The Fort Worth City Council will make the final decision on a proposal to build more apartments in the bustling Montgomery Plaza area, which has pitted neighbors against the developer over concerns about increasing traffic and density.

The council meeting is at 6 p.m. Tuesday at 200 Texas St.

Kimco Realty, owner of the Montgomery Plaza shopping complex, requested a zoning change to convert 90,000- square feet of retail into a 595-unit apartment complex. The plan includes 20,000 square feet of retail on the ground floor.

Some neighborhood groups oppose the zoning change because they don’t want to lose the stores and they worry about additional traffic in Montgomery Plaza.

Plan for apartments

The apartments would be in two buildings with 315 units in a five-story building and 280 units in a seven-story building.

The apartments would be the loss of retailers Pet-Smart, Five Below, Michael’s and Office Depot.

During a zoning hearing in September, several neighbors spoke against the apartments, but a zoning commission member, Willie Rankin, said the West Seventh corridor is designed for mixed use development and density.

Dueling traffic studies

Neighbors worried that the apartments would bring more congestion, and hired an engineering consultant, WGI Inc. The study showed that traffic would increase by 85% in the mornings if the apartments are built.

Kimco’s engineering firm, Kimley-Horn, indicated traffic would go down 38% if the apartments are built and would increase during the day when people left their apartments for work.

Residents who spoke during the zoning hearing in September worried their property values would go down, and that they haven’t gotten all of the information about the project for the apartments.