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Melissa Planning & Zoning
3/13/25 | Full Report
Welcome to Ultraground. We analyze commercial incentives for you.
P&Z March 13, 2025
875-Unit Mixed-use | W of Telephone Rd | Approved
134-Unit Townhomes | 3635-3848 Karnaghan Ln | Denied
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CR 277 Mixed-Use W of Telephone Rd
Northwest Melissa | 61 Acres (140 Total) | 875 Units | Approved
Planning & Zoning Commission 3/13/25
ETJ, A, & PD-MF → PD/C-2 & PD/MF/C-2 | Approved
An 875-unit multifamily and commercial development received unanimous approval from the Melissa Planning & Zoning Commission on March 13, 2025. The deal spans two separate parcels and totals 140 acres. Despite Melissa's well-known resistance to multifamily development, the proposal succeeded through a strategic combination of commercial development, infrastructure commitments, and site-specific justifications. Specifically, it includes 300,000 square feet of commercial space and a new hospital.
‟The city has been very clear: no more multifamily. With that being said, I understand that this part of Melissa is very difficult. The topography. They are dangling the commercial carrot out in front of us.
Pirathiviraj Loganathan (Prithivi Raj Logan), founder and COO of Thinkk Big Investments (operating since 2018), is behind Melissa 75 Holdings LLC, which purchased 140 acres in southwest Melissa in 2021. The development spans two parcels divided by Telephone Road (CR 277): an eastern parcel of 78.71 acres (already annexed in 2022) and a western parcel of 61.55 acres (currently in ETJ, proposed for annexation).
The project represents a pivot in strategy. Originally approved in 2022, the eastern parcel included 500 multifamily units on a 22-acre tract. The new proposal shifts all multifamily to the western parcel while converting the eastern tract to commercial use.
The multifamily component now consists of Tract 1 on the Western Parcel at 20.95 acres with 375 new units and Tract 2 on the Western Parcel at 28.85 acres with 500 units (relocated from eastern parcel). The repositioned multifamily achieves a notably lower density of approximately 18 units per acre, down from the previously approved 22.5 units per acre.
Loganathan secured numerous variances from Melissa's standard multifamily requirements, including smaller unit sizes (700 SF for 1BR vs. 850 SF standard), four-story height (vs. two-story standard), up to 64 units per building (vs. 12-unit maximum), reduced parking (1.5 spaces per unit vs. 2 spaces), reduced open space requirements (20% vs. 25%), increased lot coverage (50% vs. 40%), and elevator requirements only for four-story buildings.
The eastern parcel contains approximately 54 acres commercial, the western parcel 11.7 acres commercial, for a total of 66 acres commercial (approximately 300,000 SF). A portion of the eastern commercial area (approximately 40 acres when combined with 15 adjacent acres) has already been sold to a medical user, closing just before the hearing. This quick execution on commercial development lends credibility to the overall plan and brings an eagerly anticipated medical facility to Melissa.
The Commission's discourse revealed a nuanced and pragmatic approach to a development that challenged their stated policy position. Clayton Coe's candid statement that "the city has been very clear: no more multifamily" followed by his acknowledgment that the developer was "dangling the commercial carrot out in front of us" exposes the fundamental tension at play. Despite this stated resistance, Coe ultimately supported the project, citing "topography and creek bottom and everything else" as justification that this was "pretty good" use for challenging land. His reference to "highest and best use" suggests he viewed the proposal through a practical lens of what the site could realistically support.
‟I think all things being said, this is, I know it's two separate items, but the whole thing seems like a pretty good deal for the city. It makes sense.
Dave Minton focused on annexation benefits, noting "this is 60 acres that would be brought into hold for the city of Melissa" providing "greater control" compared to ETJ limitations.
‟Bear in mind that this is 60 acres that would be brought into hold for the city of Melissa. That could be, so that we have greater control in all things. In the current conditions and what limited capacity we have to control the ETJ, it's pretty good.
Minton also championed the medical component, expressing personal excitement about "getting the medical portion brought in" as "something we don't have in Melissa," highlighting how residents currently must "hoof it down 180 or 380 or down 75 to get to a hospital."
‟Personally, I'm excited about the concept of getting the medical portion brought in. That's something we don't have in Melissa. It creates jobs, but it's giving something that, depending on what they put in there, obviously, but right now, we have two urgent cares, and then you've got to get it, you're going to have to hoof it down 180 or 380 or down 75 to get to a hospital.
Tracy Hailey's comment that "you can barely ever get anything that is perfect" followed by her assessment they were "about 80% there, 75%" reveals a commissioner willing to compromise on ideals for practical outcomes. Her preference for "just that one little stretch along the Telephone Road being commercial" indicates she would have preferred more commercial frontage, but she accepted the proposal as presented.
‟You can barely ever get anything that is perfect. If you had all commercial on Telephone Road, I could say it was perfect. We're about 80% there, 75%.
The approval calculus ultimately hinged on several elements: the site's challenging topography making it more suitable for multifamily than commercial (as Clayton Coe noted, "multifamily buildings are just easier to build on topography"); the substantial commercial component (60% of developable land); the density reduction from 22.5 to 18 units per acre; the infrastructure commitments; and particularly the medical facility fulfilling a community need.
Developer/Owner: Pirathiviraj Loganathan (Prithivi Raj Logan) Phone: (512) 994-7727 Email: [email protected] Email 2: [email protected] LinkedIn
Representative: Valiant Real Estate Services, LLC, Chuck Branch (former McKinney Councilman) Phone: (469) 569-1044 Email: [email protected] LinkedIn
Staff Report: CR 277 Mixed-use Multifamily 61 Ac SR
Staff Report: CR 277 Commercial 78 Ac SR
Project Plans: CR 277 Mixed-Use Plan
Minerva Heights Townhomes 3635-3848 Karnaghan Ln
Northeast Melissa | 21.01 Acres | 134 Units | Denied
Planning & Zoning Commission 3/13/25
PD/SF-3 → PD/TH | Denied
The Melissa Planning & Zoning Commission unanimously rejected TAAS Investments' attempt to rezone 21.01 acres from single-family to townhomes. The proposal sought to build 134 for-sale townhomes on 25' x 100' lots, which was actually fewer than the 150 units permitted under existing zoning. While our focus is not on for-sale product, we thought that the sentiment towards this deal was noteworthy.
Despite the developer's commitment to providing "usable open space" and emphasizing that "Hunter's Run parkway does extend all the way back to... 121" for improved traffic flow, commissioners remained unconvinced.
‟With this much residential that's in there and then cramming more... Looking at it as a single family district, cut down on the amount of houses in there [due to] traffic.
Local resident John Wickersham, who's lived in Melissa "over 25 years," voiced strong opposition based on previous agreements with the developer. He reminded the commission that they had "worked diligently with the developer" on earlier plans that evolved from "105 houses of single family" to "115 houses," creating terms that were "amenable to all parties." His central objection was that the developer now wanted to "completely rezone to higher density than what was originally agreed upon."
The neighboring Sky Ridge’s developer also formally opposed the townhome rezoning. Commission members expressed apprehension about traffic impacts on Milrany Road and the cumulative density effect in an area already seeing substantial development. This case demonstrates Melissa's cautious approach toward increasing residential density, with particular importance placed on maintaining consistency with previously established development agreements and community expectations.\
Developer/Owner: TAAS Investments, LLC, Tauheed Siddiqui Phone: (972) 273-0303 Email: [email protected]
Staff Report: Minerva Heights Townhomes SR
Project Plans: Minerva Heights Townhomes Plan
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