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HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report STAFF REPORT Project Manager: Crissy Hartl Report Date: January 19, 2007 Email: chartl@cstx.gov Meeting Date: February 1, 2007 Project Number: 07-00500002 Item: Public hearing, presentation, possible action, and discussion on a rezoning from A-O Agricultural Open, and C-2 Commercial-Industrial to C-1 General Commercial for an area consisting of 16.486 acres, generally located along the State Highway 6 South bypass at Rock Prairie Road. Applicant: The Ellison Firm, agent for Weingarten Realty, Inc. Staff Recommendations: Staff recommends approval of the rezoning. Item Summary: Weingarten Realty Investors is requesting this rezoning in order to develop a retail center on a number of lots consolidated by Weingarten Realty Investors in conjunction with an additional 10 acres already zoned C-1 General Commercial. In total, the development will include approximately 26.5 acres of land. This rezoning is in compliance with the City's Comprehensive Plan, with specific reference to the Greens Prairie/ Rock Prairie Small Area Plan. Based on the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), if trips generated by the proposed development exceed 5,000 trips per day, a traffic impact analysis will be required to be submitted prior to site plan approval. If the zoning is approved, a likely development scenario would generate around 10,000 trips per day. In this case, a traffic impact study would be required. The scope of this study will include an analysis of driveway locations, on-site circulation, and operations of the surrounding street system and intersections (including the SH 6 / Rock Prairie Road interchange). Based on the requirements of the UDO, any impact that worsens traffic operations below Level of Service D, will be required to be mitigated as part of the development. If the impacts can not be reasonably mitigated, the site plan will be denied. Comprehensive Plan Considerations: The City's Comprehensive Land Use Plan designates these properties as Retail Regional. Rock Prairie Road is classified as a Major Arterial and State Highway 6 is a Freeway on the City's Thoroughfare Plan. This rezoning is in compliance with the Comprehensive Plan. The most recent update to the City's Comprehensive Plan that affects this area was adopted in 2002 with the addition of the Greens Prairie/ Rock Prairie Small Area Plan. In that study, properties located at the intersection of Rock Prairie Road and SH 6 South were identified for large general retail uses that could serve the region because of access and visibility from the freeway. This land use designation was pursuant to the City Council's Vision Statement#7, Strategy#2, Implementation Plan b, "Evaluate availability of retail sites and infrastructure." The areas identified for commercial land uses are buffered from residential areas by floodplains or major thoroughfares. The Comprehensive Plan states that Regional Retail land uses are "areas permitting regional- scale development of tax-generating developments such as retail centers, service commercial, restaurants, etc. These uses are generally dependent on good access to highways and major arterials." Based on this description, the C-1 General Commercial district, which is intended to allow general commercial uses such as retail sales and services for the regional community, would be an appropriate zoning district for this property. Rock Prairie Road east of SH 6 has been identified for a Capital Improvement Project and is anticipated to be funded through the 2008 bond election. This project includes the design and right-of-way acquisition to upgrade Rock Prairie Road to a minor arterial cross section, including two lanes in either direction, a raised median, as well as sidewalks and bike lanes. This project is currently in the right-of-way acquisition and design stages. The Texas Department of Transportation is currently working on a project to improve traffic flow along the SH 6 freeway and frontage roads. This project primarily consists of relocation of the entrance and exit ramps between FM 2818 on the north and William D. Fitch Parkway on the south. While the project is over half-way completed, the ramps along the frontage road adjacent to the subject tract will be relocated in a future phase starting in September 2007. Item Background: The 2.806-acre tract was annexed in 1977 and the remaining 13.68 acres were annexed in 1983. All properties were subsequently zoned A-O Agricultural Open. All of the properties are currently unplatted. A couple of rezonings have occurred in the Greens Prairie / Rock Prairie Triangle in the past 20 years and they include the following: • In 1979, the one-acre tract for Curry Plumbing was rezoned from A-O Agricultural Open to C-1 General Commercial. • In 1979 and 1982 the remaining 7-acres of the area at the corner of Rock Prairie Road and SH 6 were rezoned from A-O Agricultural Open to C-1 General Commercial. • In 1986, approximately 3.41-acres of the subject properties were rezoned from A-O Agricultural Open to C-2 Commercial-Industrial. Related Advisory Board Recommendations: None. Commission Action Options: The Commission acts as a recommending body on the question of rezoning, which will be ultimately decided by City Council. The Commission options are: 1. Recommend approval of rezoning as submitted; 2. Recommend denial; 3. Table indefinitely; or, 4. Defer action to a specified date. INFRASTRUCTURE AND FACILITIES Water: There are existing water lines along SH6 and Rock Prairie Road. The Water Master Plan affects this property, and will have to be addressed with development. Sewer: There are existing 8" and 12" sanitary sewer lines near the SH6 and Rock Prairie Road intersection. Sewer will most likely need to be by force main to these lines. The Sewer Master Plan also affects this property, and will have to be addressed with development. Streets: The property is surrounded by SH6 and Rock Prairie Road which are classified on the City's Thoroughfare Plan as Freeway/Expressway and a Major Arterial, respectively. p STAFF REPORT Project Manager: Crissy Hartl Report Date: June 28, 2006 Email: chartl@cstx.gov Meeting Date: July 6, 2006 Project Number: 06-00500116 Item: Public hearing, presentation, possible action, and discussion on a rezoning from A-O Agricultural Open, R-4 Multi-Family Residential, and C-2 Commercial-Industrial to C-1 General Commercial for an area consisting of 49.39 acres and generally located at the southeast corner of State Highway 6 and Rock Prairie Road. Applicant: Weingarten Realty Investors and Rock Prairie Road Baptist Church, Property Owners Staff Recommendations: Staff recommends approval of the rezoning. d h °f 11/4 Item Summary: Weingarten Realty Investors is requesting this rezoning in order to develop a retail "pewef center" on a number of lots consolidated by Weingarten Realty Investors in conjunction with an additional 10 acres already zoned C-1 General Commercial. In total, the development will include approximately 60 acres of land. The shopping center is likely to be anchored by a retail super center and will also include smaller retail pad sites, restaurants, and other commercial uses. This rezoning is in compliance with the City's Comprehensive Plan, with specific reference to the Greens Prairie / Rock Prairie Small Area Plan. Weingarten Realty Investors hosted a property owner's meeting on Monday, June 19, 2006 to introduce their project, discuss the rezoning and hear the concerns of the homeowners in nearby neighborhoods. Questions and concerns from residents to Weingarten focused on traffic, congestion, noise, lighting, landscaping, and the proximity of the development to the neighboring subdivisions. Given the size and scale of this proposed development, the Non- Residential Architectural Standards will be applied to the maximum extent, which includes double landscaping, a Traffic Impact Analysis, public spaces, etc. Additionally, neighborhood protection standards adopted with the Unified Development Ordinance will be applied, such as outdoor lighting standards, buffering to mitigate activity and noise, and outdoor storage requirements. Based on the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO), a traffic impact analysis will be required to be submitted prior to site plan approval. The scope of this study will include an analysis of driveway locations, on-site circulation, operations of the surrounding street system and intersections (including the SH 6 / Rock Prairie Road interchange), and the impact on Stonebrook Drive and the neighborhoods immediately north of Rock Prairie Road. Based on the requirements of the UDO, any impact that worsens traffic operations below Level of Service D, will be required to be mitigated as part of the development. Comprehensive Plan Considerations: The City's Comprehensive Land Use Plan designates these properties as Retail Regional. Rock Prairie Road is a Major Arterial and State Highway 6 is a Freeway on the City's Thoroughfare Plan. - _ - - - . .0-, .' 'i • - . - . . '. . . _ . -- - - • - - ee .• - -- - - - ' = • This rezoning is in compliance with the Comprehensive Plan. The most recent update to the City's Comprehensive Plan that affects this area was adopted in 2002 with the addition of the Greens Prairie / Rock Prairie Small Area Plan. In that study, properties located at the intersection of Rock Prairie Road and SH 6 were identified for large general retail uses that could serve the region because of access and visibility from the freeway. This land use designation was pursuant to the City Council's Vision Statement #7. Strategy#2, Implementation Plan b, "Evaluate availability of retail sites and infrastructure." The areas identified for commercial land uses are buffered from residential areas by floodplains or major thoroughfares. The Comprehensive Plan states that Regional Retail land uses are "areas permitting regional-scale development of tax-generating developments such as retail centers, service commercial, restaurants, etc. These uses are generally dependent on good access to highways and major arterials." Based on this description, the C-1 General Commercial district, which is intended to allow general commercial uses such as retail sales and services for the regional community, would be an appropriate zoning district for this property. Rock Prairie Road east of SH 6 has been identified for a Capital Improvement Project and will be scheduled for the bond election in 2008. This project includes the design and right-of-way acquisition to upgrade Rock Prairie Road to a full Minor Arterial, which will include sidewalk and bikeway improvements, medians, and streetscaping. This project is currently in the right-of-way acquisition and design stages, and construction of the project has not yet been scheduled. "C' Item Background: The 10.6-acre tract north of Old Rock Prairie Road was �� So annexed in 1977 and the remaining 38.79 acres were annexed in 1983. All properties were subsequently zoned A-O Agricultural Open. All of the properties are currently unplatted. A couple of rezonings have occurred in the Greens Prairie / Rock Prairie Triangle in the past 20 years and are currently contrary to the Comprehensive Plan. They include the following: • In 1986, approximately 24.3 acres of the subject properties were rezoned from A-O Agricultural Open to C-2 Commercial-Industrial and A-P Administrative-Professional. , • In 1994, approximately 17.33 acres of the property rezoned in 1986 were rezoned from C-2 Commercial-Industrial to R-5 Medium Density Apartments. When the Unified Development Ordinance was adopted in 2003, R-5 Medium Density Apartments was combined with R-4 Low Density Apartments and renamed as R-4 Multi-family. At the n•rtheast corner of Rock Prairie and SH 6, the City Council approved a rezo' ing i February 2006 for 2407 Rock P ' 'e Road with the Nanning & Zo' ing Co mission's r m ndation fof appro I. This propertwill be d:veloped a a retail enter na ed the Ilazas at ck Prairie. On May 18, 2006 t e Planning ., Zonin Commissi approved a preli inarly plat for this project. Iso, Riviera I .y S a has receive site plan approval or'their new locati n at t e northwest corner of Rock Prairie Road and Stonebrook Drive. Related Advisory Board Recommendations: NA Commission Action Options: The Commission acts as a recommending body on the question of rezoning, which will be ultimately decided by City Council. The Commission options are: 1. Recommend approval of rezoning as-submitted; 2. Recommend denial; 3. Table indefinitely; or, 4. Defer action to a specified date. S. �'-f.c..5�t a.49-P'vsv Al ( W -,l�� y , �-,AAs S c5l INFRASTRUCTURE AND FACILITIES Water: There are existing water lines along the SH6 and Rock Prairie Road. The Water Master Plan affects this property, and will have to be addressed with development. Sewer: There are existing 8" and 12" sanitary sewer lines near the SH6 and Rock Prairie Road intersection. Sewer will most likely need to be by force main to these lines. The Sewer Master Plan also affects this property, and will have to be addressed with development. Streets: The property is surrounded by SH6, Rock Prairie Road, and the future Lakeway Drive which are classified on the City's Thoroughfare Plan as Freeway/Expressway, Major Arterial, and Major Collector, respectively. A portion of Lakeway Drive will have to be constructed with Development. Off-site Easements: None at this time. Drainage: The property drains toward a tributary of Lick Creek. Flood Plain: No FEMA floodplain has been defined on the property. Oversize request: None at this time. Impact Fees: A portion of the property is located within Water Impact Fee Service Area 99-01. Currently, the impact fee is $550/LUE and is due at time of building permit. NOTIFICATION: Legal Notice Publication(s): The Eagle; 6-20-06, TBD Advertised Commission Hearing Dates(s): 7-06-06 Advertised Council Hearing Dates: TBD Number of Notices Mailed to Property Owners Within 200': 15 Number of Notices to Homeowner's Associations: 1 —Wilshire HOA Response Received: (as of date of staff report) • 1 call in support • 4 letters in opposition to the request Supporting Materials: 1. Small Area Map (SAM) and Aerial Map 2. Application 3. Letters in opposition to the request r, CITY OF COLLEGE STATION REZONING REQUEST FOR STATE HIGHWAY 6 (REZ) 07-00500002 REQUEST: A-O Agricultural-Open and C-2 Commercial-Industrial to C-1 General Commercial SCALE: 16.486 acres LOCATION: Generally located at the southeast corner of State Highway 6 and Rock Prairie Road APPLICANTS: Weingarten Realty Investors PROJECT MANAGER: Jennifer Prochazka, AICP, Senior Planner jprochazka@cstx.gov RECOMMENDATION: Approval Planning&Zoning Commission Page 1 of 8 March 5, 2009 NOTIFICATIONS Advertised Commission Hearing Date: March 5, 2009 Advertised Council Hearing Dates: March 26, 2009 The following neighborhood organizations that are registered with the City of College Station's Neighborhood Services have received a courtesy letter of notification of this public hearing: Amberlake HOA Bridle Gate Estates HOA Chadwick HOA Shadowcrest HOA Stonebridge HOA Wilshire HOA Brandon Heights HOA Foxfire HOA Property owner notices mailed: 4 Contacts in support: None as of date of staff report Contacts in opposition: 8 as of date of staff report. Concerns relate to the possible development of a "big box" on site and traffic congestion on Rock Prairie Road. Inquiry contacts: 1 as of date of staff report ADJACENT LAND USES Direction Comprehensive Plan Zoning Land Use North (across Rock Regional Retail and C-1 and A-O Retail strip center and Prairie Road) Institutional vacant Residential Attached South and Floodplain & A-O Vacant Streams East Regional Retail A-O and C-2 Vacant West (across State Regional Retail and Large retail center, Highway 6) Single-Family Medium C-1 and C-2 retail and commercial Density industrial uses DEVELOPMENT HISTORY Annexation: 2.806-acre tract in 1977; 13.68 acres in 1983. Zoning: Zoned A-O Agricultural Open upon annexation. In 1986, approximately 3.41 acres of the subject properties were rezoned from A-O Agricultural Open to C-2 Commercial Industrial. Final Plat: Unplatted. Included in the Rock Prairie Market Place Master Plan (2008) Site development: Vacant Planning &Zoning Commission Page 4 of 8 March 5, 2009 BACKGROUND This item came before the Planning & Zoning Commission on February 1, 2007 and was tabled to allow for the completion of the East College Station Transportation Study. This study evaluated the adequacy of the existing thoroughfare plan to determine any changes that may be needed to handle the anticipated traffic based on build out of the Land Use Plan. Based on the findings of the study, the Thoroughfare Plan was amended in December 2007, The Thoroughfare Plan now designates two proposed major collector roadways through the subject property to improve access and site circulation. The subject property was included in the Rock Prairie Market Place Master Plan approved by the Planning & Zoning Commission in February 2008. Because the Master Plan was filed with the City prior to the Thoroughfare Plan amendment in December 2007, the collector roadways are not included on the approved Master Plan. The Master Plan does include, however, an ingress/egress easement that may function as a backage road to the proposed commercial development. REVIEW CRITERIA 1. Consistency with the Comprehensive Plan: The Comprehensive Plan designates the subject property as Retail Regional on the Land Use Plan and states that the purpose of the Regional Retail land use designation is to provide for areas permitting regional scale development of tax-generating developments such as retail centers, service commercial, restaurants, etc. General commercial uses are generally dependent on good access to highways and major arterials. Based on this description, the C-1 General Commercial district, which is intended to allow general commercial uses such as retail sales and services for the regional community, would be an appropriate zoning district for this property. It has been the City's policy to focus this type of development at major intersections. The most recent update to the City's Land Use Plan in this area was adopted in 2002 with the addition of the Greens Prairie / Rock Prairie Small Area Plan. In that study, properties located at the intersection of Rock Prairie Road and State Highway 6 South were identified for large general retail uses to serve the region because of access and visibility from the freeway. The areas identified for commercial land uses are separated from residential areas by floodplains or major thoroughfares. In 2007, the City amended its Thoroughfare Plan based on the findings of the East College Station Transportation Study. Rock Prairie Road is designated as a major arterial in this area and abuts the property to the north. State Highway 6, a freeway on the Thoroughfare Plan, lies to the west of the property. The Thoroughfare Plan also includes two proposed major collector roadways on the subject property, providing additional site circulation and access to both Rock Prairie Road and State Highway 6. 2. Compatibility with the present zoning and conforming uses of nearby property and with the character of the neighborhood: Generally, the C-1 General Commercial zoning district allows for the development of retail sales and service uses that function to serve the entire community and its visitors. As such, the proposed zoning is generally compatible with the commercial property located to the north across Rock Prairie Road, developed as the Plazas of Rock Prairie, and with the adjacent vacant C-1 zoned property on the southeast corner of Rock Prairie Road and State Highway 6. Other adjacent properties are largely zoned A-O Agriculture-Open, a holding zone placed on the properties at the time of annexation. Planning &Zoning Commission Page 5 of 8 March 5, 2009 Previously, representatives of nearby neighborhoods have voiced concerns about proposed commercial developments in close proximity to existing residential neighborhoods. The primary concerns have focused on a potential lack of compatibility of the land uses and an increase in traffic congestion in the area. 3. Suitability of the property affected by the amendment for uses permitted by the district that would be made applicable by the proposed amendment: The property is located at the grade-separated intersection of a freeway and a major arterial roadway. Rezoning the subject property to C-1 General Commercial could allow it to be developed in conjunction with the approximately 10-acre C-1 property located at the corner of the intersection. In total, the development could include approximately 26.5 acres of land. Based on the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) requirements that were in place at the time of the initial rezoning request, if trips generated by the proposed development exceed 5,000 trips per day, a traffic impact analysis will be required to be submitted prior to site plan approval. If the zoning is approved, a likely development scenario would generate around 10,000 trips per day. In this case, a traffic impact study would be required. The scope of this study will include an analysis of driveway locations, on-site circulation, and operations of the surrounding street system and intersections (including the State Highway 6 / Rock Prairie Road interchange). Any impact that worsens traffic operations below Level of Service D, will be required to be mitigated as part of the development. If the impacts cannot be reasonably mitigated, the site plan will be denied. Improvements to Rock Prairie Road, east of State Highway 6 are needed to implement the East College Station Transportation Study. The capital project to upgrade Rock Prairie Road includes the design and right-of-way acquisition for a major arterial cross section in this area, including new travel lanes, a raised median, sidewalks and bike lanes. The project is currently in the right-of-way acquisition and design stages. Construction is not currently funded. The Texas Department of Transportation is currently working on a project to improve traffic flow along the State Highway 6 freeway and frontage roads. This project primarily consists of relocation of the entrance and exit ramps between FM 2818 on the north and William D. Fitch Parkway on the south. In this area, the intersection has been modified so that vehicles traveling northbound on the frontage road are able to access the on-ramp to State Highway 6 and avoid the signalized intersection of State Highway 6 and Rock Prairie Road. 4. Suitability of the property affected by the amendment for uses permitted by the district applicable to the property at the time of the proposed amendment: A portion of the property is currently zoned A-O Agricultural Open. In this area, the A-O district is used as a holding zone for property that is projected in the Comprehensive Plan for conversion to more intensive urban uses at such time as the need for the use is present. While the permitted uses in A-O, including low density residential, agricultural or open space uses, are generally compatible with residential development, not all agricultural uses may be appropriate on the property due its location and the level of development that has occurred in the area. A portion of the property is also zoned C-2 Commercial Industrial. Commercial Industrial is a district that is designed to provide a location for businesses offering goods and services to a limited segment of the general public. The uses permitted in this district generally serve Planning&Zoning Commission Page 6 of 8 March 5, 2009 other commercial and industrial enterprises, and because of this, are not as reliant on high- visibility site locations. 5. Marketability of the property affected by the amendment for uses permitted by the district applicable to the property at the time of the proposed amendment: The existing zoning allows the property to be marketed for agricultural uses and commercial industrial development. The proposed rezoning would generally allow for the property, in conjunction with the adjacent 10-acre tract, to be marketed for large scale retail development. 6. Availability of water, wastewater, stormwater, and transportation facilities generally suitable and adequate for the proposed use: There are existing water lines along State Highway 6 and Rock Prairie Road. The Water Master Plan affects this property, and will have to be addressed with development. There are existing 8" and 12" sanitary sewer lines near the State Highway 6 and Rock Prairie Road intersection. Sewer will most likely need to be by force main to these lines. The Sewer Master Plan also affects this property, and will have to be addressed with development. The property drains toward a tributary of Lick Creek. No FEMA floodplain has been defined on the property. All utilities shall be designed in accordance with the BCS Unified Design Guidelines at the time of Platting and Site Development. The property is surrounded by State Highway 6 and Rock Prairie Road which are classified on the City's Thoroughfare Plan as Freeway/Expressway and a Major Arterial, respectively. Access to the property will be from Rock Prairie Road, a major arterial and from a northbound State Highway 6 feeder road. According to the East College Station Transportation Study completed in 2007, Rock Prairie Road experienced 6,777 vehicles per day. Rock Prairie is currently a rural collector section with a functional capacity of 1,000 to 5,000 vehicles per day. Ultimately, Rock Prairie Road will be improved to a major arterial with a capacity of 20,000 to 60,000 vehicles per day. However, those improvements are not in place at this time, nor are they likely to be available in the near future. Also, based on the East College Station Transportation Study, Stonebrook Drive experienced 2,315 vehicles per day in 2007. Stonebrook is classified as a minor collector with a capacity of 1,000 to 5,000 vehicles per day and is operating within its capacity range. Based on rough estimates, C-1 General Commercial property of this size generates about 10,000 trips per day, though this can vary greatly based upon the type of use developed. This application proceeded the effective date of the new Traffic Impact Analysis ordinance. In accordance with the ordinance applicable at the time that this project began, a TIA may be required at the time of site plan based upon the size and use proposed. Traffic levels exceeding Level of Service D, where the development is contributing 5% or more of the total trips, are required to mitigate to pre-development levels. Problems demonstrated by the TIA may be required to be mitigated by the following: access management; modifying density or intensity of the proposed use; phasing the development until roadway capacity becomes available; on-site improvements such as site circulation or access controls; and off-site improvements including construction of additional lanes or improvements to existing intersections. Planning &Zoning Commission Page 7 of 8 March 5, 2009 STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends approval. SUPPORTING MATERIALS 1. Application 2. Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting Minutes — February 1, 2007 3. Rezoning map (provided in packet) Planning&Zoning Commission Page 8 of 8 March 5, 2009 Off-site Easements: None at this time. Drainage: The property drains toward a tributary of Lick Creek. Flood Plain: No FEMA floodplain has been defined on the property. Oversize request: None at this time. Impact Fees: A portion of the property is located within Water Impact Fee Service Area 99-01. Currently, the impact fee is $550/LUE and is due at time of building permit. NOTIFICATION: Legal Notice Publication(s): The Eagle; 1-16-07 and TBD Advertised Commission Hearing Dates(s): 2-1-07 Advertised Council Hearing Dates: TBD Number of Notices Mailed to Property Owners Within 200': 16 Response Received: several inquiry calls and emails Supporting Materials: 1. Small Area Map (SAM) and Aerial Map 2. Application 3. Rezoning Map