Title
Conduct a Public Hearing to Consider/Discuss/Act on a Request to Rezone the Subject Property from “RG 18” - General Residence District to “PD” - Planned Development District, for Multi-Family Residential Uses and Generally to Modify the Development Standards, Located at 1200 N. Tennessee Street, and Accompanying Ordinance
Summary
COUNCIL GOAL: Direction for Strategic and Economic Growth
MEETING DATE: July 18, 2017
DEPARTMENT: Planning
CONTACT: Matt Robinson, AICP, Planning Manager
Brian Lockley, AICP, Director of Planning
RECOMMENDED CITY COUNCIL ACTION: Staff recommends approval of the proposed rezoning request with the following special ordinance provisions:
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 standards.
APPLICATION SUBMITTAL DATE: February 13, 2017 (Original Application)
April 11, 2017 (Revised Submittal)
April 26, 2017 (Revised Submittal)
May 1, 2017 (Revised Submittal)
ITEM SUMMARY: The applicant is requesting to rezone approximately 10 acres of land, located at 1200 N. Tennessee Street for multi-family residential uses and to generally modify the development standards. The applicant intends to redevelop the existing Merritt Homes Community and has requested modifications to several development standards including: building heights, parking, setbacks and density.
ZONING:
|
Location |
Zoning District (Permitted Land Uses) |
Existing Land Use |
|
Subject Property |
“RG 18” - General Residence District |
Merritt Homes |
|
North |
“ML” - Light Manufacturing |
Southern Food, Autozone |
|
South |
“BG” - General Business and “ML” - Light Manufacturing |
Carquest, Solar, David’s Paint & Body |
|
East |
“ML” - Light Manufacturing |
Hisun Motors, ACIS |
|
West |
“BN” - Neighborhood Business |
Lil G Furniture |
PROPOSED ZONING: The applicant is requesting to rezone approximately 10 acres, which is currently home to a public housing community (Merritt Homes), and redevelop the site for a public housing development in accordance with the attached development standards.
More specifically, the applicant has requested the development follow the “MF-1” - Multiple Family Residential - Low Density District with several special ordinance provisions defining the development standards for the property. These include a maximum unit count of 140 dwelling units, maximum building height of three (3) stories, modified building setbacks and parking requirements of which Staff has no objections.
Section 146-94 (“PD” - Planned Development District) of the Zoning Ordinance states that no proposed PD District Ordinance may be approved without ensuring a level of exceptional quality or innovation for the design or development. To satisfy this requirement, the applicant is proposing to increase the number of required amenities from three to five. Among the proposed amenities is a centralized internal open space that is a minimum of one acre in size. While Staff recognizes the proposed rezoning is not in compliance with the City’s Multi-Family Policy in regards to the number of new multi-family units, the rezoning request is intended to help redevelop an existing multi-family public housing development. Staff has no objections to the request and recommends approval of the rezoning.
CONFORMANCE TO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN: The Future Land Use Plan (FLUP) designates the subject property for Residential High Density uses. The FLUP modules diagram designates the subject property as Town Center within a significantly developed area. The Comprehensive Plan lists factors to be considered when a rezoning request is being considered within a significantly developed area:
• Comprehensive Plan Goals and Objectives: The proposed rezoning request is generally in conformance with the goals and objectives of the Comprehensive Plan. In particular, the proposed zoning change would help the community attain the goal of “Land Use Compatibility and Mix” by creating a “mix of land uses that provides for various lifestyle choices”.
• Impact on Infrastructure: The proposed rezoning request should have a minimal impact on the existing and planned water, sewer and thoroughfare plans in the area.
• Impact on Public Facilities/Services: The proposed rezoning request should have a minimal impact on public services, such as schools, fire and police, libraries, parks and sanitation services.
• Compatibility with Existing and Potential Adjacent Land Uses: The proposed rezoning request maintains the existing public housing use and should remain compatible with the existing and potential adjacent land uses.
• Land Use and Tax Base Summary: Module 55 is currently comprised of approximately 51.7% residential uses and 48.1% 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 55 are comprised of approximately 47.6% from residential uses and 52.4% from non-residential uses (including mixed-use). Estimated tax revenues by type in Module 55 are comprised of approximately 62.2% ad valorem taxes and 37.8% sales and use taxes.
• Concentration of a Use: The proposed rezoning request should not result in an over concentration of public housing in the area as the site is currently utilized for public housing.
CONFORMANCE TO THE MULTI-FAMILY POLICY: The current multi-family policy was adopted by City Council in May of 2015. In reviewing requests to rezone property for multi-family uses, Staff evaluates the request for conformance to the policy criteria listed in the Comprehensive Plan.
Multi-family developments serve an important function in McKinney. Multi-family developments function as housing for young professionals who are not ready to own homes, as well as housing for citizens who are relocated on a regular basis by their employer. Multi-family also provides housing for retirees who seek low maintenance living and, in some cases, they serve as affordable housing for those who cannot meet the expense of home ownership. While the City of McKinney recognizes the importance of multi-family land use, attention should be given to how it is developed. For this reason, the following are the design and location parameters that apply to multi-family developments in McKinney.
1. Multi-family developments shall be subject to architectural standards as provided for in Section 146-139 of the Zoning Ordinance.
2. Multi-family uses should not be located in large, high-density concentrations and clusters, but rather dispersed in small groupings around the city in a balanced manner that provides a mix of uses and densities.
3. Multi-family developments should generally be no greater in size than either 20 acres or 400 units.
4. Multi-family developments shall be located at major thoroughfare intersections rather than between intersections (i.e., not mid-block).
5. Multi-family uses shall be located on only one corner of a major intersection, unless they are constructed as part of a mixed-use vertical development.
6. New multi-family zoning shall not be located within 1,320 feet (one-quarter mile) of any other multi-family zoning district.
7. In each of the six planning sectors, the number of multi-family units generally should not exceed 10% of the total number of existing or estimated future residential housing units.
8. If the total estimated number of future residential multi-family units in a planning sector exceeds 10%, a new location should be proposed for rezoning. Staff will evaluate any new locations to determine whether a recommendation for an amendment to the future land use plan should be made.
9. Vertical mixed-use developments may be allowed even if multi-family housing in the sector exceeds 10% of the existing and zoned housing units, and shall not count towards the multi-family percentage. A vertical mixed-use area shall be defined as one with non-residential uses on the ground floor and in some cases lower floors, with residential uses on the upper floors. The City encourages the vertical mixing of rental units with other land uses.
10. Urban multi-family developments may also be allowed even if multi-family housing in the sector exceeds 10% of the existing and zoned housing units. For the purposes of this section, urban multi-family development shall mean a multi-family residential development which incorporates, at a minimum, the following urban design elements:
a. structured and/or tuck-under garage parking for no less than 80% of the total required parking for the development;
b. ground floor units adjacent to a public right-of-way are designed and constructed to permit commercial uses with a minimum 12 feet clear ceiling height;
c. meaningful, centrally located internal open spaces (parks, plazas, courtyards, and squares) offering public gathering areas; and
d. 10 foot wide public sidewalks adjacent to all public roadways.
At the time the Multi-Family Policy was adopted in 2001, all of the sectors of the City were above the allotted 10% and the applicant’s request to allow new multi-family zoning will only make these percentages increase. The Multi-Family Policy also states that if the Future Land Use Plan does not designate the property for multi-family, then the request will be recommended for denial.
OPPOSITION TO OR SUPPORT OF REQUEST: Staff has received no comments or phone calls in support of or opposition to this request.
BOARD OR COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION: On May 23, 2017 the Planning and Zoning Commission voted 6-0-0 to recommend approval of the proposed rezoning request.