HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff ReportSTAFF REPORT
Project Manager: Lee Battle Date: 8/06/02
Email: (battle@ci.college-station.tx.us
Item: Public hearing, discussion, and possible action on a Rezoning for the
Edelweiss Gartens (REZ) located Northeast of Wellborn road and southeast of
Graham road. (02-005000152)
Applicant: STEVE ARDEN
Staff Recommendations: Staff recommends approval of the rezoning with
proposed buffers.
Item Summary:
The applicant is requesting a rezoning of 19.5 acres from R-1 single-family and
R&D research & development to R-2 duplex.
This item was presented to the Commission on July 1 and received a unanimous
recommendation for approval. The item was presented to the City Council on
July 11. The Council voted to send the item back to the Commission for further
consideration. The Council requested that the applicant propose additional
buffer standards to protect the proposed R-2 from the existing industrial
properties along Graham Road. The zoning ordinance would only require a 6
foot wooden fence where they are adjacent to non-residential uses.
The applicant has submitted a proposed buffer design where the R-2 property is
adjacent to the industrial and future single-family uses.
Adjacent property to the north is zoned M-2 (heavy industrial) and is developed
with a mix of light industrial uses. Properties to the east and south will be part of
the Edelweiss Gartens development and will include single-family homes and
some townhouses. Directly to the west is Wellborn and its future intersection
with Highway 40.
The requested rezoning would create an "L" shaped tract located between the
future single-family development to the southeast and Wellborn Road to the west
and the light industrial uses to the north. This "strip" of land would be just wide
enough to accommodate a single street of duplexes. The applicant has stated
that because of these adjacencies, this property is not ideally suited for single-
family and is proposing duplexes instead.
Comprehensive Plan Considerations:
P: IGROUPIHTLTRIPZLTRIPRODIPZ20021P0006494. DOC
Created on 8/6/2002 4:06 PM
STAFF REPORT
Prepared by: Trey Fletcher, Project Manager Report Date: 10-10-2005
Email: tfletcher(cDcstx.gov Meeting Date: 10-20-2005
Item: Public hearing, presentation, discussion and possible action on a Comprehensive
Plan Amendment to amend the Land Use Plan from Single-family Residential Medium
Density to Residential Attached for 2755 Barron Road, generally located at the
southeast corner of Barron Road and State Highway 40. (05-165)
Item Summary: The property owner is requesting to amend the Land Use Plan from
Single-family Residential Medium Density to Residential Attached to develop a
subdivision consisting of duplex residential dwellings. The 41.16 -acre tract is located
between State Highway 40 and the planned High School #2 site, south of Barron Road.
Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends denial of the request.
Item Background:
Annexed into the City of College Station in 1995, nearly all of this area is shown as
Single-family Residential Medium Density. The most notable exception is the site of the
future second high school to the east, shown as Institutional. Since annexation, many of
the large, previously undeveloped tracts have developed as subdivisions composed of
single-family homes of various densities and styles. Although duplex dwelling units are
considered in some communities as another form of single-family construction, College
Station considers duplex dwelling units as multi -family. Historically, duplexes have been
utilized as buffers to transition from one density to another; however, most of these
examples are within two miles of the Texas A&M University campus. College Station's
development policies have generally sought to arrange developments with greater
densities near the University for a number of reasons, proximity to the campus,
availability of public and alternative modes of transportation and economic feasibility.
According to the Comprehensive Plan:
Residential / Medium Density refers to areas containing exclusively single-family
detached residential developments, ranging in density from 3 to 6 dwelling units per
acre. Examples cited in the Plan include Woodcreek, Windwood, and other existing
developments along the East Bypass.
Residential Attached contains exclusively multi -family developments, with densities
running from 10 to 20 dwelling units per acre. "Multi -family Residential"
developments are similar to existing apartment, duplex and quadplex residential
developments in Southwood Valley.
Barron Road is a Minor Arterial on the City's Thoroughfare Plan. Additional right-of-way
will be obtained from this tract. Widening of this facility to the Minor Arterial cross-section
is imminent and will occur in three phases. State Highway 40 is a new TxDOT facility
being constructed that will connect SH 6 to FM 2154 (Wellborn Road), FM 2818 (Harvey
Mitchell Parkway), and ultimately, to SH 21. Grade separations are planned at various
points along SH 40, including Barron Road.
Land Use Goal #2 encourages College Station to continue to provide for the orderly
development of existing and future land uses.
Housing Goal #1 suggests that College Station should continue to provide an
appropriate supply of housing with a wide variety of housing types and costs.
In 2003, planning staff researched and assembled a "Growth Study" of College Station.
Since most of the multi -family units in College Station are occupied by students of TAMU
or Blinn, the closer to campus these are located, greater community benefit should
result, reducing congestion, affording mode choice and so on.
Relationship to Strategic Plan:
• We will promote a well-planned community.
• We will promote well-planned neighborhoods.
Related Board Actions: N/A
Commission Action Options: The Commission acts as a recommending body on this
issue, which will be ultimately decided by the City Council. The Commission's options
are:
1. Recommend approval of the Comprehensive Plan Amendment as submitted;
2. Recommend denial;
3. Table indefinitely; or,
4. Defer action to a specified date.
Supporting Materials:
1. Location Map
2. Aerial Map
3. Application
Budgetary and Financial Summary: N/A
NOTIFICATION:
Legal Notice Publication(s): The Eagle; 10-4-2005 and 10-X-2005
Advertised Commission Hearing Dates(s): 10-20-2005
Advertised Council Hearing Dates: 11-10-2005
Number of Notices Mailed to Property Owners within 200% 6
Response Received: None, as of the date of staff report.