Title
Conduct a Public Hearing to Consider/Discuss/Act on a Request to Rezone the Subject Property from "PD" - Planned Development District to "PD" - Planned Development District, Generally for Car Wash Uses, Located at the Northwest Corner of Virginia Parkway and Ridge Road
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: October 8, 2019
DEPARTMENT: Development Services - Planning Department
CONTACT: David Soto, Planner I
Jennifer Arnold, AICP, Director of Planning
APPROVAL PROCESS: The recommendation of the Planning and Zoning Commission will be forwarded to the City Council for final action at the November 5, 2019 meeting.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends denial of the proposed rezoning request due to lack of conformance with the Comprehensive Plan, intensity of the proposed use, incompatibility with the surrounding area, and nonconformance with the Engineering Design Manual.
However, if the applicant’s request is approved, the following special ordinance provisions shall apply:
1. The subject property shall be zoned “PD” - Planned Development District and shall be subject to the following special ordinance provision:
a. The subject property shall be developed in accordance with the attached development regulations and exhibits.
Please note that approving this request with the tie down layout approves the conditions that are nonconformance with the Engineering Design Manual.
APPLICATION SUBMITTAL DATE: June 21, 2019 (Original Application)
July 29, 2019 (Revised Submittal)
August 26, 2019 (Revised Submittal)
September 23, 2019 (Revised Submittal)
ITEM SUMMARY: The applicant is requesting to rezone approximately 1.532 acres of land, generally for a Car Wash use.
ZONING:
|
Location |
Zoning District (Permitted Land Uses) |
Existing Land Use |
|
Subject Property |
“PD” - Planned Development District Ordinance No. 2000-11-092 (Office Uses) |
Undeveloped Land |
|
North |
“PD” - Planned Development District Ordinance No. 2000-11-092 (Office Uses) |
Medical Office at Ridge Road (Under Construction) |
|
South |
PD” - Planned Development District Ordinance No. 2003-02-015 (Office Uses) |
Ebby Plaza Office |
|
East |
PD” - Planned Development District Ordinance No. 2000-11-092(Single Family Residential Uses) |
Stonebridge Estates Phase II |
|
West |
“PD” - Planned Development District Ordinance No. 2000-11-092 (Office Uses) |
Undeveloped Land |
PROPOSED ZONING: The applicant is requesting to rezone the subject property to "PD" - Planned Development District to allow for a Car Wash use. Specifically, the applicant is proposing a base zoning of “SO” - Suburban Office District with modifications, as detailed in the attached Development Regulations. For the PD’s exceptional quality requirement, the applicant is proposing a 3’ landscape berm along Ridge Road and Virginia Parkway as a visual buffer in order to mitigate the use. Staff does have concerns with the following proposed development regulations:
1. The applicant is requesting to have a minimum of 8’9” landscape buffer be allowed on Ridge Road. Per the ordinance, a 20 landscape buffer is required on all major thoroughfares with a right of way greater than 60’. A 10’ landscape buffer may be allowed through a variance with board approval depending on circumstances outlined in Landscape Requirements Section 146-135 (F)(4) (C). Landscape buffers provide a transition zone from the roadway, softens the aesthetic of the building, and allows adequate growing space for the canopy trees and other required landscaping. As such, Staff recommends denial of this provision.
2. The applicant is requesting to waive all screening of any proposed bay doors. Per the Ordinance, Bay doors shall be screened from the view of the public right of way and adjacent nonresidential properties. Staff feel screening of the bay doors is an important aspect of the quality of the development. As such, staff recommends denial of this provision.
3. The applicant has requested to tie down a site and landscape layout for the subject property. However, with the proposed layout, there are several outstanding conditions that do not meet Engineering Design Manual Standards and is detailed as follows:
• Minimum Throat Depth: driveways are required to have a minimum throat depth of 60 feet from edge of roadway to first internal driveway intersection; the site provides a throat depth of approximately 45 feet from Ridge Road. This provides space for vehicles to pull off the public roadway and then stack if there is a conflict that prevents them from moving further into the site.
• Right Turn Lanes Required: right turn lanes are required for all streets and driveways intersecting arterial roadways; the site has not included right turn lanes on Ridge Road or Virginia Parkway. Right turn lanes provide space for slowing and turning vehicles to move out of the way of through traffic and reduce the likelihood of rear-end collisions, as well as increase the capacity of the roadway.
• Minimum Median Opening Spacing: median openings on arterial roadways are required to be spaced a minimum of 525 feet apart; the site provides a median opening spacing of approximately 320 feet from Virginia Parkway. This minimum spacing serves to limit the number of conflict points along roadways where vehicle crashes may occur. This spacing also serves to preserve space in the median for landscaping improvements.
• Minimum Driveway Spacing: driveways along arterial roadways are required to be spaced a minimum of 240 feet apart; this site provides a driveway spacing along Ridge Road of 195 feet to the next driveway north. This minimum spacing serves to limit the number of conflict points along roadways where vehicle crashes could occur.
The property is currently zoned for office uses and is surrounded by planned or existing development, which includes single family residential to the east and Offices located to the south, west, and north. While Staff acknowledges the need for service and retail uses in this area, the size, scale and intensity of these uses should be complementary to the adjacent uses. Staff is generally in support of the requested based zoning of “SO” - Suburban Office District, especially given that it aligns with the Professional Campus placetype of the Comprehensive Plan. However, staff has concerns with the proposed car wash use and the regulations and site conditions being proposed in conjunction with the subject property. Given these concerns, Staff recommends denial of the proposed rezoning request.
CONFORMANCE TO ONE MCKINNEY 2040: A key aspect of the ONE McKinney 2040 Comprehensive Plan is to provide direction related to the desired development patterns and to inform decisions related to the timing and phasing for future infrastructure investments in the City. To assist in guiding these decisions, the Preferred Scenario and Land Use Diagram establishes distinctive districts, each with a clear intent and market focus that are reinforced through character-defining placetypes. In conjunction with the Preferred Scenario, there will be a series of district diagrams which outline the desired development patterns for each unique area of McKinney. Per the Preferred Scenario, the subject property is located in the Established Community District. General placetypes included in this district are Suburban Living, Professional Campus, Employment Mix, and Commercial Center.
• Guiding Principles: The proposed rezoning request is generally in conformance with Guiding Principle of “Diversity (Supporting our Economy and People)” established by the Comprehensive Plan. In particular, the proposed request has the potential to provide “diverse economic engines… broaden the tax base, and make the City’s economy more adaptable and resilient”.
• Land Use Diagram Compatibility: In evaluating development requests, the City should determine that a project meets the majority of the established criteria to be considered compatible with the Land Use Diagram. The proposed rezoning request does not align with the Professional Campus placetype of the Established Community District. The intent of the placetype is to generally provide office jobs and keep people in the city during normal work hours. Professional Campus placetype does allow for neighborhood commercial uses in limited areas; however, these uses should be of a design and scale compatible with the surround neighborhood. As such, the proposed request of “PD” -would not be compatible with the surrounding properties and placetypes.
• Land Use and Tax Base Summary: Module 35 is currently comprised of approximately 58.6% residential uses, 41.4% non-residential uses (including institutional and agricultural uses). The proposed rezoning request will have no impact on the anticipated land uses in this module. Estimated tax revenues in Module 35 are comprised of approximately 82% from residential uses and 18% from non-residential uses (Including agricultural uses). Estimated tax revenues by type in Module 35 are comprised of approximately 89.9% ad valorem taxes and 10.1% sales and use taxes.
OPPOSITION TO OR SUPPORT OF REQUEST: Staff has received 2 letters of oppositions regarding this request. Staff has also received a written protest from adjacent property owners. The submitted protest covers 20.65% of the total area adjacent to the subject property. The percentage does meet the minimum requirement for a supermajority vote at City Council.