HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff ReportSTAFF REPORT
Item: Public hearing and consideration of rezoning approximately 11.46 acres located 1/2 mile
south of Green's Prairie Road on the west side of the Highway 6 service road, from A-O
AgriculturaUOpen to C-1 General Commercial. (98-111)
Item Summary: The subject property is located in a largely undeveloped part of the City along
Highway 6, a substantial .distance from the Green's Prairie Road intersection. The area was
annexed as large tracts devoted to a mix of rural type residential, commercial, and industrial uses.
The nearest intersection is at South Oaks Drive, which is a rural residential street. Property to the
north. is zoned A-O and is reflected as medium density single family on the Land Use. Plan.
Property to the west and to the south is outside the City limits, and is also reflected as medium
density single family on the Land Use Plan.
Due to the potential of a broad range of commercial uses that are permitted by right in the C-1
zoning district, it is considered an appropriate classification only at intersections of major
roadways, away from single family uses. The C-1 would allow uses such as retail, restaurants, car
dealerships, theaters, or even nightclubs and sexually oriented enterprises (these last two with
Conditional Use Permits). While the request is not necessarily incompatible with the current. rural
land use pattern, it will not promote the future Land Use Plan of single family development.
The request is an example of the issue of land uses of properties that are immediately adjacent to
Highway 6. One option would be to .allow all or most tracts with Highway 6 frontage to tibe used as
commercial and act as a buffer from highway traffic noise. As a part of the Comprehensive Plan
update, the City Council recently discussed this issue, and once again rejected such an approach to
development. Instead, he Council approved a development policy that promotes commercial
development in nodes at major intersections with astep-down zoning approach to buffer residential
uses located further from these intersections. One major concern was that a change from the node
approach to one that encourages strip commercial would result in too much commercial
development that could not be supported by the residential development. Other buffering methods,
such as landscaping and noise mitigation, were favored over strip commercial development.
Item Background: The subject property was annexed into the City in 1983, at which time an
interim zoning classification of A-0 was placed on the site. On the Land Use Plan, the property
was originally reflected as low density residential and more recently as medium density single
family.
Policy Issue Statement:.
Civic.. Pride Citizens benefit from well-planned, attractive residential and
commercial areas, and from preserving historic areas.
Comprehensive Plan Land Use Objective 1.3 -- College. Station should avoid strip
commercial development and encourage centralized commercial development.
Comprehensive Plan Land Use Objective 2.2 -- College .Station should promote a
reduction of land use intensity as development approaches established and future
residential areas.
The Land Use Plan reflects the property as Medium Density Single Family.
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ENGINEERING
Water: There is no water service available -for this property. Water would have to be
extended to this property from an existing 8 inch water line on the east side of State
Highway 6 or from the elevated storage facility at the northwest intersection of Greens
Prairie Road and State Highway 6.
Sewer: There is currently no .sanitary sewer service available for .this property.
Significant off-site sewer improvements would be required to extend service to this
property. This property is located within the Sanitary Sewer Impact Fee Area 97-02b.
Streets: .Highway 6 is classified as a Freeway/Expressway. South Oaks, located
roughly 1000 feet to the south, is classified as a rural residential street.
Off-site Easements: Not applicable at this. time. Should the property become
developed, utility extensions will be necessary, which will involve numerous off-site
easements.
Sidewalks: None as per the sidewalk master plan.
Drainage: Any increased runoff occurring as a result of the development will need to be
addressed per the City of College Station Drainage Policy and Design Standards before a
development permit or Building Permit is issued.
Flood Flain: According to FEMA Flood Hazard Maps this .property. is located outside
of the 100 yearfloodplain.
Oversize request: Not applicable of this time. May be requested if the property
develops in the near future.
Parkland Dedication: Parkland would be required if the property develops under a
residential classification but would not be required under the requested zoning.
Impact Fees: This property is located within the Sanitary Sewer Impact Fee Area 97-
02b. Impact fees in the. amount of $110.55/LUE will be required at the time of Final
Platting. For commercial uses the LUE (living unit equivalent) will be determined based
on meter size.
NOTIFICATION:
Legal Notice Publication(s): The Eagle; July 1, 1998 and July 29, 1998
Advertised Commission Hearing Dates(s): July 16, 1998
Advertised Council Hearing Dates: August 13,.1998
Number of Notices. Mailed to Property Owners Within 200': 2
Response Received: None as of date. of staff report
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development that could not be supported by the residential development. Other
buffering .methods, such as landscaping .and noise mitigation, were favored over strip
commercial development.
Item Background: The subject property was annexed into the City in 1983, at which
time an interim zoning classification of A-O was. placed on the site. On the Land Use
Plan, the property was originally reflected as low density residential and more recently
as medium density single family,
Policy Issue Statement:.
Civic Pride Citizens benefit from well-planned., attractive residential and
commercial areas, and from :preserving historic areas.
Comprehensive Plan Land Use Objective 1:3 -- College should avoid
strip .commercial development and-encourage centralized commercial
development.
Comprehensive Plan Land Use Objective 2.2 -- College Station should
promote a reduction of land use intensity. as development approaches
established and future residential areas.
The Land .Use Plan reflects the property as Medium Density Single Family.
Staff Recommendations: Staff recommends denial because the request is not in
compliance. with the development policies as reflected in the City's adopted
Comprehensive plan and because the requested zoning would be incompatible with the
future land uses in the immediate area.
.Related Advisory Board Recommendation: The Planning and Zoning Commission
held a .public hearing on July 16 and recommends denial by an unanimous: vote.
Councl.Action Options:. The Council options are approval of rezoning as submitted,
approval with conditions, denial, table indefinitely, or defer action to a specified date:.
Supporting Materials:
1. Locatjon Map
2. Application
3. Engineering and Notification Information
~. Letter from Property Owner and Realtor
5. List of A-O and C-1 uses
6. Ordinance
ENGINEERING
Water: There. is no water service available for this property. Water would
have to be extended to this property from an existing 8 inch water line on the
east side of State Highway 6 or from the elevated.. storage facility at the
northwest intersection of Greens Prairie Road and State Highway 6.
Sewer: There is can-ently no sanitary sewer service available for this property,
Significant off-site sewer improvements would be required to extend service to
this property. This property is located within the Sanitary. Sewer Impact Fee
Area 97-02b.
Streets: Highway 6 is classified as a freeway/Expressway. South Oaks,
located roughly 1fll)0 feet o the south, is classified as a rural residential street.
Off-site Easements: Not applicable at this time. Should the property become
developed, utility ..extensions will be `necessary, which will involve .numerous
off-site easements.
Sidewalks:. None: as per the sidewalk master plan.
Drainage: Any increased runoff occurring as a result of the development will
need #o be addressed per. the City of College Station Drainage Policy and
Design Standards before a development permit or Building Permit is issued.
Flood Plain: According to FEMA 1=1ood Hazard Maps this property is located
outside of the 100 year floodplain.
Oversize. request: Not applicable at this time.. May be requested if the
property develops in the near future.
Parkland Dedication: .Parkland would be required if the property develops
under a residential classification but would not be required under the
requested zoning.
Impact Fees: This property is located within the Sanitary Sewer Impact Fee
Area 97-02b. Impact fees in the amount of $110.55/LUE will be required at
the time of Final Platting. For commercial uses the LUE (living unit equivalent)
will be determined based on meter size.
NOTIFICATION:
Legal Notice Publication(s): Thee Eagle; July 1, 1998 and July 29, 1998
Advertised Commission Hearing Dates(s): July 16, .1998
Advertised Council Hearing Dates: August 13, 1998
Number of Notices Mailed to Property Owners Within 200': 2
Response Received: None as of date of staff report
STAFF :REPORT
Item:: Public hearing and consideration of rezoning approximately 11.46 acres located 1/2 mile
south of Green's Prairie Road. on the west side of the Highway 6 service road, from A-O
AgriculturaVOpen to C-B Business Commercial. (98-111)
Item Summary: A request for C-l zoning was presented to the City Council on August 13 with
negative recommendations from both. Staff and the .Planning. and Zoning Commission. Council
requested the applicant and Staff to consider a less intense commercial .classification. The
applicant has submitted. a request for C B zoning, and Staff has analyzed the request. as well as any
other commercial district in light of the. City's existing development_policies.
C-B REQUEST VERSUS ORIGINAL C-1 REQUEST ,
The request for C-B is considered to be somewhat less intense compared with the previous request
for. C-1. The C-B does not permit uses such as arenas; car dealerships, mobile home sales, or
mini-storage warehouses. It requires a Conditional Use Permit for service stations and convenience
stores. Permitted uses include hoteUmotel, restaurants, retail, nightclubs, and theaters.:' The C-B
has been preferred in .some areas over the C-1 because the permitted uses generally tend to have
more of an aesthetic appeal.
EXISTING DEVELOPMENT. POLICIES -COMMERCIAL USES
The City's. adopted development policies have for over two decades supported commercial uses at
intersections rather than allow "strip" style development along all major. road. frontages.. "Strip"
commercial development is the type of development that tends: to occur when location along a
major roadway is used as the sole. criterion for locating commercial uses. There are two
development objectives that guide location of the "regional retail" classification on the Land Use
Plan:
Objective L 3 -College Station should continue. to avoid strip commercial development
(such as that along Texas Avenue) and encourage centralized commercial development
which encourages multi-modal access.
Objective 2.2 -College Station. should .develop standards that. promote a reduction of
land use intensity as development approaches established and future residential areas.
Both of these objectives promote more of a nodal approach to commercial development. An
..example. of general adherence to this concept. is Southwest Parkway; .where commercial
development is located at the major intersections, and the land uses step down`in intensification to
lower density residential areas, and then'back up to the more intense.classificatons as one nears the
next intersection. An example of strip commercial is Texas Avenue, which .developed under an
older, less regulated style.
EXISTING LAND USE PLAN
The existing Land Use Plan shows the majority (about two-thirds) of the western frontage along
Highway 6 from Rock Prairie Road to just opposite the Speedway as medium density single
family. Regional retail. is shown at the intersections of Rock Prairie Road, Barron Road, future
Highway 40, and a future minor arterial at the :Speedway overpass.. These roads are designated as
either. major or minor arterials on the Thoroughfare Plan and are shown to include existing or
future overpasses at Highway 6. Southern. Plantation, a minor collector, and South Oaks, a local
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residential street, show a small amount of commercial at those intersections as well. The amount
of commercial frontage is generally in proportion to the. size of the intersecting street. -larger
intersections. {freeways and. major arterials) show a greater amount of commercial land than the
smaller roads {minor arterials and local streets). Of the 26,000 linear feet of Highway 6 frontage
that are between Rock Prairie Road and the Speedway, about a third (8,000 linear feet) is shown as
commercial. The rest of the frontage is shown as residential.
EXISTING ZONING
Much of the commercial zoning along the western Highway 6 corridor is in compliancewith the
adopted Comprehensive. Plain and Land Use Plana There are two exceptions where commercial
zoning has been approved despite the fact that these areas are not located at or near intersections.
One of these areas .includes the Neatherlin Homes offices and. storage facility, the other is a vacant
C-1 zoned tract located just south of the Shenandoah Subdivision.
There are two areas. currently zoned for low density residential development that have...direct
frontage on Highway 6. One is the Springbrook Subdivision located off of Barron Road, the other
is currently under development as the South Hampton Subdivision in front of Nantucket.
BASIS OF STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff cannot recommend approval of any commercial zoning that is in conflict with the City's
adopted Land Use Plan and the: Comprehensive Plan policies. Staff finds that the rezoning. request
of the. subject property does not comply with the City's policies and therefore recommends denial.
CHANGE OF EXISTING POLICIES -GENERAL IMPLICATIONS
The City Council has full authority to ,direct a change in the .existing development policies. In the
past, .Staff and the Planning`. and Zoning Commission have been directed to prepare studies of
specific areas so that the Council will be informed of all implications related to any contemplated
changes.. The Wellborn Road Corridor: Study, University Drive Study, and 2818 Extension Study
are three examples of similar studies.
None of these. studies, however, resulted. in significant changes to the development policies. In
order to affect a real. change in the Land Use Plan, there will need to be direction regarding
changing Objectives 1.3 and 2.2 as cited above. Otherwise, there would be little to no change in
the.. existing. Land Use Plan -- the plan .reflects the existing policies. A change in the commercial
policies. away from the' nodal approach to more of a "strip style" .development would have
implications for the remainder of the Highway. 6 frontage, as well as the tracts fronting on
Highway 40 and Highway 47. All of these roads are considered entrances into the City, which are
targeted for entrance corridor study,in the near future.
Such. a change in :the Comprehensive Plan would result in a significant increase... in commercial
zoning. If the Council gives such ..direction,. Staff will research the question to come up with a
general recommendation regarding the relative amount of commercial land that a can be supported
in a community.
Another implication of allowing strip style development would be that there would be little to no
residential development along the freeways. While some may not view this result to be a problem,
it would be a change to he City's on-going pattern of development. Several older and newer
subdivisions have :chosen to .locate directly. on Highway 6, including Winwood,' Mile Drive,
Springbrook, South Hampton, and Pleasant Forest.
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Item .Background: As a part of the Comprehensive .Plan Update, the City Council discussed the
commercial development policies on July 24, 1997.: Staff informed Council.. at that time that we
receive inquiries regarding commercial zoning in that would not be in compliance with the existing
policies,. but that most of these requests are not pursued when there is indication: that Staff could
not recommend approval. Council discussed the pros and cons of strip and nodal. commercial.
development, and once again rejected the .option to allow all or most tracts with Highway 6
frontage to be used as commercial and act as a buffer from highway traffic noise. Instead, the
Council approved a development policy'that promotes commercial development in nodes at major
intersections with astep-down zoning approach to buffer residential uses located further from these
intersections. ;One major,concern was that a change from the node approach to one that encourages
strip commercial would result in too much commercial development that could not be supported by
the residential development. Other buffering methods, .such as landscaping and noise mitigation,
were favored :over strip commercial development.
Relationship to Comprehensive Plan:
Comprehensive Plan Land Use Objective 1.3 -- College should. avoid strip
commercial development andencourage centralized commercial development.
Comprehensive Plan Land' Use Objective 2.2 -- College Station should. promote a
reduction of land use intensity- as development approaches established and future
residential areas.
The Land. Use Plan reflects. the property as',Medium Density Single. Family..
Staff Recommendations: Staff recommends denial because the request is not in compliance with
the development .policies as reflected in the City's. adopted Comprehensive plan and because the
requested zoning would be incompatible with the future land uses in the. immediate area.
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 to
recommend approval of rezoning as submitted, recommend approval with conditions, recommend
denial, table indefinitely, or defer action'... to a specified date.
Supporting Materials:
1. Engineering and Notification Information
2. Location Map
3. Map of southwestern quadrant of City
4. Application
S. Letter from Property Owner and Realtor
6. List of C-Band C-l uses
7. PNZ minutes -July 1b, 1998
8. Council minutes -August 13, 1998
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ENGINEERING
Water: There is no water service .available for this property. Water would have to be
extended to this property from an existing.. 8 inch water line on the east side of State
Highway 6 or from the elevated .storage. facility at .the northwest intersection of Greens
Prairie. Road and State'Highway 6.
Sewer: There is currently no sanitary sewer service available for this property.
Significant.. off-site .sewer .improvements would be required to extend service to this
property. This property is located within the Sanitary Sewer Impact Fee Area 97-02b.
Streets: Highway 6 is classified as a Freeway/Expressway. South Oaks, located
roughly-1OOO.feetto the south, is classified as a rural residential street.
Off-site Easements:. Not 'applicable at this time. Should.. the property become
developed, utility extensions will. be necessary, which .will involve numerous off-site
easements.
Sidewalks: .None as per the sidewalk master plan.
Drainage: Any increased runoff occurring, as a result of the development will need to be
addressed per-the City of College Station-Drainage Policy .and Design Standards before a
development permit or Building Permit is issued.
Flood Plains According to FEMA Flood Hazard Maps this property is located outside
of the 100 year floodplain.
Oversize request: Not applicable at this time.. May be requested if the property
develops in the near future.'
Parkland Dedication: Parkland would be required if the property develops under a
residential classification but would not be required under the requested zoning.
Impact Fees: This property is located within. the. Sanitary Sewer Impact Fee Area 97-
Olb. Impact fees in the amount of $110,55/LIJE will be required of the time of Final
Platting. For commercial uses the LUE (living unit equivalent) will be determined. based
on meter size.
NOTIFICATION:
Legal Notice Publication(s): The Eagle; 9-2-98 and 9-23-98
Advertised Commission Hearing Dates(s): Septemberl7, 1998
Advertised Council Hearing Dates: October 8,.1998
Number of Notices Mailed to Property Owners Within 200'..: 3
Response Received: One call in opposition as of date of staff report
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Staff Recommendations: Staff recommends denial because the request is not in compliance with
the development policies as reflected in the City's adopted Comprehensive Plan and because the
requested zoning would be incompatible with the future land uses in the immediate area.
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 to
recommend approval of rezoning as submitted, recommend approval with conditions, recommend
denial, table indefinitely, or defer action to a specified date.
Supporting Materials:
I. Location Map
2. Application
3. Engineering and Notification Information
4. Letter from Property Owner and Realtor
5. List of A-O and C-I uses
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