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HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff ReportSTAFF REPORT Case No.: 96-108, 96-308 Request: Consideration of a rezoning and preliminary plat of 54.3 acres located on the southwest corner of Luther Street and. Jones Butler from M-2 Heavy Industrial, R-1 Single Family, R-5 Apartment Buildings/Medium Density, and. R-7 Mobile Homes to R-5. Applicant:. Bill Mitchen fo Integroup, Inc. ITEM SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATION LAND USE ` The rezoning request is accompanied by a proposed preliminary plat for 54.33 acres of R-5 zoning. Under the existing zoning, the area.could build as many as 708 dwelling units and a fair sized heavy industrial use.. The requested zoning would eliminate the heavy industrial and allow up to 1304 .dwelling units under the maximum density. The proposal, however, is for 462 units. The applicant would have requested an R-4 designation ,which would limit the possible number of units to 869, and thereby be similar to the existing zoning classifications in .terms of intensity .levels. The :proposal, however,. is for 3-story buildings, which are not permitted in the R-4 district. The requested R-5 is in compliance with the 'current Land Use Plane and is compatible with existing. and future uses in the immediate area..' IlVIPACTS TO MUNICIPAL INFRASTRUCTURE The addition of the proposed 462 units will impact the area sewer line and street systems. Any rezoning. in the area will therefore need to be accompanied by conditions to mitigate those negative ,impacts. Streets Southwest Parkway is built to major arterial standards but it dead-ends into the south side of the subject property. The Thoroughfare Plan would require its extension through the property to Luther.. The applicant wishes to cul-de-sac Southwest Parkway for purposes of security and continuity. On the T-fare plan, the Southwest Parkway extension north to Luther is intended to provide. additional through movement, as well as to provide access to better distribute traffic in the area. The additional through movement is not as critical since this proposal is for one multi-family ,.development. Traffic .distribution is more critical. This can be accomplished through proper site design. whereby this project would access Southwest Parkway where it will cul-de-sac on the 'south side and would access Luther on the north side. This will distribute some traffic to the. south and some traffic to the north. Luther and Jones Butler are. substandard and will be heavily impacted because they are to serve as primary routes to the .proposed multi-family .complex. Due to this desire on the part of the applicant to orient traffic to these two streets, staff recommends that the zoning be .approved .only with assurance that Luther and. Jones Butler be improved for the portions of the roads that immediately abut the subject property. The applicant has offered an upgrade .and additional .right-of--way dedication for Luther for a distance equal to the property frontage. This upgrade should begin at Marion Pugh and extend to the west for this distance. Jones-Butler should be improved along the property frontage within the existing 80' right-of-way. Sanitary sewer The sewer system in the. area west of Wellborn has. been problematic for a number of years.. As discussed below under the Engineering comments, the City has planned for improvements to this area in the next fiscal year. This budget has not yet been .adopted by Council. In order to support a development of this magnitude, these improvements must be made prior to commencement of construction of the project. Approval of the requested rezoning will almost double the amount of dwelling. units: that may be built. with approval of this rezoning, it is' imperative that the Christine Lane sewer line improvements be approved later this year. Staff recommends approval with. the condition. that before the R-5 zoning becomes effective, the property owner(s) enter into a development agreement to upgrade Luther to collector standards from. Marion Pugh west for a distance equal to the property frontage, to dedicate an additional 20 feet of right-of--way for Luther along their frontage, to upgrade Jones-Butler. to minor arterial standards along the entire extent of the property, and to make the necessary sewer upgrades if the City has not made those upgrades ..prior to the need for building permits. ' The', development agreement could also provide for financial, participation for the sewer improvements depending on the demand impact of the development. ZONING AND LAND USE Subject Tract: R-1, R-5, R-7, and M-2; vacant North: C-U College University; TAMU property East:. R-4; developed as'Treehouse Village Apartments South:. R-3 and R-5; developed as a mix of duplex and fourplex development West: R-I; vacant Proposed Use: Apartment complex COMPREHENSIVE PLAN Land Use Plan: The current Land Use Plan shows high density residential, which is not expected to change with the new land use plan that is being prepared by HOK. Thoroughfare Plan: The T-fare. plan shows that .Southwest Parkway is to continue through to Luther, and would therefore have to be extended as a part of the proposed. development.. Luther and Jones-Butler are currently in a substandard condition, and would each need to be upgraded in order to support a development of this magnitude: The applicant does not wish to continue Southwest Parkway because he does not wish to bisect the proposed. apartment complex. In the interest of security and continuity, he is requesting that the T-fare Plan be changed. Development Policies: The :development policies support the request.. The proposed apartment. development would continue the apartment development pattern that exists. to the east and south. Parkland Dedication: The number of units proposed would require a parkland dedication of either 3.5 acres or $103,950.00. The Parks Board would ultimately decide whether to take the land or accept the fee in lieu of land. In this park zone, the City is looking .fora 10 are site, and a 3.5 acre land dedication would not accommodate the area needs. The .applicant may have the..option. of selling the additional 6.S acres o add to the. 3.5 acre dedication requirement.. However, should the applicant choose not to sell the 6.5 acres, the Parks Department will accept the fee. ENGINEERING Water: Water is currently provided near the site through an 8" waterline on Southwest- Parkway and a 6" line on Jones-Butler. Preliminary findings of the CDM infrastructure master plan (part of the HOK comprehensive. plan) calls for a 16'? waterline along Southwest Parkway. In the impact studies submitted. with this project, the applicant is proposing to tie to the 8" waterline with a 16" line that will run through the property. to Luther and down Luther to Jones-Butler where it will tie to the. existing 6" line. This will adequately serve all domestic water and fire protection needs of the proposed development. Sewer: This development is currently planning to sewer to the southwest to an existing 15" sewerline near the FM 2818 right-of--way. There is some question whether this development can physically. gravity sewer into this line and may have to look 'at a force main situation. The City also currently has capacity, problems downstream. of this property in the vicinity of Christine. Lane near Wellborn Road. The current sewer. infrastructure system cannot withstand this additional flow. We have planned improvements for this area in our capital improvements budget for next fiscal year, which has not yet been adopted by Council This improvement needs to be completed prior to construction of this development. Streets: See comments regarding the Thoroughfare Plan, above.. Drainage: Drainage is proposed to be overland and detention ponds are proposed in two different locations on the property... Drainage will have. to be designed such that upstream and downstream pro_ perties :are not adversely affected. Flood Plain: None NOTIFICATION: Legal Notice Publication(s): 6-5-96, 6-26-96 Advertised Commission Hearing Date(s): 6-20-96 Advertised Council Hearing Dates: 7-11-96 Number of Notices Mailed to Property Owners Within 200': 30 Response Received: None as of date of staff report HISTORICAL OVERVIEW There have been several recent cases where property was platted andlor rezoned to allow for the construction of apartment complexes -most were "clean-up" rezonings, where much of the property was already in the appropriate zoning classification. There are several vacant areas that are zoned for apartment development. However, none are of the size that would accommodate the requested project.