Title
Conduct a Public Hearing to Consider/Discuss/Act on a Request by the City of McKinney to Amend Chapter 146 (Zoning Regulations), Appendix B-2 (Regional Employment Center - Overlay Urban Design Standards) and Appendix F-4 (Schedule of Uses), of the Code of Ordinances, and Accompanying Ordinance
Summary
COUNCIL GOAL: Direction for Strategic and Economic Growth
(1C: Provide a strong economy by facilitating a balance between industrial, commercial, residential and open space)
MEETING DATE: November 6, 2018
DEPARTMENT: Planning
CONTACT: Jennifer Arnold, AICP, Interim Director of Planning
Samantha Pickett, AICP, Planning Manager
CITY COUNCIL RECOMMENDED ACTION: Staff recommends approval of the proposed amendments.
ITEM SUMMARY: At the June 4 and September 17, 2018 City Council Work Sessions, Staff presented an analysis of zoning districts throughout the City, specifically focusing on automotive sales and related uses in the old zoning districts (BG, C, BC, ML and MH) and Regional Employment Center (REC) Overlay District.
City Council discussed concerns with the potential loss of commercial tax base, properties not developing as envisioned, and protecting key properties to attract business development, and requested Staff to look at potential solutions. As such, Staff has prepared amendments to the Zoning Ordinance in response to Council direction. These amendments are generally meant to align the old and new zoning districts by modifying the Zoning Ordinance to require a specific use permit for automotive-related uses.
Following the September 17, 2018 City Council Work Session, Staff published a memo and redlines to the City of McKinney website, and an email with the same information was sent to all planning applicants registered in our system. Additionally, Staff hosted an open house on October 10, 2018 to elicit feedback from the development community and residents (see attached).
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: In March of 2014, City Council adopted a series of Zoning Ordinances changes, including the adoption of 14 new zoning districts to better align development with the current market, and the suspension of 18 of the existing districts, which prohibits (re)zoning to any of these districts as of July 1, 2014, while still allowing development on properties that already have this zoning. While these additional districts made significant improvements to the Zoning Ordinance, no modifications were made to any existing districts, and thus the inconsistency below still exists.
Since the last major update to the Zoning Ordinance in 1981, motor vehicle sales (including automobiles, motorcycles, boats, recreational vehicles, and trucks) have been allowed by right in “BG” - General Business District, “C” - Planned Center District, “BC” - Commercial Business District, “ML” - Light Manufacturing District, and “MH” - Heavy Manufacturing District, as well as in the “REC” - Regional Employment Center Overlay District (adopted in 2001). Several districts, especially “C”, were designed to provide high concentrations of shopping and retail along major thoroughfares, and as such are prevalent along these roadways. That said, motor vehicles sales have increased in size and scale over the last several decades and now often include additional uses such as service, repair and rental. Consequently, the intensity of these uses may not be appropriate in all locations where these zoning districts occur.
In response to these concerns, automotive-related uses were limited with the adoption of the newer zoning districts in 2014. In order to create consistency between the old and new districts, Staff recommends the requirement of a specific use permit for the districts listed above.
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS:
• Proposed Changes to Appendix B-2 (Regional Employment Center - Overlay Urban Design Standards) and Appendix F-4 (Schedule of Uses): The proposed amendments are intended to bring the older zoning districts into closer alignment with this ideal while also more closely aligning with the newer zoning districts adopted in 2014 by allowing for discretionary consideration of motor vehicle sales on a case-by-case basis via specific use permit. Overall, the proposed amendments to the Schedules of Uses should improve the schedules’ ease of use and reduce inconsistencies between the old and new zoning districts.
OPPOSITION TO OR SUPPORT OF REQUEST: Staff has received several responses expressing concern or in opposition to the proposed amendments (see attached).
BOARD OR COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION: On October 23, 2018, the Planning and Zoning Commission voted 7-0-0 to recommend approval of the proposed amendments.