Title
Conduct a Public Hearing to Consider/Discuss/Act on a Request to Rezone the Subject Property from "PD" - Planned Development District and "REC" - Regional Employment Center Overlay District to "PD" - Planned Development District and "REC" - Regional Employment Center Overlay District, Generally to Modify the Development Standards, Located on the Northwest Corner of Meyer Way and Collin McKinney Parkway, and Accompanying Ordinance
Summary
MEETING DATE: February 17, 2015
DEPARTMENT: Planning
CONTACT: Michael Quint, Director of Planning
Brandon Opiela, Planning Manager
Samantha Pickett, Planner II
RECOMMENDED CITY COUNCIL ACTION:
· Staff recommends approval of the proposed rezoning request with the following special ordinance provisions:
1. The subject property shall develop in accordance with the "PD" - Planned Development District, and as amended, except as follows:
a. The subject property shall develop in accordance with the attached Regulating Plan - Exhibit "B".
b. The subject property shall generally develop in accordance with the attached Concept Plan - Exhibit "C".
c. The subject property shall develop in accordance with the attached Development Regulations - Exhibit "D".
ITEM SUMMARY:
· The applicant is requesting to rezone approximately 8.57 acres of land, generally for mixed uses. More specifically, the proposed rezoning request modifies the development standards, including, but not limited to, lot area, width, and depth, maximum height, density, setbacks, landscaping, parking, and architectural requirements, as detailed in the attached development regulations and associated exhibits.
· In 2006, the subject property was zoned as part of a larger, 50-acre tract known as Cooper Life at Craig Ranch. This zoning (PD 2006-11-132) established specific development standards and tied down a general development plan (GDP) to ensure a high density, cohesive, pedestrian oriented, mixed-use development would be constructed (see attached existing GDP). The applicant's rezoning request incorporates a portion of the remaining undeveloped parcels within the Cooper Life development.
· Though the applicant is requesting to rezone the property to remove the requirements of the REC Overlay District, it is their intent to maintain a high density, pedestrian-oriented development. The applicant is proposing to split the property into two districts, the Whole Life One (WL-1) District and the Commercial-Mixed Use (CMU) District (see attached regulating plan and development standards). The WL-1 District is designed for high density multi-family residential uses, while the CMU District allows for non-residential uses with multi-family residential uses above the first floor. Both districts are illustrated on the attached concept plan (Exhibit C), which depicts the general location of the proposed buildings, encouraging pedestrian access and maintaining a consistent building façade along street frontages and primary access drives. The proposed development standards solidify the development's uses, space limits, landscaping, parking, and architectural and design requirements; working in conjunction with the exhibits illustrating the overall layout, landscaping, and elevations for the WL-1 District buildings within the development. The proposed elevations for the WL-1 District, as well as the architectural standards within the development regulations, propose 85% masonry (brick, stone, synthetic stone) on a per elevation basis, rather than the Ordinance requirement of the 85% masonry per wall; however, Staff feels the elevations will have a positive visual impact on the environment.
· On December 9, 2014, the Planning and Zoning Commission voted 7-0-0 to continue the public hearing and table the item to the January 13, 2015 meeting per the applicant's request.
· The Staff report for the January 13, 2015 Planning and Zoning Commission meeting reflects a Staff recommendation of denial for this case, as it was Staff's opinion at the time that there was a significant number of modifications (see attached redline of the previous version of the development standards) that needed to be made to ensure a high quality development could be achieved and that the regulations could be administered by Staff. The applicant acknowledged at the meeting, that the proposed regulations required additional changes and requested that the item continue to City Council, due to timing limitations for development of the property, allowing the applicant additional time to work with Staff to eliminate outstanding concerns.
· Subsequent to the January 13, 2015 Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, the applicant and Staff worked together, making significant changes to the development standards and zoning exhibits addressing previous Staff concerns. Staff is now of the opinion that the rezoning request, in conjunction with the attached exhibits, can maintain the dense, pedestrian-oriented character originally intended for the property and, as such, recommends approval of the proposed rezoning request.
· On February 3, 2015, the City Council voted 7-0-0 to continue the public hearing and table the item to the February 17, 2015 City Council meeting per the applicant's request.
· The attached "Land Use and Tax Base Summary" shows that Module 61 is currently comprised of approximately 18.5% residential uses and approximately 81.5% non-residential uses (including commercial, mixed-use, institutional and agricultural uses). Estimated tax revenues in Module 61 are comprised of approximately 4.7% from residential uses and approximately 95.3% from non-residential uses (including commercial, mixed-use, institutional and agricultural uses). The proposed rezoning requested will have no impact on the anticipated land uses in this module. Please note that the Land Use and Tax Base Summary was not available when the item was presented to the Planning and Zoning Commission, but has been included with the information provided to City Council.
· An associated right-of-way vacation request (15-034AA) is being considered concurrently by the City Council at the February 17, 2015 City Council meeting.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
· Please see attached Planning and Zoning Commission meeting Staff report.
FINANCIAL SUMMARY:
· N/A
BOARD OR COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION:
· On January 13, 2015, the Planning and Zoning Commission voted 6-0-0 to recommend approval of the applicant's request.