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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07/23/2013 P&Z MINUTES CITY OF THE COLONY PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION JULY 23, 2013 After determining that a quorum was present, the Planning and Zoning Commission of the City of The Colony, Texas convened into Regular Session which was held on Tuesday, July 23, 2013 at 6:30 PM in the City Council Chambers located in City Hall, 6800 Main Street, The Colony, Texas, at which time the following items were addressed: Board Members Present: Richard Bambury, Chairman; Karen Hames, Vice-Chairman; Brian Wade; Cesar Molina, Jr.; Shannon Hebb and Cody Hall. Board Member Absent: Eddie McCormick City Council Liaison Absent: David Terre, City Council Place 4. Staff Present: Mike Joyce, AICP, Planning Director; Brooks Wilson, AICP, Senior Planner; Gordon Scruggs, Engineering Director; Ed Voss, City Attorney; and Brian McNuelty, Recording Secretary. 1.0 CALL REGULAR SESSION TO ORDER Chairman Bambury called the meeting to order at 6:32 PM. 1.1 CITIZEN INPUT No citizens came forward during Citizen Input. 2.0 CONSENT AGENDA 2.1 Consider approval of the minutes of the July 9, 2013 Regular Session. 2.2 PP13-0001 The Parks at Austin Rauch Addition Consider approval of a Preliminary Plat of Lots 1-6, Block C of The Parks at Austin Ranch, being a 33.43 acre tract of land, located on the southwest corner of the Windhaven Parkway and Plano Parkway. 2.3 FP13-0001 The Parks at Austin Rauch Addition Consider approval of a Final Plat of Lots 1-6, Block C of The Parks at Austin Ranch, being a 33.43 acre tract of land, located on the southwest corner of the Windhaven Parkway and Plano Parkway. Commissioner Wade asked staff why the plats associated with the Boat House development did not carry that name. Mike Joyce, Planning Director, replied that all of the Austin Ranch plats have been named "The Parks at Austin Ranch Addition" and differentiated only by the block designation. Commissioner Wade then moved by to approve Items 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3. Commissioner Hebb seconded and the motion carried (6-0). Minutes of the Planning and Zoning Commission July 23, 2013 Page 2 of 7 3.0 PUBLIC HEARING 3.1 SP13-0001 The Boat House at Austin Ranch Development Plan Conduct a public hearing, discuss and consider making a recommendation to City Council on a request for approval of a Development Plan for 526 multiple family units and a clubhouse/leasing center, "The Boat House," on approximately 33.43 acres, located on the southwest corner of Windhaven Parkway and Plano Parkway. Brooks Wilson, Senior Planner, presented the staff report. Commissioner Molina asked if the stream running through the property was controlled by jurisdictional waters. Gordon Scruggs, Director of Engineering, answered that all appropriate federal issues had been already completed and that the applicant only needed to obtain a flood plain permit from the City. Commissioner Hebb asked if there would be signalization at one or both of the intersections leading into the development. Mr. Scruggs responded that, at the present time, signalization was not warranted at either proposed intersection. Commissioner Hebb asked if the stream is a naturally flowing waterway. Mr. Scruggs responded affirmatively and explained that the stream extends from the Nebraska Furniture site, running southward through the Boat House site and discharges into Indian Creek. Commissioner Hebb asked if the developer would use dams or other obstructions to create the water feature through the Boat House development. Mr. Scruggs answered affirmatively. Commissioner Hebb asked if there had been any testing for West Nile Virus in the waters of the natural pond on the site. Mr. Scruggs answered that all the areas of the City are routinely tested, although as a moving body of water, it would be less likely to develop a mosquito problem. Mr. Hebb then asked if the metal horse sculptures would be removed or remain on the site. Mr. Scruggs stated that they would remain. Chairman Bambury asked staff about the limits of the project. He stated that Attachment 5 shows the development on all six lots, but Attachment 3, the Proposed Development Plan, and Attachment 4, the Proposed Landscape Plan, both do not show any structures on Lot 6. Ms. Wilson explained that all six lots were part of the proposed development, but that Lot 6 would be developed in Phase 2 as a commercial/retail center. Minutes of the Planning and Zoning Commission July 23, 2013 Page 3 of 7 Chairman Bambury opened the Public Hearing. No one came forward to speak and the Public Hearing was closed. Commissioner Hames moved to approve Item 3.1. Commissioner Hall seconded and the motion carried (6-0). 3.0 PUBLIC HEARING 3.2 SP13-0012 - Assured Storage Site Plan Conduct a public hearing, discuss and consider making a recommendation to City Council on a request for approval of a Site Plan for Assured Storage, a 59,225 square feet self-storage facility with 2,400 square foot office/apartment on approximately 6.76 acres, located on the west side of Paige Road, approximately 400 feet south of Memorial Drive. Ms. Wilson presented the staff report. Commissioner Hames asked if there would be any open storage, such as for boats, on the premises. Ms. Wilson stated that the plans showed no boat or RV storage on them. Commissioner Hall asked if the City or the owner was responsible for the maintenance of the flood plain area. Ms. Wilson stated that the owner is responsible. Commissioner Molina asked how the owner would access the flood plain area for maintenance. Mr. Scruggs stated that it would be possible to access the area from the cross access drive and from the utility easement that runs through the property. Commissioner Hebb asked staff what percentage of masonry is required for this building. Ms. Wilson responded that since it falls in the Gateway Overlay District, the buildings would have to incorporate a minimum of twenty-five (25) percent masonry and that seventy-five (75) percent could be stucco. However, she added that the applicant was proposing one hundred (100) percent masonry, including split-face CMU, Austin stone and brick. Chairman Bambury opened the Public Hearing. Selina Salomon, 6425 Fall River Drive, The Colony, stated that she was opposed to the development due to increased traffic and that the use of a mini-storage was not the best use for this tract of land. No one else came forward to speak and Chairman Bambury closed the Public Hearing. Commissioner Wade moved to approve Item 3.2. Commissioner Hebb seconded and the motion failed (3-3, with Bambury, Hall and Molina opposed). Minutes of the Planning and Zoning Commission July 23, 2013 Page 4 of 7 3.0 PUBLIC HEARING 3.3 SP13-0013 - Can:pus at Cascades, Phase 2 Development Plan Conduct a public hearing, discuss and consider making a recommendation to City Council on a request for approval of a Development Plan for the Campus at Cascades, Phase 2, a 135,050 square foot office/warehouse/retail development on approximately 12.72 acres, located on the northwest corner of the Sam Rayburn Tollway (S.H. 121) and Cascades Court. Ms. Wilson presented the staff report. Commissioner Hames asked staff if traffic generated by the development had been considered. Mr. Scruggs answered that, although the anticipated numbers did not warrant a Traffic Impact Analysis, the applicant conducted a study voluntarily. The projected traffic numbers did not require any additional infrastructure improvements, with the exception of a dedicated left turn lane to be constructed on southbound Morningstar Drive for vehicles entering the site from the north. Commissioner Hall asked why the buildings were sited as shown. Chris Bruck, Alliance Architects, 1600 N. Collins Street, Suite 1000, Richardson, Texas, the architect for the project, answered that the layout was thought to be the most attractive and allowed the majority of the buildings to face the streets with the rear of the buildings to the center of the site. Commissioner Molina asked what percentage of the development would be office and what percentage would be warehouse. Ms. Wilson answered that the percentage of office vs. warehouse could not be determined until the time of leasing. Commissioner Hebb asked the applicant what the current occupancy is in the similar existing development to the northeast of the proposed site. Jason Nunley, representing Jackson Shaw, 4890 Alpha Road, Suite 100, Dallas, Texas, stated that the existing office/warehouse space is currently ninety-two (92) percent occupied. Commissioner Hebb asked if the construction technique would include tilt-wall. Mr. Nunley responded affirmatively. Commissioner Haines asked which elevation would face the residents along Crescent Drive. Mr. Bruck pointed out the correct elevation from the presentation and indicated that it was the front facades of the buildings that faced Crescent Drive and Morningstar Drive. Chairman Bambury asked about the parking ratio. Minutes of the Planning and Zoning Commission July 23, 2013 Page 5 of 7 Ms. Wilson explained that the Planned Development document calls for a unique parking calculation for this mixed use development, which is that ninety (90) percent of the square footage of the buildings is considered "office" and ten (10) percent is considered "warehouse" regardless of the actual percentages of office and warehouse. She pointed out that due to turn- over, the ratio of office to retail to warehouse could change from time to time. Chairman Bambury asked what would happen if it was one hundred (100) percent warehouse. Ms. Wilson answered that then the entire development would be oveiparked. Chairman Bambury opened the Public Hearing. Debborah Parker, 5937 Snow Creek Drive, The Colony, Texas, expressed her opposition to the project. She stated that there was a great deal of turnover in the existing office/warehouse space and that the new office/warehouse space was not needed at this time. She went on to say that she would prefer to see restaurants developed at this location and that a free right turn, deceleration lane is needed for the safe turn from southbound S.H. 121 onto Morningstar Drive. Commissioner Harries asked staff if this property had always been zoned for office/warehouse development. Mr. Joyce responded that from the onset of Planned Development No. 16, this tract had been slated to be commercial, office and warehouse. He stated further that in order to support restaurants, a larger daytime population is needed and that the daytime population grows through job creation. Mr. Nunley added that although two major tenants did suffer bankruptcy in the past that the spaces they occupied were re-leased within forty-five (45) days and that Jackson Shaw is actively pursuing restaurant tenants for the pad sites along S.H. 121. In addition, the design of the access drive crossing from west to east and connecting to drives across both Morningstar Drive and Cascades Court was purposely planned to help alleviate internal traffic usage on S.H. 121 and Crescent Drive. Chairman Bambury added that eighty (80) percent of restaurants fail during their first year of operation and it was good planning to secure restaurants with a likelihood of success. Mr. Jim Remington, 5965 Lost Valley, The Colony, Texas, representing the Cascades Home Owners Association, expressed concerns over the speed and volume of traffic along the S.H. 121 frontage roads and the need for a deceleration lane at the intersection of Morningstar Drive. He went on to say that exiting from Morningstar Drive onto S.H. 121 during the morning rush hour is difficult and unsafe. He stated that even if engineering statistics say that a right turn lane is not warranted, it is his opinion that it is. Mr. Remington asked that the traffic study be made public. Mr. Remington also objected to the direct connection to the single family community from the proposed development across Crescent Drive. He asked that the applicant consider offsetting this connection. He also asked for additional screening along Crescent Drive to afford the residents a more attractive view. Minutes of the Planning and Zoning Commission July 23, 2013 Page 6 of 7 Commissioner Hall stated that the proposed Landscape Plan shows extensive plantings along Crescent Drive and additional landscaping directly in front of the buildings facing the street. Commissioner Haines asked staff if the intersection could be offset. Mr. Scruggs responded that Engineering prefers the current design of the intersection since it has been shown to be safer than an offset intersection. Commissioner Hames asked Mr. Remington what his concern was with the direct connection from the residential neighborhood to the site. Mr. Remington expressed that it may aid criminals in escaping the neighborhood in that they could drive into the commercial development and virtually disappear with the other parked vehicles utilizing the businesses. Commissioner Hall asked Mr. Remington if he was more "at ease" after seeing the detailed plans than he was at the beginning of the meeting. Mr. Remington responded that he was confident that the developer would do a good job and that if the traffic issues could be resolved, that he would be in support of the development. Commissioner Harries asked staff if a gate could be installed at the entrance in question on Crescent Drive. Ms. Wilson responded that since that entrance is a fire lane, that a gate would be counterproductive to fire fighting. Commissioner Molina added that there are roads and access points similar to this one all over The Colony and the Metroplex. Mr. Joyce stated that the Police Department has reviewed the plans and had expressed no concerns and that even though public safety is a chief concern of the City, he agreed with Mr. Scruggs that the preferred location of the entry was as shown on the plans. Brandon Edwards, 5856 Clearwater Drive, The Colony, Texas, stated his admiration for the site plan design and asked that the applicant consider the neighbors, especially those walking in the area. Commissioner Molina asked staff if the turning radii for the drive aisles entering the site were large enough to accommodate semi truck traffic making deliveries. Mr. Nunley stated that there will be no semi trucks making deliveries; that all deliveries will be accomplished by smaller trucks. Mark Martino, 6302 Cedar Falls Drive, The Colony, Texas asked if there was any guarantee that the buildings would develop with the 90-10 split. Minutes of the Planning and Zoning Commission July 23, 2013 Page 7 of 7 Ms. Wilson responded that the ninety-ten (90-10) split refers only to the parking ratio and that the actual land use split may differ from those numbers. No one else came forward to speak and Chairman Bambury closed the Public Hearing. Commissioner Hall moved to approve Item 3.3. Commissioner Wade seconded and the motion carried (6-. There being no further questions or discussion, Chairman Bambury adjourned the meeting at 8:19 Pm. Richard Bambury, Chairman Brian McNuelty, Recording Secretary