Title
Conduct a Public Hearing to Consider/Discuss/Act on a Specific Use Permit for Automobile Dealership Sales (Hendrick’s Auto Dealership), Located at 2601 North Central Expressway, and Accompanying Ordinance
Summary
COUNCIL GOAL: Direction for Strategic and Economic Growth
(1C: Provide a strong city economy by facilitating a balance between industrial, commercial, residential and open space)
MEETING DATE: January 17, 2023
DEPARTMENT: Development Services - Planning Department
CONTACT: Jennifer Arnold, AICP, Director of Planning
Caitlyn Strickland, Planning Manager
Kaitlin Sheffield, Senior Planner
RECOMMENDED CITY COUNCIL ACTION: Staff recommends approval of the proposed specific use permit request with the following special ordinance provision:
1. The property shall generally develop in accordance with the attached specific use permit exhibit, and all applicable development requirements of the city.
APPLICATION SUBMITTAL DATE: June 27, 2022 (Original Application)
October 26, 2022 (Revised Resubmittal)
November 17, 2022 (Revised Resubmittal)
ITEM SUMMARY: The applicant is proposing a specific use permit to allow for Automobile Dealership Sales (Hendrick’s Auto Dealership), located at 2601 North Central Expressway.
The zoning for the subject property, "C" - Planned Center District, requires that a specific use permit be granted in order for automobile dealership sales to be operated on the subject property.
EXISTING ZONING AND LAND USES:
|
Location |
Zoning District (Permitted Land Uses) |
Existing Land Use |
|
Subject Property |
“C” - Planned Center District and “CC” - Corridor Commercial Overly District (Commercial Uses) |
Undeveloped Land |
|
North |
“C” - Planned Center District and “CC” - Corridor Commercial Overly District (Commercial Uses) |
Undeveloped Land |
|
South |
“C” - Planned Center District and “CC” - Corridor Commercial Overly District (Commercial Uses) |
Undeveloped Land |
|
East |
“PD” - Planned Development District Ord. No. 2014-06-037 and “CC” - Corridor Commercial Overly District (Industrial and Office Uses) and “PD” - Planned Development District Ord. No. 1563 and “CC” - Corridor Commercial Overly District (Commercial Uses) |
RDO Equipment Co and El Dorado Chevrolet |
|
West |
“C” - Planned Center District and “CC” - Corridor Commercial Overly District (Commercial Uses) |
Northwood Park |
OFF-STREET LOADING AND SCREENING: Per Section 146-131 (Off-street loading) of the Zoning Ordinance, bays doors in any retail district or retail PD district shall be oriented away from the street frontage with the greatest width. Given there are bay doors oriented towards Wilmeth Road and US Highway 75, the applicant is required to request a variance for the orientation of bay doors towards US Highway 75 and to screen the proposed development with either an approved screening device or an alternate screening device with approval of the Planning and Zoning Commission.
The applicant is proposing to plant evergreen shrubs along US Highway 75 and cluster canopy trees along the right-of-way to screen the proposed overhead doors. The clustering of the trees and the evergreen shrubs will provide a soft screening and will adequately screen the view of the overhead doors from the rights-of-way. Considering these factors, Staff does not have any objections to this request.
SPECIFIC USE PERMITS: When acting on a request for a specific use permit, the following factors should be considered:
• Compatibility with adjacent and neighboring land uses in the immediate area
• Adaptability of building structures to the proposed use
• Infrastructure requirements: roads, sidewalks, access to public streets, parking, and drainage
• Elements such as screening, open space, building heights, and compatibility of existing buildings to the proposed use
When considering compatibility of the proposed request with surrounding land uses, Staff found that this section of the US Highway 75 corridor is largely undeveloped. The applicant is proposing to develop BMW of McKinney, a Hendrick’s Auto Dealership, on approximately 14 acres, leaving approximately 53 acres of commercially-zoned property on the remainder of the southwest corner of Wilmeth Road and US Highway 75. Additionally, approximately 21 acres of commercially-zoned property is also undeveloped and will be preserved on the north side of Wilmeth Road.
That said, it is Staff’s professional opinion that the proposed specific use permit should not negatively impact the adjacent properties or the city’s opportunity to realize viable commercial uses along the US Highway 75 corridor.
As such, Staff does not have any objection to the proposed specific use permit.
IMPACT ON EXISTING DEVELOPMENT: Staff does not anticipate that the specific use permit request would have a negative impact on adjacent developments.
SITE LAYOUT: The attached exhibit provides a general layout of the proposed building as well as the associated parking and internal site circulation. Please see the proposed specific use permit for a more detailed illustration.
ACCESS/CIRCULATION:
|
Adjacent Streets: |
U.S. Highway 75, Variable Width Right-of-Way, Major Regional Highway/Multi-Modal Wilmeth Road, 110’ Right-of-Way, Major Arterial |
OPPOSITION TO OR SUPPORT OF REQUEST: Staff has not received any letters of support for or letters of opposition to this request. This does not include emails or letters that may have been sent directly to members of the Council. As part of the Planning and Zoning Commission Public Hearing, Staff has not received citizen comments through the online citizen portal.
BOARD OR COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION: On December 13, 2022, the Planning and Zoning Commission voted 7-0-0 to recommend approval of the proposed specific use permit request.
On December 20, 2022, the City Council voted 5-0-0 to continue the public hearing and table the item to the January 17, 2023 City Council meeting.