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 to Modify the Development Standards and to Allow for Commercial Uses, Located at 6201 North McDonald Street
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: September 12, 2023
DEPARTMENT: Development Services - Planning Department
CONTACT: Jake Bennett, Planner II
Caitlyn Strickland, AICP, Planning Manager
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 October 2, 2023 meeting.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends denial of the proposed rezoning request due to its lack of conformance with the comprehensive plan.
However, should the request be approved, the following special ordinance provisions shall apply:
1. The subject property shall be zoned “PD” - Planned Development District and subject to the following special ordinance provision:
a. The subject property shall develop in accordance with the attached development regulations.
APPLICATION SUBMITTAL DATE: June 12, 2023 (Original Application)
July 11, 2023 (Revised Submittal)
August 7, 2023 (Revised Submittal)
August 10, 2023 (Revised Submittal)
August 18, 2023 (Revised Submittal)
August 23, 2023 (Revised Submittal)
ITEM SUMMARY: The applicant requests to rezone approximately 11.65 acres of land to allow industrial warehouse uses on the property.
EXISTING ZONING AND LAND USES:
Location |
Zoning District (Permitted Land Uses) |
Existing Land Use |
Subject Property |
“PD” - Planned Development District (Commercial Uses) |
Undeveloped Land |
North |
“AG” - Agricultural District (Agricultural Uses) |
Undeveloped Land |
South |
City of McKinney ETJ |
Single Family Residence |
East |
City of McKiney ETJ |
Life Storage |
West |
City of McKinney ETJ |
Bobcat of North Texas and RecNation RV and Boat Storage |
PROPOSED ZONING: The applicant requests to rezone the subject property generally to allow industrial warehouse uses.
Currently, the subject property is zoned “PD” and allows commercial uses in line with the “C3” - Regional Commercial District, plus the added allowed use of heavy machinery and equipment sales. The applicant proposes to rezone the subject property to remove heavy machinery and equipment sales and add warehouse as an allowed use on the property. As an industrial use, warehouses are only permitted in industrial zoning districts.
The subject property is designated as the Commercial Center placetype in the ONE McKinney 2040 Comprehensive Plan. While the current environment on this stretch of SH 5 can be largely characterized as low intensity developments and agricultural/rural tracts, the comprehensive plan recognizes a potential for this corridor to provide retail and service uses to residents and employees of McKinney. The comprehensive plan also notes that special care should be taken to balance the uses along the highway frontage with the residential development south of SH 5.
It is Staff’s professional opinion that development pressures have not yet reached this stretch of SH 5 to activate development and/or redevelopment supportive of the commercial vision described in the comprehensive plan. However, anticipated projects such as the reconstruction of the SH 5 by TxDOT and commercial developments north of McKinney could create positive momentum in support of vision for the area.
Although the presence of storage uses on either side of the property may make traditional commercial uses difficult to achieve, it is our professional opinion that permitting industrial warehouse uses on the subject property would introduce a level of truck traffic and industrial intensity that conflicts with the vision described for this area in the comprehensive plan.
Staff also has concerns that the proposed building heights included in the rezoning request would allow for construction of industrial warehouses with a maximum height of 55 feet. Per the city’s “I1” - Light Industrial District, industrial warehouses are a maximum height of 45 feet. Only the “I2” - Heavy Industrial District allows the warehouse use with a maximum height of 55’.
As such, 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.
Per the Preferred Scenario, the subject property is designated as the Commercial Center placetype and is within the East Fork District. Other placetypes included in this district are Employment Mix, Suburban Living, Estate Residential, and Urban Living.
• 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 Commercial Center placetype of the East Fork District. In order to be considered compatible with the comprehensive plan, the project should meet a majority of the established criteria below:
1. Help McKinney achieve the Comprehensive Plan’s Vision and Guiding Principles;
2. Advance the District’s intent;
3. Demonstrate compatibility with the District’s identity and brand;
4. Include uses compatible with the Land Use Diagram;
5. Leverage and protect natural and built amenities and infrastructure;
6. Strengthen or create connections to activity centers within and beyond the District;
7. Create a positive fiscal impact for the City through the timeframe of the Plan (2040);
8. Demonstrate that the project’s travel demand estimates can be accommodated by the planned transportation network;
9. Demonstrate that the project’s demand on other public infrastructure can be accommodated by planned facilities; and
10. Demonstrate that the life-cycle costs to the public of constructing, maintaining and operating infrastructure included in the project is consistent with this plan’s [Comprehensive Plan] fiscal responsibility policies.
• Fiscal Model Analysis: The attached fiscal analysis shows a positive fiscal benefit of $117,450 for the 11.65-acre property and should contribute to achieving an overall fiscal balance in the city.
OPPOSITION TO OR SUPPORT OF REQUEST: Staff has received no letters of support to this request and no letters of opposition. This does not include emails or letters that may have been sent directly to members of the Council. As part of the Planning and Zoning Commission Public Hearing, Staff has not received any citizen comments through the online citizen portal.