A developer is tweaking plans for a 72-acre mixed-residential and retail development at 104th Avenue between York and Steele streets.

Officials with Carlson Associates met with the Thornton City Council May 29 to review their concept for Homeplace.

The developer is proposing 24.5 acres of detached homes, 11.6 acres of duplexes or townhomes, 18.5 acres of multifamily units and 17.2 acres of community retail use at the southwest corner of 104th and Steele.

“Several of the council members expressed that they weren’t interested in seeing more apartments in those areas,” Mayor Heidi Williams said.

She added that Ward 2 has the highest percentage of apartments and that at least three council members were against more apartments in that area unless they were “something fantastic.”

Council suggested the developer add more office space and patio homes designed for seniors into its concept plan.

Williams said council also has an interest in having ranch-style homes in that area.

“I think the single-family-detached and -attached is nice. Plus, they would put in a trail system,” she said. “Hopefully, we can come to some kind of agreement.”

A majority of the land, 67 acres, is zoned business park, but neither the developers nor city staff say they believe the site will attract a major office or industrial park because of its distance from Interstate 25.

However, in a staff memo, Director of Economic Development Mike Masciola said the department did not support the proposed application as it was because “rezoning the property to allow for development dominated by residential uses would be premature.”

“The location along East 104th Avenue does provide job-growth opportunities from smaller-scale office and related commercial development,” he said. “Furthermore, with the potential FasTracks station at East 104th Avenue, the site could become a suitable location for other employment opportunities as part of a transit-oriented development.”

A future FasTracks station is planned about a half mile from the eastern edge of the propose development.

Williams said the trail system the developers have planned would connect to that future station.