HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff ReportSTAFF REPORT
Item: Public hearing and consideration of a rezoning request of approximately 37 acres in
the proposed Westfield Addition located along the. south .side of Graham Road near the
.future extension of Victoria Avenue. (Planning Case #97-117) and Consideration of a
Master Plan,and Preliminary Plat of the entire Westfield Addition, 52 acres divided into
171 single family lots, 1 C-N reserve tract and 3 reserve tracts. (Planning Case # 97-320)
Item Summarys The subject property was annexed into the City in 1993, at which time it
was reflected as A-0 Agricultural .Open on the Zoning Map. This. area as well as most of
the. property within the southern parts ofthe City remans'undeveloped, however, .many of
these areas. have seen recent. development interest due to the City's planned utility
expansions. into them.
Originally this: property. was. divided into 3, approximately, 15 acre tracts. Recently the
most southerly portion of these 3 tracts (where Southern Plantation will extend) and the
westerly portion where Victoria will extend was subdivided from the. 3 original tracts.
This was done without platting the property. The thoroughfare plan calls for the
extension of Victoria and Southern Plantation to extend through these properties.
Therefore, this subdivision was not exempt from the City's regulations.
For the: past year and a half, the applicant has been involved in numerous .discussions with
City Staff regarding the development of the subject property. The applicant has
submitted .several conceptual plans for initial response from the Staff. We discussed the
following: ,the possibility of combining the parkland dedication requirements with the
existing creek to gain compliance with the Comprehensive Plan goals. relating to park
linkages and combining schools and: park sites (there is an adjacent future school site),
orienting the subdivision to .take advantage of the creek as an amenity, the thoroughfare
plan and how it relates to the site, the internal street layout and access,. and how to sewer
and drain the property
Staff has been discussing these concerns with the developer for. over a year and .still does
not feel they have been,adequately,addressed: The developer asked to bring this master
plan and preliminary plat and associated zoning. request forward to the Commission.
Staff has the following .concerns:
Zonin
The property. currently has A-O Agricultural Open zoning on it. The developer has a
request to rezone. the first two phases to R-1 Single: Family. Staff has difficulty
recommending approval of any zoning at this time, although R-1 is in .compliance with the
land use plan, because there are so many unanswered questionson the master plan.
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Phasing
The developer's intention is to build single family residences on the property with possible.
neighborhood commercial at the Victoria/Graham intersection.. The master. plan shows
Phases One and Two or more than half of the. proposed residential development before
Victoria and Southern Plantation are even addressed. Staffis concerned about the phasing
of this overall plan. The concern stems from the ability for the remainder of the
development to support uch arge pieces of infrastructure. There are also additional
concerns: about the internal street layout.. No secondary access to Graham or Victoria is
provided until Phase 3. There would be approximately 107 lots built with only a single
access.
Drainaue
Staff is concerned about drainage facilities for the subdivision. The preliminary plat refers
to a regional detention area located on the adjacent CSISD property. According to
CSISD staff and consultants,. their project does not necessitate participation in a regional
detention facility. Staff cannot- verify CSISD .detention. plans. at this time..
Floodplain/Floodwa
Floodplain and floodway may exist. on this property. The developer has not confirmed
that there. is not any floodplain on the property.. CSISD on the. adjacent tract is
performing a hydraulic analysis to define the floodplain/floodway on their property and as
of this writing, there appears to `be floodplain on their tract. The location of the
floodplain/floodway may have an impact on the lots that back up to the. reserve creek area.
At this point, with the. location unknown, the suitability for development of these lots is
also unknown.
Sanitar~Sewer
The developer has discussed the ability for this property to sewer toward the south rather
than participating in the Graham Road Impact Area Phase 3 sanitary sewer line. They
have discussed a request to amend the existngimpact fee area 92-01 and remove the
Phase 3 .line. If this phase is>deleted, they would then like to pursue an alternate sewer
.alignment along the north fork of Lick Creek. A portion of this line has already been
constructed,. and is existing in the Sprngbrook Subdivision and would continue. west to
and through this development. The developer would be requesting oversize participation
in this:new sewer line. The responsibility for demonstrating the need to amend the Impact
Fee Area 92-01 and reduce the number of lots that would participate in this impact fee is
inherent on this developer. Ultimately City Council must approve any change to the impact
fee: area. This has not been done to date:
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Oversize Participation
It is required that impact studies be presented when oversize participation is being
requested. No impact studies have been presented to the City staff.
Proposed C-N tract.
This property will come before the Commission and Council. as a rezoning request in the
future. ,Approval of this :master plan does. not guarantee .approval of any future rezoning.
Staff does not see a problem with some neighborhood .commercial zoning in the master
plan.
Parkland Dedication and Open Space along~~the creek
This master plan also includes a portion of the north fork of Lick Creek. Given our
current Comprehensive Plan, and the discussion about open space along creeks, this plan
should address how this .creek area will work with the planned development. Currently, it
is shown as a "Reserve Tract" and does not incorporate. the residential development. It is
not being treated. as an asset but rather the development has its back turned to what could
be an amenity. Section 8-A of the Subdivision Regulations states "In all subdivisions,
due .regard shall be shown, for all natural features. such as trees, water courses, historical
spots,_andsimilar communtyassets, when preserved, will add attractiveness and value to
the property. "
The Parks Director has had conversations. with the developer and indicated the Parks
Dept. desire to have pedestrian and maintenance vehicle access from all streets in this
development to the creek open space. The. applicant has offered: one access ..from the cut-
de-sac in Phase One. The Comprehensive Plan recommends moving toward a linkage
system of greenbelts and open space connecting neighborhoods and parks.
Neighborhoods and parks should incorporate. these open space areas. by providing street
frontage, visibility -and access.
The parkland cash. dedication from this development would be in the amount of
$3.8,475.00. However, the applicant has recently. acquired all the tract on the other side of
this creek which runs completely to Barron.Road. This is an ideal opportunity to provide
a neighborhood park location with access to the creek as open .space.. This could tie in
nicely with the adjacent CSISD property where there will be an elementary school and.
intermediate school in the future.
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Policy Statements:
COUNCIL VISIONS FOR THE `21ST CENTURY
Civic Pride Citizens benefit. from well-planned, attractive residential and
commercial areas, and. ftom preserving historic areas.
Parks. and Recreation -Citizens benefit from parks. and recreational
activities that are geographically and demographically accessible and serve
a diversity of interests.
Transportation/Mobility -Citizens .benefit from the ability to move into, out
of, and within College Station. in a safe and efficient manner.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:
Tran~ortation -Goal #2 -- College Station should continue to develop and
maintain a transportation .planning process which .addresses long range
needs.., Goal #3 -- continue to maintain a Master Thoroughfare Plan
...which permits Right-of--way .dedications as specified....dedication of
street system right-of-ways.: in those areas of the community that are
undeveloped
Parks and .Recreation. Goals and. Objectives -Goal #1 -- .encourage
additional connections between selected parks/recreation areas and
residential areas by a system of linear parks/parkways/greenbelts which
utilize... creek beds, drainage ways...Goal #2 -- continue to jointly develop
and .maintain parks :...with other public agencies.... Goal #3 -- designate
selected portions of 100-year floodplan on undeveloped properties as
"natural corridors" that .are to be used for open space and passive
recreation uses that will link parks to one another and to residential areas.
LAND USE PLAN
The Land. Use Plan. shows medium density .single family at a maximum
density of 6 dwelling units per acre. The proposed zoning. would be in
compliance with. the -Land Use Plan,
THOROUGHFARE PLAN
The Thoroughfare Plan shows. the extension of Victoria along the western
boundary of the 14.8 acre tract .located just to the west ofthe two tracts
submitted for rezoning. The Plan also shows he extension of Southern
Plantation through the... southern- portion of the subject tracts and through
the southern portion of the adjacent 14..8.-acre tract.
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Budgetary & Financial Summary: The developer has indicated that oversize
participation will be requested on the ewer line, Victoria, and_Southern Plantation. There
have not been any: impact fee reports done' on this property which address. the magnitude
of this request. Oversize participation funds. are extremely :limited at this. point.
Staff Recommendations: Although staff supports single family residential land uses with
some: associated neighborhood commercial in this location, we cannot recommend
approval: of the zoning,: overall masterplan or preliminary plat at this time until the
following are addressed as discussed above:
Thought given to how the creek area could ultimately be incorporated as part of
the development
Alternative phasing to address access and infrastructure guarantees,
A determination as to how the. property will be sewered
A determination and ultimate recommendation from the Parks Board as to the best
way to provide .parkland
Submission of impact analysis for the. oversize requests
Commission Action Options:, Approve, deny, approve with conditions.
ENGINEERING
Water; Water is provided along Graham Road
Off: site EasementscMay be required for sanitary sewer.
Sidewalks: Will be required .internally. .The sidewalk along Graham
Road will be constructed. with the City's Crraham Road CIl'
..project.
NOTIFICATION:
Legal Notice Publication(s): Eagle; 11-5-97 .and 11-26-97
Advertised Commission Hearing Dates(s): 11 20-97
Advertised Council Hearing Dates: 12-11-97
Number of Notices Mailed to Property Owners Within 200': 8
Response Received:. None as of date of staff report
Supporting Materials:
1. Staff Review Notes
2. Application
3. Masten Development Plan
4. Preliminary Plat
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