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Home My WebLink About09-00500148- 00073909CITY OF COLLEGE STATION PRELIMINARY PLAT FOR PEBBLE CREEK CENTER 09-00500148 SCALE: 2 lots on 44.16 acres LOCATION: 4491 State Highway 6, generally located at the southeast intersection of State Highway 6 and William D. Fitch Parkway ZONING: C-1 General Commercial and OV Corridor Overlay APPLICANT: Davis Young, Pebble Creek Development Company PROJECT MANAGER: Jennifer Prochazka, AICP, Senior Planner jprochazka@cstx.gov RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends denial of the variance requests to Section 8.2.A.10.b Block Lengths in order to preserve connectivity and access in the area. Staff recommends that sidewalks be provided along State Highway 6 in this area because of the potential for increased pedestrian activity due to the development of the subject property. To accomplish this, staff either recommends that the variance request to Section 8.2.A.13 Sidewalks be denied or that it be approved with the condition that sidewalks be provided on the subject property within public access easements. If the requested variances are granted by the Commission, then staff recommends approval of the Preliminary Plat. DEVELOPMENT HISTORY Annexation: 1983 Zoning: 1984 - A-O Agricultural Open to A-P Administrative Professional (4.4 acres) 1986 - A-O Agricultural Open to C-1 General Commercial (36 acres) 1992 - A-O Agricultural Open to M-1 Light Industrial (3.75 acres) 2005 - C-1, A-P and M-1 to C-1 (44.15 acres) 2006 - OV Corridor Overlay (44.15 acres) Site development: A temporary concrete batch plant was permitted on the property through a Development Agreement with the City in 1994. All conditions of the Development Agreement have not yet been met, including the requirement to restore the property to its previous state after it ceased use as a temporary batch plant (including the removal of the temporary driveway to the Frontage Road). The terms of the Development Agreement will need to be satisfied before the Final Plat can be forwarded to the Planning & Zoning Commission. COMMENTS Water: There are existing 18" water mains along the William D. Fitch Parkway and Lakeway Drive property lines, a 12" water main on the eastern side of Venture Drive, and a 6" waterline extending south from Lakeway Drive into Lot 2. Domestic water service and fire protection will need to be extended to all structures as needed and must be designed to meet B/CS Unified Water and Sewer Design Guideline requirements. Sewer: There is an existing 8" sanitary sewer line extending onto the northwest corner of Lot 1 and an 8" sanitary sewer line extending onto the northeastern corner of Lot 2. Streets: No public streets are proposed with this plat. Additional right-of-way for William D. Fitch Parkway is proposed for dedication with the Final Plat. To comply with the Driveway Ordinance, access to Lot 1 will be provided via Private Access Easements along William D. Fitch Parkway and Lakeway Drive. Off-site Easements: Off-site Private Access Easements will be required for access to Lot 1 prior to approval of the Final Plat. Drainage: Drainage is generally to the northeast and northwest within the Alum Creek and Spring Creek Drainage Basins, respectively. Development on this property will be required to comply with the City's drainage ordinance. Flood Plain: None Oversize Request: None Parkland Dedication Fees: None Impact Fees: The property is located within the Spring Creek Sanitary Sewer Impact Fee Area. REVIEW CRITERIA 1. Compliance with Comprehensive Plan and Unified Development Ordinance: The Future Land Use and Character Map included in the Comprehensive Plan designates the subject property as General Commercial. The plat conforms to the Comprehensive Plan and to the C-1 General Commercial and OV Corridor Overlay zoning districts. 2. Compliance with Subdivision Regulations: As proposed, the subdivision requires variances to the subdivision regulations contained in the Unified Development Ordinance. Section 8.2.A.10.b Block Lengths states that blocks shall not exceed 800 feet in length. The following block lengths are proposed and require variances (see graphic below): • Lakeway Drive - approximately 2,220 feet, requiring a variance of 1,420 feet • Venture Drive - approximately 896 feet, requiring a variance of 96 feet • State Highway 6 - approximately 2,123 feet, requiring a variance of 1,323 feet The blocks created along Lakeway Drive and along State Highway 6 require at least two public streets along each roadway for ordinance requirements to be met. In accordance with the Subdivision Regulations, when considering a variance, the Planning and Zoning Commission should make the following findings to approve the variance (Staff findings are in italics below): That there are special circumstances or conditions affecting the land involved such that strict application of the provisions of this chapter will deprive the applicant of the reasonable use of his land; Conditions on the subject property do not preclude breaking the proposed blocks. 2. That the variance is necessary for the preservation and enjoyment of a substantial property right of the applicant; Block lengths under 800 feet in length would allow development of the property in a similar manner. 3. That the granting of the variance will not be detrimental to the public health, safety, or welfare, or injurious to other property in the area, or to the City in administering this chapter; and Maximum block lengths are prescribed in the Unified Development Ordinance to ensure that adequate connector roadways are constructed as development occurs. The subject property is approximately 45 acres and has no public roadways proposed. 4. That the granting of the variance will not have the effect of preventing the orderly subdivision of other land in the area in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. All area properties have been previously subdivided, with the exception of the subject property. The second variance request is in relation to the required sidewalks along the State Highway 6 Frontage Road. Section 8.2.6.13 Sidewalks of the Unified Development Ordinance requires sidewalks to be constructed on both sides of all streets having a right-of- way width equal to or greater than sixty feet. The applicant is requesting that no sidewalks be required along State Highway 6. Exceptions or waivers to sidewalk requirements may be granted by the Commission when it has been determined that satisfactory alternative pedestrian ways have been or will be provided outside the normal right-of-way; or that unique circumstances or unusual topographic, vegetative, or other natural conditions prevail to the extent that strict adherence to the requirements would be unreasonable and not consistent with the purposes of the UDO or the Comprehensive Plan. In accordance with the Subdivision Regulations, when considering a variance, the Planning and Zoning Commission should make the following findings to approve the variance (Staff findings are in italics below): That there are special circumstances or conditions affecting the land involved such that strict application of the provisions of this chapter will deprive the applicant of the reasonable use of his land; Sidewalks along State Highway 6 Frontage Road are uncommon. The traffic volumes are large and vehicles travel at high speeds in this area. Additionally, the Frontage Roads are constructed without curb and gutter. However, because of the proposed development on the subject property and in the area, increased pedestrian activity is likely. Sidewalks will be provided on William D. Fitch Parkway, Lakeway Drive, and Venture Drive with the development of the property, creating a system for the Frontage Road sidewalks to tie into. 2. That the variance is necessary for the preservation and enjoyment of a substantial property right of the applicant; Sidewalks along State Highway 6 would allow the property to develop in a similar manner. 3. That the granting of the variance will not be detrimental to the public health, safety, or welfare, or injurious to other property in the area, or to the City in administering this chapter; and Sidewalks along State Highway 6 Frontage Road are uncommon. The traffic volumes are large and vehicles travel at high speeds in this area. Additionally, the Frontage Roads are constructed without curb and gutter. However, because of the proposed development on the subject property and in the area, increased pedestrian activity is likely. Sidewalks will be provided on William D. Fitch Parkway, Lakeway Drive, and Venture Drive with the development of the property, creating a system for the Frontage Road sidewalks to tie into. 4. That the granting of the variance will not have the effect of preventing the orderly subdivision of other land in the area in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. All area properties have been previously subdivided, with the exception of the subject property. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends denial of the variance requests to Section 8.2.A.10.b Block Lengths in order to preserve connectivity and access in the area. Staff recommends that sidewalks be provided along State Highway 6 in this area because of the potential for increased pedestrian activity due to the development of the subject property. To accomplish this, staff either recommends that the variance request to Section 8.2.A.13 Sidewalks be denied or that it be approved with the condition that sidewalks be provided on the subject property within public access easements. If the requested variances are granted by the Commission, then staff recommends approval of the Preliminary Plat. SUPPORTING MATERIALS 1. Application 2. Variance Request Letters 3. Copy of Preliminary Plat (provided in packet)