Title
Approving a request in accordance with Section 4.5.3(B)(A) of the Unified Development Code to allow a Planned Unit Development rezoning application to be submitted for land which is less than 20 acres, located at 21101 FM 685.
Summary
Section 4.5.3(B)(A) of the Unified Development Code states that land with 20 acres or less shall require consent from the City Council prior to an application being submitted for a Planned Unit Development. The subject property at 21101 F.M. 685 is an 11.858-acre tract of land, located generally east of SH 130, south of Gattis School Road, and west of the Ridge at Steeds Crossing neighborhood. The request is to obtain consent from the City Council to allow the applicant to move forward with their request to submit a Planned Unit Development rezoning application to rezone the tract. By pursuing a Planned Unit Development at this location, the applicant intends to make the proposed development more compatible with the adjacent properties. The request for this parcel to apply for a PUD was brought before City Council January 2022 for consideration and was approved. Following review and recommendation with planning staff, the zoning case for the PUD was denied by the Planning & Zoning Commission July 18, 2022, and subsequently denied by City Council with a 4-3 vote on August 16, 2022 because the action required a strong majority for approval with a P & Z denial. The applicant made revisions to the PUD based on feedback from the Commission and City Council during the hearings to include more commercial along the frontage and is requesting a slightly increased density for multi-family, and would like to make the request for a PUD rezoning again. An annotated concept plan is attached showing modifications to the PUD as it was proposed previously.
If permitted to move forward, the applicant will propose a mixed-use development that is generally consistent with the future land use recommendations in the Comprehensive Plan. The mixed-use development is anticipated to transition from a more intense, vertical mix of commercial and multi-family uses near SH 130 to townhomes and open space at the east end of the property. A maximum density of 40 residential units per acre is proposed and building heights are planned to transition from five stories at SH 130 down to two stories at the eastern end of the property. The applicant has considered straight zoning to either the Urban (Level 4: CL4) or Urban Center (Level 5: CL5) districts, but ultimately prefers to request the PUD with the base zoning district of CL4, citing that the proposed project would be more harmonious with the adjacent parcels, less dense, and mitigate adverse effects on the neighboring residential.
While this is an introduction to what is proposed for this project, and is subject to going through the development review process for establishing the parameters for regulations that are incorporated through the Planned Unit Development, the applicant has summarized the proposed PUD as follows:
1. Providing a mixed-use development that includes multi-family residential homes, townhomes, retail uses, and commercial frontage along the highway for a more urban-style design.
2. Height limitations and transition language for the property as it transitions away from the single-family to the east at Steeds Crossing.
3. Pedestrian Walkability, which would promote pedestrian activity and walkability by incorporating more internal sidewalks than required by code, increasing the width of those pedestrian zones and providing increased connectivity.
4. Additional amenities distributed throughout the site that would exceed the required five required by the UDC.
5. A combination of parking, through structured parking and some surface parking, with screening incorporated.
6. Provides more of a transition and is “respectful” of the adjacent single-family residential neighborhood to the east, by designing cascading building heights, offering a mix of product type and increasing building setbacks, all of which reduce the “perceived intrusive element of a mixed-use project that would be designed with CL-4 or CL-5 zoning districts.”
7. Provides connectivity to the development to the north.
Prior City Council Action
On August 16, 2022 a strong majority vote was required to approve the proposed Planned Unit Development because the request moved forward with a P & Z denial. The motion failed with a vote of 4-3.
Deadline for City Council Action
Request consideration on December 13, 2022
Funding Expected: Revenue __ Expenditure __ N/A X
Budgeted Item: Yes __ No __ N/A X
Amount: ________
1295 Form Required? Yes __ No X
Legal Review Required: N/A X Required __ Date Completed: ___________
Supporting documents attached:
1. Location Map
2. Staff Report
3. Applicant Letter of Intent
4. Applicant Supplemental Material
Recommended Action
Motion to allow a Planned Unit Development rezoning application to be submitted for land which is less than 20 acres, located at 21101 FM 685.