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 Allow for Self Storage and Commercial Uses and Modify the Development Standards, Located at 2250 South Central Expressway
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: July 22, 2025
DEPARTMENT: Development Services - Planning Department
CONTACT: Caitlyn Strickland, AICP, Planning Manager
Hayley Angel, AICP, Interim 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 August 5, 2025 meeting.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends denial of the rezoning request due to concerns regarding proposed self storage use and lack of conformance with the Comprehensive Plan.
However, if the applicant’s request is 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: January 21, 2025 (Original Application)
June 18, 2025 (Revised Submittal)
June 30, 2025 (Revised Submittal)
ITEM SUMMARY: The applicant is requesting to rezone approximately 3.373 acres of land, generally for self storage and commercial uses.
EXISTING ZONING AND LAND USES:
|
Location |
Zoning District (Permitted Land Uses) |
Existing Land Use |
|
Subject Property |
“PD” - Planned Development District (Non-Residential Uses) |
Undeveloped Land |
|
North |
“PD” - Planned Development District (Non-Residential Residential Uses) |
Summit Office Park |
|
South |
“PD” - Planned Development District (Residential and Non-Residential Uses) |
Eldorado Homeowners Association Golf Course |
|
East |
“PD” - Planned Development District (Government Uses) |
City of McKinney Park (Towne Lake) |
|
West |
“PD” - Planned Development District (Residential and Non-Residential Uses) |
Eldorado Homeowners Association Golf Course |
PROPOSED ZONING: The applicant requests to rezone the subject property, generally to allow for self storage and commercial uses and modify the development standards.
• Self Storage Use
o The applicant is proposing to rezone the property uses typically found within our “C2” - Local Commercial District, with the addition of self storage to be a use permitted by right. While staff supports rezoning the property to modernize the non-residential uses along South Central Expressway (US Highway 75), we are unable to support the inclusion of self storage by right at this location.
o Staff is concerned with the allowance of self storage along a critical highway frontage instead of more meaningful commercial development, such as office or retail uses.
o As such, staff is not supportive of the proposed self storage use.
• Landscape Requirements
o The applicant proposes to enhance landscape requirements with the following development standards:
§ A minimum of 15% of the site area shall be living landscaping, including grass, ground cover, plants, shrubs, or trees.
§ The Street Buffer along South Central Expressway shall be 45’
§ The vehicular use buffer shall be 15’.
§ Canopy Trees shall be required at a rate of 1 tree per 4 parking spaces.
§ A minimum of 6 canopy trees shall be placed along the façade of the building facing the highway 75 Right of Way.
o Staff has no opposition to the proposed landscape development standards.
• Architectural and Site Development Standards
o The applicant proposes to include architectural requirements typically included in Section 206F. of the UDC and specific site development standards for the self storage use.
o The proposed zoning would require the following site development standards.
§ No self-storage units facing a right of way shall be accessed directly from the exterior.
§ Self-storage shall be limited to three stories above average grade plane.
§ Right-of-way facing elevations for buildings that are 3 stories or less in height shall be finished with at least 50 percent masonry finishing materials. Right of way facing elevations for buildings that are taller than 3 stories in height shall feature a minimum of 25 percent masonry finishing materials.
o Staff has no opposition to the proposed architectural and site development standards.
While Staff is supportive of the proposed modernized non-residential uses, staff is not supportive of the proposed self storage use. Highway frontages are prime locations for attracting businesses that benefit from high visibility and easy access. These locations are ideal for retail, restaurants, hospitality, medical offices, and other commercial uses that contribute directly to our city's potential economic vitality and quality of life. The City of McKinney has a limited amount of available property along highway frontage of major corridors.
Additionally, the self storage use does not align with the Professional Center Placetype of the Established Community District. The Comprehensive Plan calls for a mix of professional office, corporate campuses, or medical uses within this placetype. Staff finds that self storage does not align with the goals outlined within the Comprehensive Plan.
With the inclusion of a self storage facility removing the potential for commercial uses along our highway corridor and the lack of conformance with the Comprehensive Plan, staff recommends denial of the proposed rezoning request.
CONFORMANCE TO THE ONE MCKINNEY 2040 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN: A key aspect of the ONE McKinney 2040 Comprehensive Plan is to provide direction related to desired development patterns in the city and to inform decisions related to the timing and phasing of future infrastructure investments. To assist in guiding these decisions, the plan includes a set of Guiding Principles that provide overall guidance and a Preferred Scenario and Land Use Diagram that illustrates the desired development patterns in the city. The Preferred Scenario and Land Use Diagram are built upon a series of distinctive districts, each with a specific purpose, focus and market. Each district consists of a mix of placetypes that identify the predominate land uses and desired pattern of development for the district.
• Guiding Principles:
The proposed rezoning request is generally in conformance with the Guiding Principle of “Diversity (Supporting our Economy and People)” established by the Comprehensive Plan. In particular, the proposed request has the potential to provide “[…]housing options and neighborhood choices that are accessible, attainable and appealing to people at all stages of their lives.”
• Preferred Scenario and Land Use Diagram Characteristics:
Per the Preferred Scenario and Land Use Diagram, the subject property is located in the Established Community District and is designated as the Professional Center placetype.
Professional Center generally provides for office uses and jobs that keep people in the city during normal working hours. A Professional Center is typically well landscaped and provides opportunities for small general offices, as well as larger employment uses such as corporate headquarters, institutional facilities and medical campuses. More intense professional uses are typically seen near major transportation corridors, while smaller developments are typically within residential areas and are supportive in nature.
• Land Use Diagram Compatibility:
When considering land use decisions, the City should determine that a project aligns with the Land Use Diagram and/or meets a majority of the plan’s established criteria to be considered compatible with the Land Use Diagram. The proposed rezoning request does not align with the Professional Center placetype of the Established Community 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 fiscal responsibility policies.
Staff does not feel that the proposed rezoning request substantially advances a majority of the decision making criteria above to be considered compatible with the comprehensive plan.
• Fiscal Model Analysis: The attached fiscal analysis shows a negative fiscal benefit of $145,058 for the 3.373-acre property, which 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. Staff has not received any citizen comments through the online citizen portal.
BOARD OR COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION: The request was considered by the Planning and Zoning Commission at the July 8, 2025, meeting and tabled the item due to zoning sign notification error to the July 22, 2025, Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting by a 7-0-0 vote.