A 42-acre mixed-use planned development is headed to Smithville after the City Council green-lighted the project last week.

The council approved the rezoning of the property as well as the development standards proposed by the project’s owner Capella Capital Partners.

The 42-acre property, with 2,500 feet of highway frontage road, is across from the hospital and bordered by Colorado Street/Loop Road to the west.

"Economic development doesn’t come through only one area," said Council Member Joanna Morgan, reminding the audience that the city couldn’t only focus on downtown.

Developers asked for the rezoning to "planned development," which doesn’t follow standard zoning rules, so that they would have flexibility inside the property in designing and building without having to obtain variances, creating delays.

"We’ll be looking at uses that might not have been considered when zoning was established in the 1960s," said Moody Engineering planning consultant Chris Stewart, who presented the development to both the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council this month.

The developers will have to follow the approved development standards and any major changes, such as a different use than those approved for any of the 10 parcels, would have to be approved by the City Council.

The project includes multifamily residential, a hotel and assisted living/senior housing. It also proposes retail to include a store, bank, convenience store and eateries. The development will have a retention pond with green space as an amenity feature.

The developers plan to save some historic trees and create a larger buffer zone between the development and neighboring properties.

Officials said the project could add $25 million in property valuation to the city’s tax rolls, a 10 percent increase in revenue for Smithville. It would also bring in needed housing to the city and increase sales tax revenue once businesses move in.

The developers plan to keep a historic look to "compliment downtown Smithville, but not compete" with it, the engineering consultant said.

"Let downtown Smithville succeed," Stewart said. "We’re simply trying to capture the dollars on the highway corridor."

During the open meeting, resident Jamie Damon raised concerns about traffic at the intersection at the Colorado Street exit and the overpass at Charleston Blvd., since that is the only direct entrance into the proposed residential area of the development.

Mayor Scott Saunders said the streets and exits at Loop 230, Texas 95 and Colorado Street were all designed as "collector streets" to move people through town.

Stewart said that they would work with the city and TxDOT to still allow the highway to function as a highway.

"As a landowner, I’ve known all along that the land would be commercial," said P&Z chair Nancy Catherman. "This isn’t something spur of the moment; it’s something the city has been looking at for decades."

Representatives from Capella have been discussing the project with the city and the Chamber of Commerce since November. It’s currently selling spaces for developers.

"This is very exciting time for Smithville," Saunders said after the council’s approval. "It’s definitely going to change things around here."

Capella’s project will be the city’s second planned development. The Roving Volunteers In Christ Village, a housing development that also serves as headquarters for the service organization, was the first planned development. It was built in the 1980s.