Eight homes starting at $4.5 million are coming to North White Chapel Boulevard after the Southlake City Council voted 5-2 on Aug. 4 to approve the Bridlegate concept plan, a gated development on 9.5 acres in north Southlake.

Council members Frances Scharli and Gary Fawks dissented. The remaining five members, including Mayor Shawn McCaskill, voted in favor of the revised plan for the property at 4000 N. White Chapel Blvd., according to Community Impact.

The project, developed by Frank Viola of Viola Custom Homes, will place eight single-family lots of at least 1 acre each on land currently zoned SF-1A, according to the city's meeting agenda. Five lots will be accessed through a private street. One lot will have a driveway off West Bob Jones Road, and the remaining two will be accessed from North White Chapel Boulevard.

A homeowners association will maintain the private street. The approved plan allows the gated entrance to include a water feature and a landscaped buffer. Two retention ponds will handle stormwater, with drainage directed toward North White Chapel Boulevard rather than into neighboring developments, a condition the council attached to its approval.

The drainage requirement addressed concerns raised during a June 16 public hearing, when the plan was tabled unanimously. At that hearing, Fort Worth resident Sam Knoll told the council he supported the development but urged the project to maintain a retention pond, according to city meeting minutes.

The gate proved the sharpest point of debate. At the Aug. 4 meeting, Scharli questioned why the developer's no-gate design option was lower quality than the gated version.

"I don't understand the thought process [of] eliminating a pond, not putting the utilities underground and diminishing the entry just because you can't have a gate," Scharli said. "All you have to do is drive down [FM] 1709 and look at all the different developments. They're older, yes, but they have a better looking entry than what you're proposing for this."

McCaskill disagreed, saying the gated entrance with the pond looks better and that a gate doesn't bother him as long as it isn't overdone.

Fawks also voted no, though his specific objections were not recorded in available meeting documents.

The next Southlake City Council meeting is scheduled for Sept. 1 at 5:30 p.m. at Town Hall, 1400 Main St.