalk along Alpha Road would connect to an existing accessible ramp.
The buildings would be positioned near Alpha and Welch roads to encourage walkability. Proposed exterior materials include brick, board-and-batten and fiber cement lap siding.
Much of the council’s discussion centered on whether the development would provide enough parking.
Council member Lupe Gonzalez questioned whether the proposed spaces would accommodate residents with multiple vehicles as well as visitors.
“If there’s 391 units, let’s say at least two people have a car, that’s 782 cars, but there’s only 656 parking spaces,” Gonzalez said.
Campbell said the applicant believes the proposed parking would be adequate. The city requires 1.6 spaces per dwelling unit, or 626 spaces for the project. The development would provide 30 spaces beyond that minimum, or about 1.68 spaces per apartment.
Council member Tina Bennett-Burton asked whether the Farmers Branch Police Department had reviewed the garage and overall site design for potential safety concerns.
Campbell said police participated in the city’s development review process and did not report any concerns.
Council member Roger Neal asked whether the city could require performance bonds or other financial protections because of the project’s size.
The city attorney said the multifamily use is already permitted under the property’s zoning. The city’s remaining authority largely involves reviewing site plans, building permits and other development applications rather than imposing financial requirements on the private construction project.
Neal also asked when construction might begin, noting that the council created the project’s zoning district more than four years ago.
Campbell estimated construction could begin during the second or third quarter of 2027 if the remaining approval process proceeds as expected. He described that timeline as his best estimate rather than a commitment from the developer.
No projected completion date was announced at the meeting.
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