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STAFF 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 #98-100) 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 # 98-300)
Item Summary: The Commission heard this request at the 12-4-97 meeting where denial
was recommended due to several unanswered questions dealing with the master plan. The
applicant pulled the item before going on to the City Council.
The applicant has submitted a revised master plan, but it still addresses only a few of the
items mentioned previously. As a concept, the master plan appears to meet the City's
codes and ordinances even though there are several unanswered questions remaining.
Staff can support the master plan in concept but only with several conditions.
Phasing
There are still concerns staffhas about the phasing of the plan and the ability for the
development to support the infrastructure requirements.
The developer's intention is to build single family residences on the property with possible
neighborhood commercial at the Victoria/Graham intersection. The previous plan showed
the majority of the residential lots being built before the thoroughfare plan infrastructure
was addressed. This revised master plan still shows the majority of the residential lots
being. built before the thoroughfare plan infrastructure is addressed. the Victoria extension
and the east/west collector are not addressed until phases 3 and 4.
Staff is concerned about this phasing plan. The concern stems from the ability for these
phases to support such large pieces of infrastructure.
Engineer's estimates demonstrating that the phasing proposed can support the
infrastructure required must be submitted prior to processing any final plats.
Access and Internal Street Design
The previous concerns about the internal street layout have been addressed. There is now
secondary access to Graham provided with Phase 2. There will now be only 58 lots built
before a secondary access is provided. (previously there were 107 lots with a single
access.) There is also a street connection made across the creek to the east/west collector
providing access to and visibility to the creek area.
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Drainage
Staffhas still not seen drainage plans for this development. The developer will submit
drainage construction plans with final plats. At that time staffwill determine whether
drainage is adequately handled.
Floodplain/Floodway
Floodplain and floodway may exist on this property. The developer has still to confirm
whether there is any floodplain on the property. CSISD is performing a hydraulic anallysis
to define the floodplain/floodway on their adjacent tract and as of this writing, there
appears to be floodplain on the school tract. The location of the floodplainlfloodway may
have an impact on the lots that back up to it. At this point, with the location unknown,
the suitability for development of these lots is also unknown. It is acceptable for the
developer to show approximate floodplain location on a conceptual master plan.
No final plats can be processed until the floodplain location is determined
Sanitary 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. He has
discussed a request to amend the existing impact fee area 92-01 and remove the Phase 3
line. If this phase is deleted, he 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 Springbrook 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. Lots fronting Graham Road would sewer into the impact
fee line.
No final plats can be processed until this is determined
Oversize Participation
It is required that impact studies be presented when oversize participation is being
requested. An incomplete impact study was submitted for sewer oversize for Phase 1. If
the developer does not submit a complete oversize request prior to construction, he loses
the ability to request oversize at all.
General note #6 on the master plan refers to oversize participation by the City.
This note should be revised to read "Development of Victoria extension to be done in
phases 3 and 4 as shown with OP participation requests to the City. ".
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Thoroughfare Plan Considerations
The Thoroughfare Plan shows the extension of Victoria along the western boundary of the
14.8 acre tract located just to the west of the two tracts submitted for rezoning. The Plan
also shows the extension of Southern Plantation through the southern portion of the
subject tracts and through the southern portion of the adjacent 14.8 acre tract. Staff did
invite an owners of undeveloped land to a meeting to discuss thoroughfare plan
implementation options for this part of town. As a result of this meeting and subsequent
meetings with the developer, it has been determined that Southern Plantation Drive will
"T" into the east/west collector which will extend through the southern portion of the
subject property. The final location and alignment of the east/west collector will not be
determined until the floodplain limits are established.
In discussion with staff the developer indicated that he would construct, at his expense,
with a request for OP, an of Victoria Ave. in phases 3 and 4.
If the developer is unable to acquire ROW from the adjacent property owner (Carroll
tract) he proposes to shift Victoria completely on to his (the developer's) property as it
runs adjacent to the Carroll tract. ROW from the Fry tract will have to acquired to avoid
an off-set intersection at Graham. Condemnation may be necessary if the developer
cannot negotiate acquisition on the Fry tract. The alignment shown as Victoria moves
southward, requires ROW from the Bald Prairie Subdivision.
Staff strongly recommends against this alignment. Victoria should be shifted to exclude
taking any of the Bald Prairie Sub., thereby preserving the integrity of an established
neighborhood
Parkland Dedication and Open Space along the creek
The revised master plan shows a residential street crossing the creek area, thus providing
some access and visibility into the area. This also results in some lots being oriented with
a side to the creek rather than a back yard. The end of the cul-de-sac in Phase 1 also
extends into this area, but it is unclear whether this will be the final design until the
floodplain location is determined.
The conceptual master plan shows Park at the end of Phase 1. The developer did meet
with the Parks Board and discuss parkland dedication. The Board was unwilling to
recommend accepting any land dedication until the floodplain study is complete and that
location shown. The Board requested the developer return when this information is
known. If this area is accepted and exceeds the dedication requirement for this
development, the developer may request to use this excess to meet additional dedication
requirements for any adjacent development. This should be considered when evaluating
oversize requests for streets sewer and water.
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Greenbelt
The master plan includes a portion of the north fork of Lick Creek. Given the
Comprehensive Plan considerations about open space preservation, staff has encouraged
the developer to address how this creek area will work with his planned development.
He notes on the master plan this area as Reserve Greenbelt. If the City does not desire to
purchase this area to provide a linkage, as addressed in the Comprehensive Plan, then the
developer may incorporate this area into his lots.
Revise Note # 9 to read "there is shown the approximate location of aflood hazard area
along Lick Creek and which is included within a greenbelt area as shown. The entire
greenbelt area is reserved for possible future acquisition or if not acquired will be
incorporated into lots. ".
Until the above information is presented by the applicant, staff cannot process any
final plats for any part of the development. Staff does support the master plan in
concept with the conditions noted in the above discussion.
Staff recommends approval of the preliminary plat of phase 1.
Zoning
The property currently has A-O Agricultural Open zoning on it. The developer has a
request to rezone a portion of the property to R-l Single Family. R-l is in compliance
with the land use plan.
Staff recommends approval of the present zoning request.
The applicant has advised staff that he proposes to submit a rezoning request for the
remainder of the property (R-l and some C-3) at the next deadline. This avoids a
piecemeal approach to zoning and establishes commercial zoning prior to lot sales in the
adjacent development. This puts future owners on notice of nearby commercial
development and avoids possible opposition and confrontation before P&Z and Council at
future rezoning hearings. Approval of this master plan alone does not guarantee approval
of any future rezoning, however, staffwill support R-l on the remainder with some C-3
Planned Commercial zoning at the intersection of Victoria and Graham.
Background Information: The subject property was annexed into the City in 1993, at
which time it was reflected as A-O Agricultural Open on the Zoning Map. This area as
well as most of the property within the southern parts of the City remains undeveloped,
however, many of these areas have seen recent development interest due to the City's
planned utility expansions into them.
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
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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.
Policy Statements:
Civic Pride Citizens benefit from well-planned, attractive residential and
commercial areas, and from 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.
TransportationIMobility - 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
Transportation - 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 Obiectives - 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 floodplain 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.
Budgetary & Financial Summary: The developer has indicated that oversize
participation will be requested on the sewer line, Victoria, and the east/wets collector.
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:
. Staff recommends approval of the master plan in concept with the following
conditions:
1. Engineer's estimates demonstrating that the phasing proposed can
support the infrastructure required must be submitted prior to
processing any final plats.
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2. No final plats can be processed until the floodplain location is determined.
3. No final plats can be processed until a determination is made as to how
the property will be sewered.
4. Revise note #6 to read "Development of Victoria extension to be done in
phases 3 and 4 as shown with OP participation requests to the Citv.".
5. Victoria should be shifted to exclude taking any of the Bald Prairie Sub.
6. Revise Note #9 to read "there is shown the approximate location of a
flood hazard area along Lick Creek and which is included within a
greenbelt area as shown. The entire greenbelt area is reserved for
possible future acquisition or if not acquired will be incomorated into
lots.".
. Staff recommends approval of the preliminary plat of phase 1.
. Staff recommends approval of the present zoning request.
Commission Action Options:. Approve, deny, approve with conditions.
ENGINEERING
Water:
Water is provided along Graham Road
Drainage:
Drainage easement locations will be determined once a
drainage report is submitted.
Off-site Easements: May be required for sanitary sewer.
Sidewalks:
Will, be required internany. The sidewalk along Graham
Roapwill be constructed with the City's Graham Road CIP
project.
NOTIFICATION:
Legal Notice Publication(s): Eagle; 12-31-97 and 1-28-98
Advertised Commission Hearing Dates(s): 1-15-98
Advertised Council Hearing Dates: 2-12-98
Number of Notices Mailed to Property Owners Within 200': 8
Response Received: None as of date of staff report
Supporting Materials:
1. Location Map
2. Application
3. Master Development Plan
4. Preliminary Plat
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