HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report- STAFF REPORT
Item: Public hearing and consideration of approximately 0.96 acres, part of Lot 14, Block T
University Park II, located near the northwest corner of University Drive East and Spring Loop.
(97-120)
Item Summarys This portion of Lot 14, as well as the remaining two acres, was rezoned earlier
this year from A-P to C-B. That .rezoning was approved even though the Land Use Plan showed
that the tract should remain office-service -the deviation from the Plan was warranted due to the
fact that most of the tracts within the University Drive Overlay District on the north side of the
road had already been rezoned to C-B over the-past few years. The earlier policy to reservesome
tracts toward the center of the corridor as office-service was therefore essentially no longer
applicable to this area.
That rezoning was conditioned upon a 20' landscape buffer between the commercial lot and the
existing residential to the north.. A minor replat has been submitted to Staff for approval for the
division into two lots. The owner is preparing the lot for development as a hotel on the western
two acres and a bank on the subject 0.98. acres.. The. bank development will fit the A-P zoning that
had existed on the property prior to the recent rezoning. The owner is therefore requesting that the
subject. property. revert to the previous A-P zoning with no conditions but will retain the C-B
zoning on he remair>in_g two acres with the 20' .buffer condition.
Policy Issue. Statement:
Civic Pride Citizens benefit from... well=planned, attractive residential and
commercial areas, and from preserving historic. areas.
LAND USE PLAN:. The Land Use Plan reflects: the tract as office-service, which
was the plan for the :area that was adopted as a part of the University Drive
Corridor Study. The City's policy as it relates to this. area is to maintain an
attractive commercial corridor that will develop as a mix of office, hotel,
restaurant, and retail' uses.
Item Background: The University Drive Corridor- Study, which was adopted by Council in -1991,
recommended a mix of :commercial and office uses for the majority of the University Drive
frontage extending from Tarrow to the East Bypass. The intent of the recommendations was to
encourage an attractive entrance into the City through land use and aesthetic controls. Council
approved a new commercial district, which lists a range of uses such as hotels, restaurants, and
retail, but prohibits. convenience stores and service stations. The lots that had been zoned C-1
during. the' 1980's were rezoned to the new C-B District in 1992 to ensure uses would be in
compliance with the corridor plan.
The Overlay District was created. and applied to the corridor as well. This. district contains specific
aesthetic requirements and restrictions.
At the time thatthe new corridor restrictions were in the process of being implemented, a rezoning
from A-P to C-B was requested on the subject tract. That request was denied due to the goal of
maintaining a substantial amount of office zoned property sandwiched between two C-B strips on
the north side of University Drive.
o:\group\deve_serlstfipt\97-120.doc
Two months later, the two tracts located in the strip .intended for office use were rezoned to C-B
with the condition that they be platted into a single lot. These tracts are located to the. east of the
subject tract along University. The zoning map still reflects. the original R-4 and A-P zoning on
these. tracts because the condition of rezoning o C-B has not yet been satisfied. However, it is
anticipated that the tracts will eventually develop as C-B uses, which may or may not include
office uses.
Budgetary & Financial Summary: N/A
Staff Recommendations: Staff recommends approval.
Related Advisory Board Recommendations: N/A
City Attorney Recommendation/Comments: Legal has approved as to form.
Commission Action Options: Recommend approval, recommend approval with conditions, table,
defer action to a specified date, recommend denial without prejudice, or'recommend denial of the
request.
Supporting Materials:
L Location Map
2. Application
3. Engineering and Notification Information
o:\group\deve_ser~stfi~ptV7-120.doc
ENGINEERING
Water: The existing infrastructure is sufficient to serve the. requested rezoning and
possible development.
Sewer: The sanitary sewer system that would support this development is currently at or
near capacity. An upgrade to the existing system is being planned with the Wheeler
development on the. south side of University Drive at Lincoln. This upgrade along with
the capacity of the remainder of the line toward Carter's Creek is .being. analyzed to
determine the extent that development can progress along University Drive without
further. sewer improvements downstream. This rezoning, :because it is adown-zoning in
intensity, does not adversely impact this sewer issue.
Streets: There are no new streets proposed with this development.
Off-site Easements: There are no off-site easements required for this property; however
the property owner mazy provide cross access easements between the two tracts to allow
access to Spring Loop from both.
Sidewalks: Sidewalks will be required along the University Drive frontage as shown in
the City of College Station Sidewalk Masterplan.
Drainage: This will have to comply with the City of College Station Drainage Policy
and Design Standards and will be reviewed at time of site plan review.
Flood Plain:. The .latest Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Flood
Insurance Rate Maps show that no portion of the subdivision is located within the
Regulatory 100 Year Floodplain.
Oversize request: N/A
Parkland Dedication:: Parkland dedication is not applicable to non-residential property.
Impact Fees: None in this area.
NOTIFICATION:
Legal Notice Publication(s): The Eagle; December 3, 1997 and December 22, 1997
Advertised Commission Hearing Dates(s): December 18, 1997
Advertised Council Hearing Dates: January 8, 1998
Number of Notices Mailed to Property Owners Within 200': 9
Response Received: None as of date of staff report
o:\group\deve_serlstfiptU7-120.doc