COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX) – The City of College Station took a closer look at mid-rise residential development at a Planning and Zoning Commission meeting Thursday.

Medium-sized housing is located between large apartment complexes and single-family homes. Semi-detached and three-family homes as well as terraced houses are considered medium-sized housing.

The commission recommended that the City Council approve rezoning requests for two areas. One area is along Park Place and Boardwalk Court. The other area is along Turner Street.

City officials said rezoning the property could help ease pressures caused by the city’s rapid growth while creating more affordable housing.

Both areas are currently zoned General Suburban (GS), but could be rezoned to medium residential with a High Occupancy Overlay (HOO) if council approves the request.

The areas are located near Texas A&M University and many surrounding areas are already planned for higher density development.

“It looks like you’re close to the university and the student housing. At the same time, there are single-family homes and multi-family homes,” explained Bobby Mirza, a member of the P&Z Commission.

The land along Park Place could also be designated as a protected natural area.

“For the entire flood plain along the back of some properties,” senior planner Jeff Howell said of the areas.

This would protect nature and intensive development of the area in the future would not be expected.

“A certain part of the development is also dedicated to green spaces and at the same time we try to maintain some semblance of environmental friendliness,” Mirza added.

The city selected these areas after surveying the site and holding public hearings earlier this year.

The City Council is expected to make a final decision on the rezoning request at its September 12 meeting.

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