Land Fight Underway In The City Of Colleyville

There's a land fight in going on in the City of Colleyville. People living along the well-traveled Cheek Sparger Road hope they can save what's left of several old trees in a vacant lot.

Neighbors complain a developer wants to turn the empty field at Jackson Road into retail space.

For years, the property in question has been zoned 'for residential use only'. Now a small yellow sign, which reads 'proposed zoning change', is creating quite a controversy.

"We've had that time to try to organize and stop the development," said Deryl Markgraf who lives next to the property. "All of this was completely thick with woods. You couldn't see anything. Couldn't see that house," Markgraf said as he pointed across the property.

The City of Colleyville has already cited the property owner and developer for illegally cutting several trees. Markgraf would like to see the property remain residential, but the new owner is asking the city to re-zone it for commercial and retail use.

If that happens, the plan calls for a two-story 10,000 square foot office space.

The idea of having the building nearby doesn't sit well with Markgraf. "We have, right down Cheek Sparger, one new development that has zero occupants. We have another that struggles to keep occupants. We don't need more office retail in our residential neighborhoods," he said.

Other neighbors, like Kathy Farrington, have other concerns. "If they put any sort of business there that's only going to increase our traffic problem," she said.

CBS 11 News spoke with the developer, Kulwant Atwal of Allen, who said the commercial office and retail space would improve the look of the neighborhood.

Markgraf admits the proposal is a classic case of 'not in my backyard'. "It is personal, there's no doubt about that. But it's also about the city. If it happened on the other side of Colleyville I'd feel the same way."

Monday night the Colleyville Planning and Zoning Commission will consider the proposed re-zoning. Neighbors from the area say they will be at the meeting to fight the proposal. Atwal says he will be in attendance as well, to answer any questions or concerns.

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