Title
Conduct a Public Hearing to Consider/Discuss/Act on a Request by the City of McKinney to Amend Chapter 146 (Zoning Regulations), Appendix G (MTC - McKinney Town Center Zoning District) of the Code of Ordinances
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: January 28, 2020
DEPARTMENT: Development Services - Planning Department
CONTACT: Mark Doty, Assistant Director of Planning
Jennifer Arnold, AICP, Director of Planning
APPROVAL PROCESS:
• The recommendation of the Planning and Zoning Commission will be forwarded to the City Council for consideration at the February 18, 2020 meeting.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
• Staff recommends approval of the proposed amendment.
ITEM SUMMARY:
• The purpose of this amendment is to modify the list of available Design Exceptions that may be considered by the Planning and Zoning Commission for projects within the McKinney Town Center (MTC) Zoning District.
• The MTC Zoning District currently allows certain requested deviations from the following requirements: Building Form and Development Standards, Building Design Standards, or Open Space Standards. These deviation requests are known as Design Exceptions and are forwarded to the Planning and Zoning Commission for consideration.
• Staff feels that the current process for Design Exceptions works extremely well for allowing flexibility in many of the development standards within the MTC, under the purview of the Planning and Zoning Commission and would like to expand this process to also include Design Exceptions for the Design Criteria within the Schedule of Uses.
PROPOSED AMENDMENT
• Current: Design Exceptions. A Design Exception means a requested deviation from any Building Form and Site Development Standards, Building Design Standards, or Open Space Standards beyond the minor deviations specified in the Minor Modifications provision. All requests for Design Exceptions shall be forwarded by the McKinney Town Center Development Coordinator to the Planning and Zoning Commission for action. Appeals of decisions by the Planning and Zoning Commission shall be made to the City Council.
• Proposed: Design Exceptions. A Design Exception means a requested deviation from any Building Form and Site Development Standards, Building Design Standards, or Open Space Standards beyond the minor deviations specified in the Minor Modifications provision. A Design Exception shall also mean a requested deviation from the Design Criteria of the Schedule of Permitted Uses. All requests for Design Exceptions shall be forwarded by the McKinney Town Center Development Coordinator to the Planning and Zoning Commission for action. Appeals of decisions by the Planning and Zoning Commission shall be made to the City Council.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
• In 2006, Staff began a study of downtown that would ultimately help encourage redevelopment and growth, known as Phase I of the Town Center Study. After numerous meetings and workshops with the public, City Council approved the report in 2008, simultaneously launching Phase II of the Study. This phase involved implementing many of the ideas from Phase I, including the creation of a form-based code for downtown. This code was adopted as the MTC - McKinney Town Center Zoning District in 2013 and consists of seven character districts, each with unique features based on their location, which help preserve the character and encourage redevelopment of historic downtown McKinney.
• In order to maintain high quality development that is in line with the market and development community, Staff recognizes the importance of reviewing the Ordinance from time to time to ensure that it is still performing optimally. This analysis has allowed Staff to pinpoint the most common deviation requests and propose amendments to the Ordinance that will decrease deviation requests while maintaining the development standards expected for the MTC Zoning District.
• Previous amendments to the MTC Zoning District, which were adopted in April 2019 focused on allowing additional driveway access points, modifying the façade transparency requirements along Pedestrian Priority ‘A” and “B” Streets, and improving the readability of the Character District standards and regulations overall.
OPPOSITION TO OR SUPPORT OF REQUEST:
• Staff has received no emails or phone calls in support of or opposition to the proposed amendments.