Whitehouse holds public hearing for new development

WHITEHOUSE — On Tuesday evening, a public hearing was held in Whitehouse to consider a rezoning request. According to our news partner KETK, a company is looking to develop a 28-acre tract of land located at the corner of Hagan Road and Railroad Avenue. Residents said that this rezoning request came too quickly and shared they only want to protect their privacy and quiet country life. “With all that’s going on and the new housings that are predicted to be built, we are concerned about our water and sewage situation and the fact that the streets are very narrow,” said Margaret Higgs, a Whitehouse resident. Residents voiced their worries about a rezoning request for 28 acres of land to be turned into a gated community. “Well, this development came pretty quickly. They sold this land probably no more than 30 to 60 days ago. Then all of a sudden, it appeared on the planning and zoning agenda,” said Jan Bellefeuille, a Whitehouse resident.

Neighbors say the housing market in Whitehouse is promising, but rapid development can present a host of issues for those living in the area. “The density of this development is my biggest concern because it is too dense, I believe, for the area, they are trying to plan it in. That’s only serving the developer’s interest. He wants to make more money off the land and I understand that. But, I think we have to balance those things a little bit better,” said Bellefeuille.

The property is drafted to hold 90 houses within 28 acres. People who live nearby say that issues with water supply, heightened traffic and narrow streets may take their oasis away. “One of the reasons how traffic jams are caused in California the past 20 years and how many people flocked in there, there is no privacy, space, no nature in between cities, and of course the community had no trees in between homes. This would create the same mistake they did in California for the past 30 years,” said Paul Choi, who recently moved from California.

At the end of the hearing, Whitehouse City Council voted to approve the plan development which will move to its next phase.