CITY OF KATY, Texas (Covering Katy News) — The Katy City Council approved a zoning amendment Monday allowing Pelican Builders to develop up to 186 single-family homes in the Katy Boardwalk District, replacing a previous plan that included 107 attached brownstone units.
The motion passed 4-1, with Council Member Rory Robertson voting no over concerns about lot sizes.
Pelican Builders Partners With Major Home Builders on Katy Mills Project
Pelican Builders purchased the 24-acre property in December 2024 and is partnering with Highland Homes, Partners in Building and Autograph Homes on the project. The land is adjacent to the Katy Mills Mall on the south side of Kingsland Boulevard. The development will feature detached homes on 35-foot-wide lots, creating what developers described as a "village-style" walkable community near the Katy Boardwalk.
The previous plan approved for the site included 160 homes, with 107 of them being attached brownstones and 53 single-family homes.
New Development Plan Features Detached Homes, Modern Floor Plans
Project planner Ethan Hall, representing Pelican, told council members the new plan features wider but shallower lots than the previous design, allowing for what he called more modern floor plans with living areas concentrated on the first floor.
"Our vision for development is to really execute the village-style single-family development that has been envisioned in the planned development for the Katy Boardwalk ever since its inception," Hall said.
The homes will be approximately 2,800 square feet and two stories, according to the presentation.
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An rendering of residential homes proposed for the Katy Boardwalk District.
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Pelican builders plans to build 186 single family homes at the Katy Boardwalk development near Katy Mills.
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An rendering of the neighborhood being planned by Pelican Builders at the Katy Boardwalk District.
Concerns About Lot Sizes, Density
Some council members expressed concern about lot sizes and density. Council Member Robertson noted that the 35-foot lots are less than half the city's standard 75-foot residential lots.
"It just seems like these planned development districts, we just get away with it," Robertson said. "And there's no reason for 35-foot lots."
City Planner Rachel Lazo noted that the lot size for the Brownstones, which were in the original plans since inception, were also 35 feet.
Derek Darnell, president of Pelican Builders, defended the project, noting that the previous plan already approved brownstones with shared walls.
"Who wants to share a wall with your neighbor if you're gonna pay seven or eight hundred thousand dollars?" Darnell said, explaining why the company chose detached homes instead.
The amendment includes new architectural standards requiring varied facades, articulation features and masonry walls around the development's perimeter. Hall said the current planned development ordinance had "little to no architectural standards for the single-family portion."
Katy Boardwalk Retail and Hotel Plans Still Unrealized After 11 Years
During public comment, resident Sean Dolan questioned the progress of the Katy Boardwalk development, which was first planned 11 years ago. The development originally promised upscale retail and dining, and the city's first-ever hotel and conference center. Organizations proclaimed that the conference center would open new opportunities for local businesses.
Dolan said uncertainty about when the boardwalk will be completed has harmed the area's reputation among developers.
"The hardest question to answer is when will the boardwalk be finished?" Dolan said. "That uncertainty harms confidence not just in the boardwalk but in the entire area."
Dolan called for the city to clarify penalties if the Katy Development Authority's agreement with KBH Ventures is renewed next month without progress on a hotel and conference center that the project depends on.
Boardwalk Park Park Completed
The city has completed its Boardwalk Park and its available to be used now. The park consists of walking trails, surrounded by a nature area with a manmade lake.
"It's open to the public, tucked away within the development," Mayor Pro Tem Chris Harris said.
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Katy Boardwalk Park.
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Boardwalk Park
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Boardwalk Park
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Boardwalk Park
Construction on the Homes Could Begin in February 2026
The approved concept plan locks Pelican into building only detached single-family homes. While language for brownstones remains in the ordinance text, any change to include attached units would require bringing a new plan back to the planning and zoning commission and city council for approval.
Pelican representatives said construction could begin in February if administrative approvals proceed smoothly. The project will be developed in two phases.
The development falls within Fort Bend County Municipal Utility District 63 and the Katy Boardwalk management district.