KERENS–Kerens City Council was presented with plans for a manufactured home community during its July 12 meeting.
The proposed Richland Gardens, which would be located on 31 acres in the northeastern part of town, would allow new manufactured homes to be placed on 225 lots that are 3,600 square-feet each, according to the developer, Octa Homes Executive Director Mayer Husain, who is from Houston.
Husain said the proposed community would provide “good quality, affordable housing” and would have a homeowners’ association to uphold standards. The development would have six-inch asphalt and concrete roads that would be maintained by the developer, he added.
Husain said the manufactured home park would develop in five phases, with the first phase planned to finish in April 2023. He also said his company has other such developments in Port Lavaca and Victoria.
Kerens City Administrator Katherine Combs said the presentation was a discussion-only item, which council tabled for more deliberations at next month’s meeting. Combs said the city welcomes Kerens residents’ input by contacting City Hall. The manufactured home park would require the land to be rezoned, she said.
Council also heard the city’s audit of its 2020-21 fiscal year, which members voted to accept as presented. Anderson, Marx & Bohl of Corsicana Senior Auditor Kaitlyn Cotten said Kerens received an unmodified opinion, which she said is the desired result.
In other business, the council:
• Approved renewing the city’s employee health insurance plan, choosing an option that includes a 14% cost increase coupled with raising out-of-pocket maximums by $1,000.
• Approved Texas Municipal Retirement System city contribution rates that reduce Jan. 1 from 13.16% to 12.99% for City of Kerens employees.
• Approved Texas Municipal League-provided property, vehicle, liability and workers’ compensation insurance plans that Combs said will have up to a 10% across-the-board increase.