to the city of Denton's Planning and Zoning Commission meeting for Wednesday, September 8th, 2021.
This is our work session and with a quorum present, I will call us to order at 5.02 p.m.
Let me take a quick moment to welcome a new commissioner for his first meeting, Commissioner Villarreal.
Happy to have you here. Welcome.
Also, note, commissioners, that we're having a technology issue here.
Oh, well, it might be fixed because now I see the button is lit, so we may not be.
So we'll try the request to speak and vote on the board.
If it doesn't, we'll go back old school.
OK, our first item on the agenda is citizen comment for consent agenda.
Stewart, do you happen to be up in the sky there?
No callers for the consent agenda.
Very good. Thank you much.
OK, then work session reports.
Let's receive a report and hold a discussion regarding Discover Denton.
All right, well, good evening, afternoon, evening.
What are we at? Hi, everybody.
This is Jessica Robinson, our director of marketing.
And then we have Aaron Carter, who's just watching from the back, our president of the Chamber of Commerce.
Everybody knows Aaron. Appreciate the time today.
We're just here to tell you a little bit about ourselves, what we've been doing lately, some of our new go to market strategy that we've put together.
And obviously, as we look towards the Denton 2040 in the future, everything as the town's developing and everything you guys are planning, how that ties in with the tourism component.
So a little bit about us today, Discover Denton, we're a destination marketing organization.
So you probably known as formerly as the Denton Convention and Visitors Bureau.
You guys might have heard that term before.
It's actually the CVV is a term that has kind of phased out over the last decade. And we adopted a no more action oriented word, a descriptive word of our organization about a year ago, part of our kind of our new brand launch and became Discover Denton.
It was already our URL. It was things we're using in campaign, but it just made a lot more sense. It's very similar to surrounding cities.
You've got your visit Dallas and visit Fort Worth. They're all using different kind of words like that.
So really our mission that Discover Denton is to market and promote Denton in order to generate demand for the destination, creating a positive economic impact on the community.
And that really sums up everything we're doing as we do this with our sales and services team, our marketing team.
And then we have our downtown visitor center right on the square where we also are hosting customers and guests down there.
So a little bit about what we do and again how we do this. In short, we are a tourism engine for Denton.
We're kind of the amplification. We're the big microphone always talking about Denton and what there is to do here for tourism and conventions.
We have our website. We have some great SEO tools, our social channels. We're out there meeting with meeting and event planners.
So again, always constantly with the goal of trying to draw people to Denton and stay in our hotels overnight.
Organizations funded 100 percent by the hotel occupancy taxes.
So it's very important for us that the hotels are doing well and that we're driving revenue to the hotels in order to get those taxes up.
And just to touch a little bit on that, that tourism is such a big industry in Denton.
According to the Texas Economic Development report from 2019, because 2020, we threw everything out.
They're not counting out, but in Denton itself, there was 220 million dollars of economic impact just from tourism related business.
And that generated about seven point six, seven point six million dollars in tax receipts to the city.
So again, it's a huge, it's a huge industry for Denton that represented about 1900 jobs in 2019, 2020.
Obviously, there was a dip, but we're getting things back to normal here in 2021.
And so it's looking good moving forward.
We're going to. Now, this is just a list of some of our hotels.
Hopefully you recognize most of these brands, Denton.
If you if you don't know, we have 25 hotels here in Denton represent about 2500 hotel rooms and about 100000 square feet of meeting and event space.
So we do have, you know, other than the embassy suites, which a lot of people realize that's the big Denton Convention Center.
There are 24 other hotels, limited service hotels, economy hotels, but these hotels are very important to us.
Those are all brands. You know, when you put them on a chart here like this, you can recognize there's, you know, every national brand is here.
And so we're real proud of that. And it gives us a nice palette of offerings.
And we're again talking about driving people to Denton for those overnight stays.
So so part in the last year, year and a half, we've kind of refreshed a lot of things.
We've got a whole new team that has kind of come on board, obviously, with covid and everything going on, things have all reset.
We looked at the agencies we were using. We were looking at the marketing strategies.
Jessica came on board with us about a year ago and we really, really for a whole year was revamping everything, building a new website.
And we partnered with a new digital agency called BuzzShift.
And they're really kind of the point of us being here today after talking with Tim.
And he thought it was real important to get out in front of front of these commissioners, the board here to talk about some of the things we're doing, some of the things that are in market.
Hopefully, you're already seeing some of that and to see how that ties into the future of Denton and how we're trying to build things and move forward in the tourism and convention industry.
Pull it over to Jessica here and she'll walk you through the rest.
Hello. Hi. Can everybody hear me?
Yes. So, again, Jessica Robinson, I've been here about a year and it was a really interesting time, obviously, to join the team.
But it did allow us time to reset and think through how we were presenting ourselves, our messaging, who we're targeting and creative assets, everything, the channels that were present in as well.
We took that time. We did an audit of the past five years of content, looked at everything on our website.
We went through Google Analytics.
We engaged everybody that, you know, any sort of document that we could find, a strategic document, frameworks, vision documents, compiled all of that into reports, handed that over to BuzzShift, who, again, their roots are in Denton.
And they presented us with a go to market strategy that's about 100 pages of just learnings and ways that we can reestablish ourselves and go back out with a stronger message,
a defined message and get ourselves back into some digital media as well.
So through all the documents, it was important for us to start narrowing down again who we are and what we stand for.
So we did identify a unique selling proposition for Denton.
That is a welcoming community of unconventional character and charm. Denton offers unique experiences and unforgettable memories to vacationers and conference planners looking to experience something different.
We also identified brand principles for Denton. We're diverse, we're authentic, we're creative and we're community centered.
From this, we developed brand positioning and we have two different customers. We have a leisure traveler and a business to business traveler.
So Denton offers experiences built around small businesses, culture and history, conference and expo experiences fold into the city and then Denton Square, taking visitors from day to night to morning.
Denton offers an escape from the same old experience found in any town USA. The unique culture of Denton offers big city amenities with small town surprises.
The culture of Denton is shaped by born here, raised here, business owners, visitors from all over and weekenders turned into residents.
And again, we have a statement now for the leisure traveler and business traveler, and this has been used to develop all of our content to present.
So the perfect weekend getaway is for our leisure traveler. Whether you're looking to escape the bustle of the large metropolis or just looking for new experiences,
Denton offers the perfect weekend escape for you to relax, unwind and experience the charm and character of a city that's uniquely different.
From eclectic craft breweries and eateries to shopping and antiquing, Denton has something for everyone.
And then for the meeting or event planner, we have the ideal conference destination. Denton is a perfect destination for conferences of all sizes and types.
Whether you're looking for an area to connect with teams and mentors via fireside chats or you're looking for large spaces solely for you and your attendees, Denton has what you need.
After your events, Denton offers eateries, brew houses, taprooms and more, all within a short distance of the convention center.
So these statements were important because in the past, most of our creative was just a one size fits all.
So now we have different statements for the different audiences and creative that's beginning to reflect that.
And it's been important for us to go around and speak to groups like yourselves so that we can begin to share these, how we're positioning ourselves.
So if there's any feedback that you have to we're very open to that, because again, this is still very much a process and a journey.
From that, we started developing all of the different topics that we can talk about within Denton.
And this list is ever growing. There's no shortage of stories to tell.
But we chose this bubble map and started to identify the key things that have stories around it.
This content I'll share on the next one, but comes through in videos and blogs and emails, newsletters.
There's so many opportunities with so many channels, but we wanted to make sure that we were being direct and we were starting to focus on key things, key highlights within Denton.
And then developing an ongoing content series, we are being very direct in the types of things that we're putting out.
The channels that we're using. So we have new blog posts, again, the email, speaking to other business owners, getting out to learn all of the stories that we have, partnering with other businesses.
If there are things that may not make sense for us to talk about, how can we help somebody else share that message?
And our team supports all of the things. I think on one of the first slides, it was all the channels that were in for social.
I mean, we're constantly churning out content, constantly working to get these messages out.
And so partnering with everybody in our businesses, hotels, I mean, everybody that we can find, restaurants, retail.
We started developing these content frameworks for every single month.
These identify the stories that we'll be talking about.
Jessica, excuse me, can you stay by the microphone? Yeah, that way they can hear you.
Thank you. Yeah, absolutely. Thank you for that.
These begin to identify the main topics that we speak about each month.
Opportunities, too, from our businesses, if there's any of the pop culture events that may make sense for them that we can help with.
The big area events that we have coming up in Denton County, conferences that are coming into town.
This helps our businesses plan. If there is a big event coming, we want to make sure that they're aware of that and staffed properly.
And then the upcoming next month's events, what we hope to be talking about.
So this is, you know, helped with as we've gone and started meeting with people throughout the city.
This has been such a great tool so that we're all aligned on our messaging, our strategy and what we're talking about from a tourism point of view.
Then an output of this, we have a guide that we give out every single month that shares all of these wonderful stories that we have.
So this is a printed piece. We send it out again to all of our business owners, everybody in the city, residents, hotels, restaurants,
so that everybody has an idea of what's going on that month, the stories that we're telling and then, you know, anything else that's just coming up on the radar.
We also give people reasons to come to Denton with perfect weekends, outdoor adventures and the exhibits that are coming up.
But again, all of this is very thoughtful. It's the branding is now on point.
Everybody's using the same documents as we start to talk to our tourism.
We also have revised most of our collateral. So for our meeting and event planners, we have a meet in Denton guide that gives you all of the reasons to hold your conference or event in Denton.
We have a top 10 reasons to meet in Denton.
New signage for when we're going to expose and events and then custom collateral, such as this little piece right here that.
This that we developed for some of our VIP meeting and event planners when they come in for a meeting, it's a placemat that has information about Denton itself, where we're located.
And then QR codes that take you to all of the places on the website for your itinerary, your venues or things to do.
So constantly again, branding Denton, making sure that we're all aligned on our messaging and showcasing the many great things to do in Denton.
With all of this or go to market, we've launched some paid media, and this is where the assets start to come together.
And I'll play those. Hopefully you've seen some of these may not be sound.
So these have started playing on Instagram on Facebook.
We also have Google search that's gone out paid search and we're continuing to test or making sure that the audience is correct.
We're looking at insights differently.
We're creating dashboards of analytics, so this very much is still a test and learn process, but it is working.
Which I play off. Yeah, I'm playing another one. They're supposed to be music. That's OK. It's there.
OK, we also have organic social.
We're in on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.
Pinterest is actually one of the top channels to plan any sort of travel.
So we've revised our whole experience on that, making sure that we have itineraries.
We're highlighting events that are happening and paying attention to the trends on Pinterest as well.
How people are planning as of right now, we have a target of weekenders 21 through 45 as our main target.
But that's continuing to evolve as we build out content, build out campaigns or adding on to that.
But our organic social has performed quite well.
Again, we're partnering, showing, highlighting people that are coming into the city, sharing their content as well, paying attention and engaging has been phenomenal.
And then amplification.
So we've created lots of new assets that we're starting to share that that really start to tell the story of Denton, making sure that we're paying attention to our top.
You know, the reasons to come here, branding the important assets of our city.
As Mike mentioned earlier, we relaunched our Web site that happened in February and our search traffic to the Web site has increased by 700 percent here today.
So these are big jumps that we're making.
And again, they're working.
And then we don't have any sound of this one of the one of the other kind of kind of neat and different activations we did this year.
We had an opportunity to with the launch of the Web site in February, we had an opportunity to partner with the NASCAR Xfinity racing team and sponsor a NASCAR.
As you can see, there is a driver, Tommy, Joe Martin's.
What we did is we to get ahead of things, so we sponsored it in the Las Vegas race, which was in March, which is one of the most televised, highest viewed races.
And it was to promote not only the new Web site, the race car actually has the same colors and look and feel the Web site.
So the aesthetics of it was a really unique way to market and promote the new Web site.
But as well as talk about Denton as an option for, you know, we're a proximity to Texas Motor Speedway, you know, in Denton County, just 15, 20 minutes away in our hotels are popular for fans.
So we were talking to the teams and the fans was getting out ahead of it to promote the race that we had in June, as well as the upcoming there's a race in October, the playoff races.
So this was a great clip.
If we could hear it and we could send it to you, we got a great commercial, almost about a 30 second commercial here when our driver was running in the top 10.
They came out of a commercial and they talked about then we got a new sponsor on board and they're promoting hotel packages to Denton.
And so it was really great.
That was kind of a bonus because you never know what you're going to get from that.
But we got a lot of good TV time, tremendous Web site and social traffic over those dates.
And then the caveat was when the Texas race occurred June 12th, we had the race car here in town on Denton up on the square in front of the visitor center for a three hour meet and greet with the driver.
It was a way to draw hundreds of people to come meet the driver and sign autographs and come into the visitor center and again, just generate some business downtown on.
And otherwise, it was a Friday afternoon from 12 to three where, you know, other than that lunch period, it slows down a little bit.
So that was kind of a unique, different thing.
You could see there's a photo of Gerard.
He was an honorary crew member.
He got his pit crew shirt.
And so we were really excited about that.
And again, this is just something different and unique and out of the box.
We had an opportunity to do it.
It was based on a relationship we had with the team.
So it wasn't a big expense at all.
Believe it or not, it really was very minimal expense.
And but but the the bang we've gotten from it has been, you know, 50 fold of what we did at least.
And so, again, just trying to do something different and establish ourselves as, hey, Denton, we're really close to that racetrack.
And that's a way to fill hotels.
We can get these people to stay up here.
And we had a lot of success with that, too.
So we're looking forward to the October race and have another sold out weekend.
But all of this activations, the content that we're putting out, it's all working together.
We're all trying to stay within a color palette, following the Web site, the tone that we're using, that the copy, you know, it's it's very conversational.
We're we're an easy town to love.
So we're trying to get that across.
But a lot of the insights that we're pulling to the analytics, you know, who's coming to Denton?
We do have all of this. So if there are any discussions that you're having where that would be helpful, we're happy to share that,
especially as you're looking forward as well.
And any documents that you have, planning documents, making sure that we have a conversation or sharing those with us as well,
because if you're positioning Denton in a certain light, we want to make sure that we're cognizant of that and paying attention to those words.
And with that, yeah, it's just wrapping it up there.
It's kind of the overall what we do and open it up here.
Any questions anyone might have for us or ideas you have to help promote the city?
We're here for every day. We're looking at an awesome presentation, you guys.
You mean it's exciting. Yeah.
Commissioner Smith. They all for coming out, appreciate it.
And that's awesome. Awesome presentation.
And it's glad to see the branding from a from a commission standpoint that, you know,
the tourism and the visitors that come to town, you know,
our our first thought process for doing planning and zoning is really from the residents of the town.
But being able to see the way that you guys are marketing the city and doing a great job at it helps us with understanding,
you know, as we start looking at some of the small area plans, things like that,
that we can work on and focusing on gateways and what that looks like as visitors are coming into town,
that we can align with that, that what what our marketing branch with the CBB or discovered didn't do for us
and bringing in that hotel occupancy tax to the city and bringing in sales tax to the city
that we need to be on the line with that as well as we're doing planning and zoning.
So I appreciate the presentation. Thanks for coming out. Thank you.
You know, and just real quick, one other thing that ties in well, you know,
you get these visitors sometimes to come to a convention or to a festival that they're not they're not residents yet.
They're just coming to visit, but it gets them to see the town and get exposed to it.
And they may one day turn into a resident or a business owner, you know, or, you know.
And so that's again, we're trying to amplify that message.
And, you know, there's so much clutter in the DFW area.
There's so many other cities and so many things to do with seven, eight million people.
But it's getting them up here. And we've had tremendous success where it's amazing how many times people come up here.
And, you know, they were a North Texas grad 25 years ago and they just haven't been up here yet.
They get up here for a convention or meeting and say, I had no idea you had all this.
We didn't know. So it's really rewarding when we see that.
But there definitely is a time for that.
So, yes, as you are planning things, you know, sports and recreation facilities, that's a big draw.
Wedding facilities. So all those kind of things help draw.
And at the end of the day, you have people to stay overnight and and spend money in our city.
And that's what we want. Thank you again, Commissioner Anderson.
Yeah, first of all, I'd like to thank you all for the presentation.
It was very nice. And as a resident born and raised here in Denton,
it's good to see somebody step up and take this action to promote the city.
I've never seen anything done like this for the city before, and I want to thank you all for doing that.
But my only question is, who came up with the hippiest city?
I'd rather see it say the happiest city, but because I know people that live outside of Denton that don't come into town
because we do have a bad population of the homeless right now.
And I think that kind of gives a negative connotation. That's just my thought.
But but anyway, bringing in all the sales tax dollars that you guys are doing, I think that's tremendous.
And I appreciate that. No, thank you.
And I will let you know none of that is not a set tagline at all.
We are testing things. And so feedback like this is very important to see.
What are the proper words for us as we explain the city?
There's a couple of different headlines that we've been using, and we may, you know, test them out and copy.
And just see how they perform. But we haven't we're not the hippest little city in Texas yet.
It's not the official tagline because you've been here for a year.
But if you're born and raised here like myself and Commissioner Cole, I mean, Commissioner Cole,
that there is a little area in Denton over on Fry Street, which was the hippie city, I mean, the hippie street.
And that kind of brings a negative connotation when you think about it, because there is a lot of bad deals that went down over there.
And but anyway, I'm glad to hear that that's not a yeah.
Well, and both Mike and I went to University of North Texas about a while ago.
And so now we're back. So I do understand what you're saying about Fry Street.
And so thank you for that. Yeah, thank you.
Well, if there are any follow up, sir, you'd like to see any more detail, because again, there's a hundred page document.
Please feel free to reach out to myself or to Mike. We're happy to share that again.
We're happy to share any of the analytics that we have so far.
What's been working and what we've sunsetted.
But all of that, we're just thankful for your partnership.
So thank you. Excellent, Jessica Mike. Thank you so much for coming out when you're taking that.
You got a souvenir. We got a souvenir. Thank you so much. Thank you.
OK, next on our work session agenda is clarification of agenda items listed on our agenda for this evening.
The first being our minutes for the 18th meeting. Are there any questions or clarifications needed on that?
OK, seeing none, that'll move us to our consent agenda.
Any questions? Clarifications needed on consent.
OK, then let's move to agenda four, items for individual consideration.
Not exactly sure how to move forward with 4A.
Are we just doing that in regular meeting? Regular meeting? OK.
Commissioner Smith, did you have a question?
We just have to do that in public, correct? OK, I got you. I didn't hear you. Sorry.
OK, next is 4B, PP2112B. Hello, Sean.
Just thought it might help to have this pulled up.
An updated version of this plan was emailed to you all earlier, so all comments have been addressed on this plan.
And we are now updating our recommendation to approval. Yes, I'm happy to answer any questions if you all have them on.
Yeah, that was all emailed out. I believe that was earlier today. Yeah, so everyone received that updated.
OK, any questions? I do not see any.
And so we will move to 4C, PP2116. That is Sean's item. That is mine.
And we are recommending denial, does not meet the established criteria,
but they request an extension specifically to the September 22nd meeting and staff has no objection to that requested extension.
And I guess my only question on that is, I mean, they get a 30 day extension.
And I know their request was specifically for the 22nd. Is that how we should then proceed?
I mean, if there was something that was not finished by the 22nd, then they could not receive another extension.
They were given the option to choose either P&Z meeting knowing that they had to choose one and they chose to go down.
OK, so that is their request is a date certain of 9/22. Yes, ma'am.
OK, very good. Any questions? OK, thanks, Sean.
Next item is for DPP2117. I don't see Karina here. She is calling in this evening.
She is calling in. Karina, are you there? Yes. Can you hear me? Yes.
All right. Yes, I decided to do this one from home today.
So the item today is a preliminary plat for a single lot for multifamily that is recommending denial.
However, the applicant has requested a 30 day extension to October the 6th.
And with that, I can answer any questions. Any questions for Karina on this item?
I don't see any, Karina. Thank you. All right. I got the next item.
That's OK. Oh, very good. Then we'll move to for EPP2118.
All right. This is also a preliminary plat for another single lot for intended multifamily development.
This item is also being recommended for denial.
And they recently submitted a request for an extension that was forwarded to P&Z earlier this week.
Staff does not have any opposition to this request, and I can take any questions on this item.
Any questions, commissioners, on this item?
There are no questions, Karina. Thanks again.
That will move us to our public hearings on the agenda.
Our first is 5A Z2111. Invite Ron up for discussion on this item.
Thank you, Chair, members of commission. Give me a couple of minutes here or a couple of seconds to share my presentation.
That's the wrong one. Take my glasses off.
One second. There you go. Sorry about that.
Good evening. Ron Maguero, principal planner with Development Services, Chair, members of commission.
This item for you, for your consideration for this evening is a zoning change request for a property referred to as Dollar Flowers 380.
The request is for the rezoning of approximately 9.462 acres, which is being requested from R2, Residential 2, to Light Industrial Zoning District.
The site is generally located on the northwest intersection of East University or otherwise 380 and North Trinity Road.
The site is outlined here on this slide, outlined in yellow. As you can see, it's a long rectangular shape.
It primarily is along 380, and it was part of an annexation back in 1969.
Again, annexed in 1969. Prior to 2002, it was Zoned Agricultural, one of the lowest intense zoning districts.
In 2002, with a citywide rezoning, the property transitioned to NR2, Neighborhood Residential 2.
And again, in 2019, with the recent rezoning for the city, it was transitioned to R2.
Really just to name it from NR2 to R2, much of the dimensional standards remain the same, but again, R2.
The parcel is currently undeveloped. As you can see from these photos, the property again is along 380.
This is the intersection. The top image is the intersection of 380 and North Trinity Road.
There are some landscaping or trees along 380.
The site below, or the image below, is a photo from Fishtrap Road showing the openness of this property.
Now again, the subject property that we're referring to is really of the area south, or along 380.
The area to the north, which is owned by the property owner, is not part of this rezoning.
It is just the narrow lot along 380. According to the applicant-
Excuse me, Ron. I believe Commissioner Smith might have had a question on the slide here.
Yeah. Thank you, Chair.
Ron, on that citywide rezoning in 2002, was all of the corridor along 380 rezoned in R2?
Was that just blankly added in there? Because I see it further down 380 there.
Do you know much of the history behind that?
Right. So the zoning prior to 2002-
It was agriculture, and then it sounds like you said in the citywide rezoning in 2002, all that whole area got rezoned to R2, NR2.
NR2, correct.
Was there a thought process in taking that agricultural to NR2 in the first place?
No, I believe the R2 was intended for some sort of density. I think it could have been something RD5 that is.
However, R2 was selected primarily maybe because there were residential units in the area.
But I think they were just trying to find a zoning district that was more below as intense and anticipating that there may be some changes.
So it was more of a holding zoning for what it was?
That's my assumption. Again, a lot of these properties were vacant, but some of these properties were developed with residential.
And therefore, my understanding in the 2002 rezoning, they sort of looked at what was on the ground and chose to go with R2 in that situation.
And when was that LI- I'm assuming that that LI that's to the west of that property, when was that changed to LI? Do you know that?
2019. So 2019, there was a new set of zoning districts. It probably was either ECI or some other zoning.
So I guess the- so before the 2019 citywide rezoning, it was already an equivalent LI-
Correct.
You know, when it was made out, whatever the equivalent LI to the prior code, the 2002 code?
That's correct. It followed the transition that we had, a transitional table that identified any of these zoning districts would transition to this.
So LI would have been ECI or something similar in that nature.
I don't think you understand the question. When was that property? Because I'm assuming that property was probably R2 at some point as well.
When did that property become LI or the equivalency to LI, do you know?
I do not know. I would assume in 2002, it was some sort of industrial. But prior to that, I'm not sure what the zoning district was.
Okay. I'll just ask you offline. Thanks, Ron.
Okay.
Commissioner Cole.
Thank you, Chair. Ron, I'm looking around this piece of property here.
And all I see are rural homes. I mean, people across the street, swimming pools, large lots, you know, rural type setting to the north, to the east, to the south.
Why lot industrial around a rural area?
I can go, I've got that in my next slide and I can kind of explain that. Hopefully I'll address your question.
I'll start with the applicant's request and purpose of this. They obviously are looking to develop the site and R2 is residential.
They have, it's been undeveloped for some time, even since 1969. There has not been any development that is.
So they're looking to market this site for a non-residential use. It could have been commercial, but they chose light industrial as the zoning district.
We know that most likely this site will not be developed with residential being that it is along US 380, a primary arterial.
We know that TxDOT is planning to expand 380 to be a more higher traffic volume in terms of the classification of the roadway.
So this site would most likely be something of a non-residential use. So R2 probably would not be the best zoning district.
So that's their reasoning for going to light industrial to market for a use that is more in line of what could be developed along a primary arterial, such as 380.
They don't have a development or use in mind as of today, but they would like to see the site develop with something more of a light industrial nature.
They provided, and it's part of your backup, part of their summary during a neighborhood meeting, they provided an aerial of all of the light industrial or even higher heavy industrial uses in the area.
And so that is, again, their reason. So now, why is staff recommending approval? And we have our staff analysis, part of your backup.
But again, some of the reasons or some of the factors that we looked at was, again, what is likely going to develop on this site?
We know that there is a number of development proposals and activities within the area that is going to be light industrial in nature.
We also understand that this is a major arterial or primary arterial that will less likely be developed with residential.
We also know that this is a gateway into the city, and we identify some of the opportunities for a gateway type development.
And again, residential would less likely be that case. So I don't know if that helps answer your question.
I know that there are existing rural residential in the area.
But again, this one is along 380, a little bit different than what's located along the northern side of this property.
Call me skeptical.
We're starting to do this on West 382. It's like we're, I mean, I get the future plans, but the here and now and what you see with your eyes is totally different.
And I mean, you guys are trying to do this out west by Ranch Estates, I mean, intense use around Hartley Field.
And again, I'm looking here, man, and I see nothing but ranch, a big land and housing surrounding this whole thing.
And to me, a lot of industrials is kind of a bridge too far.
I mean, you know, I understand the future plans, but the here and now is totally different.
OK. But I appreciate it.
Thank you. OK. Commissioner Anderson, your button not working.
Say thanks, Ron. I'm on the same page as Commissioner Cole.
You said it's a gateway into our city, and I'm just not on board with having visitors driving down 380.
And you come into and like he said, you have residential homes on one side and then you have industrial on the other.
That's not what I think about when I drive through a city that I want to go visit.
You know, first thing you see is industrial and not Commissioner Cole say we're doing it on the West 380 and everyone try to do on East 380.
I would be more adept to approving something that might be a small commercial or they could put, you know, like a nice little office there or something like this.
But industrial, you open that up for many different things.
So, I mean, if they're willing to do something, maybe like commercial or something like this, I'd be more than happy to do something like that.
But I'm kind of with Commissioner Cole. I just don't see this being a good thing.
Appreciate it. And I know that the applicant will be here during the public hearing, so that might be something that can be discussed.
OK, why don't we why don't we let Ron continue with a little bit more information and then we'll get back to if there's questions.
So, again, no development has been proposed for the site there again, trying to just market this for a use sometime in the future.
Part of our staff analysis, which you have in your backup, we looked at a number of zoning criteria for approval.
Is it consistent with the future land use map? In this case, the future land use designation is rural.
Again, we know that this area is developing. We know that there are developments that are coming from the West.
So rural probably will not be the it's not the primary designation.
And so part of the comprehensive plan update, we're looking at this area in other areas of the city and looking at our future land use designation that fits more in line with what's happening today.
I'm not going to go through all of the seven, but the ones that I've highlighted are some that I want to specify or expand upon during this presentation.
Number five, the intensity of the development in the new zone district is not expected to create significant adverse impact.
There were two meetings held, virtual meetings, and there were four total members of the community that participated in it.
And a lot of them really were concerned about the traffic. What would this traffic or this use generate in traffic?
We know that the primary access will be off of 380, so much of that impact will be along 380, which is already a busy street and will get even more busier.
So as far as traffic, the access will be off of 380, which is, again, unlikely to generate any traffic impacts to the surrounding area.
Public facility, there's currently no water or no sewer in the area or wastewater.
The applicant, again, has stated that when this develops in the future, obviously part of their development will need to extend any of those services in those infrastructures.
So that will be part of their development process.
Again, that, again, will have to be their development will have to meet the standards that the city has established.
There were notifications sent out, obviously signs were posted.
There were two virtual meetings, website and online notices were provided.
And as of this afternoon, there were only one response.
There was one response in opposition, and that person lives off of Trinity Road and his property is just north of the site, north east of the site.
And you can see from the image that the arrow points to the area where it is within the 200 foot buffer.
Outside of that individual, all of the other residents, we have not received any responses, either in opposition or in favor.
So again, just one response as of this afternoon.
Ron, did that person give any reason for opposition or?
No, he provided the same information I provided you all.
I have not spoken to this person, I know in the past month I've spoken to one person and they've concurred in the same concerns that they shared the same concerns.
And that is really what's the traffic going to, how's the traffic going to impact my property?
And I'm guessing based on our conversation that that property owner lives north, probably on Fish Trap.
He did not specify exactly, but based on his comments, it appears to be his property being along Fish Trap and
his concerns were the traffic generated by this use, this future use.
Staff recommends approval using the criteria that is in our development code.
And as outlined in your staff report, staff recommends approval and I'll stand for further questions.
>> Thanks, Ron.
Commissioner Smith.
>> Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I won't, just for the sake of time, I won't ask you to answer it now.
But in public, will you show right of way dedication that's going to be needed for
TextDOT on that 380 expansion, whenever that does happen?
And how much of that land, because it's a long, narrow parcel of land, how much of that land is going to be eaten up by it?
Because it's already long and narrow.
And if there's another 25 feet of right of way there, I don't know how wide, however you want to say it.
How tall, how long, I don't know how you want to look at it, Ron.
But what's that depth?
And basically, after the right of way, how much is left that's still actually developable?
That would be helpful.
>> Great, Commissioner Smith, I'll definitely follow up.
I just know that they're currently in the process of designing that, but
I'll see what I can find out as far as how wider that right of way will be.
>> Okay, thank you.
>> Commissioner Perot.
>> Yeah, just a question, Ron.
I recall some discussion a few months ago at council about how,
I think in this context, it was gas wells in the ETJ outside of the city limits,
would affect our development criteria for development near to that gas well within that.
And so in this context, I guess my question is, would the transition area
requirements that normally apply between a residential use and an LI apply in this case,
even though the residential area is in the ETJ?
>> Are you referring to the screening and the buffering and the separate requirements?
>> Yes, yeah.
>> Yes, the buffering and the screening for whatever use is on there, we know the use.
But when it comes to zoning, since the property is not zoned, it would unlikely be applied.
But the use for sure, there is a use standard buffering against a particular use.
We will apply that standard.
But we also have buffering and screening requirements adjacent to zoning districts,
since that is not applicable in this case, then it would be something we will not be able to.
Does that make sense?
>> Yeah, so the requirements for the use would, buffering against the use would apply,
but buffering against zoning districts since there aren't any zoning districts north
of there would not apply.
>> Correct.
>> Okay, thank you.
Any other questions for Ron?
>> No, I don't see any.
Thank you, Ron.
>> Thank you.
>> Our next public hearing item is Z2113, and that is Mark Laird's item.
Hi, Mark.
>> Good evening, my name is Mark Laird, I'm a planner with the Development Service Department.
This evening, for your reference and consideration,
I have a request to rezone 1.372 acres from rural residential to residential one.
This property is located on Miller Road, east of Mosh Ranch Road.
The site is currently vacant and is surrounded by rural residential, residential two and the ETJ.
The property owner is requesting the rezoning to allow for a site complex
to develop the property for single family use.
In 2010, the city didn't annex this area.
At the time of annexation, it received a designation of RD5X.
With the adoption of our current code, that property transitioned to rural residential.
The map on the right shows the request and what that looks like.
Staff has reviewed this request, and the staff analysis is attaching your backup as exhibit two.
Public outreach was made, sign was posted, 12 public notices were mailed out,
and 13 courtesy notices were mailed.
At this time, we haven't received no responses.
Staff recommends approval of this request as it complies with the criteria of section 2.45(e)
and 2.72(d) of the Ditten Development Code.
I stand for any questions you may have.
- Hey, Mark, I had a question when I looked at just the site map.
There's a structure on the southeast or southwest corner of that property.
What is it?
- It's a barn.
- Does it belong to the property owner, or is it?
- It belongs to the property owner.
- Okay.
- When they purchased the property, they assumed it was there.
- Okay, very good.
Thank you.
Any questions for Mark on this item?
I do not see any.
- All right, thank you very much.
- Our next public hearing item is PD212C.
That is Julie Wyatt's item.
She's making her way down.
- Hi, Julie.
- I'm Julie Wyatt.
Let me pull up my presentation.
- Come on.
All right, it does not seem to want to go into presentation mode.
Okay, well, here we go.
We'll improvise a bit.
How about that?
All right, good evening.
I'm Julie Wyatt, Senior Planner with the City of Denton.
And I'm presenting PD21-0002C to you tonight.
Typically, we go through our whole presentation at work session
and then at regular session.
I thought I'd try to do a little bit abbreviated,
just go through the first few slides on the project.
If you have any questions, of course, we can go through the entire presentation.
But if not, then we can just go through the full presentation
at the regular session, if that's okay with you.
All right, so the request before you tonight
is to rezone a tract of land, about 32 acres,
from mixed-use regional district to planned development district.
The subject site is near the intersection of North Bonnie Bray Highway 77
and Loop 288.
It's outlined in yellow on your screen.
The purpose of this PD is to facilitate the development
of one of our newer residential uses we're seeing within the City of Denton.
That's horizontal multifamily living.
Currently, the zoning is MR district.
So I want to let you know that regular multifamily
is a permitted use within the MR district with use-specific standards.
So this is a use that would typically be required by right.
However, given the newness and the kind of the different structure
of this horizontal multifamily living, that does require a planned development
at this time within the City of Denton.
It's not a use that we really define within our code.
And I just want to talk briefly about what their proposal is,
and then I'll talk about our recommendation.
And then if you have any questions, we can go over those.
So they are proposing, as I said, this horizontal multifamily living use.
What that is, is it functions like a traditional multifamily use.
It is rental dwelling units on a single lot.
But these are designed a little differently than what we typically see
in a garden-style apartment or maybe something like a mid-rise,
in that they are all single-family homes or duplexes.
So they're small cottages, almost designed like a compact neighborhood.
So in this instance, they are proposing 316 single-family or duplex units.
They're organized in the manner that you see on your screen.
It's this legible grid.
They do have pedestrian pathways throughout the site.
In particular, there is a 30-foot wide, almost a linear park,
that central spine that runs through that development in the center of it.
They also are proposing amenities throughout the site.
There is a traditional amenity center with a pool and outdoor eating areas.
There are also sort of social spaces, plaza areas scattered throughout the development.
And they're shown with the blue star.
So those are scattered throughout the development.
They also have a dog park within the proposal on the southern end of the development.
And then those additional pedestrian connections running east-west.
And also there are north-south sidewalks within the site.
There are three access roads or access connections to Highway 77.
There's the main entrance in the center of the site and exit only on the southern end.
And then just an emergency access only on the northern piece.
So based upon the criteria for approval, staff is recommending approval of this request.
I'm going to skip down to our recommendation slide, because it does comply with our -- by
our analysis, it complies with the criteria in subchapter 2 of the debt and development
code.
And I'll be happy to answer any questions.
>> Commissioner Smith.
>> Thank you, Vice Chair.
Julie, are these manufactured homes or are they going to be true-constructed?
>> The elevations look very manufactured or modular.
>> The applicant will be here tonight.
That wasn't -- we -- modular homes are considered to be single-family homes within this -- within
our debt and development code, so we really don't differentiate between that construction
style.
But the applicant will be here tonight to maybe talk about their construction methods.
But it is -- I am not aware of it being a modular type home.
But they'll have additional information for you.
>> Okay.
Thank you.
>> You bet.
>> Commissioner Perrett.
>> Thank you, Vice Chair.
On the site layout, on the eastern side where it currently borders Bonnie Bray, does that
take into account the proposed right-of-way change for the expansion of Bonnie Bray?
>> It does.
And that was something that we had to work through the applicant, because they initially
wanted to connect to Bonnie Bray in that location.
But due to the capital improvement of Bonnie Bray, that expansion of it, it will actually
-- the alignment will track to the south and connect to Highway 77 south of the property.
Now there will be a sidewalk.
So there still will be a sidewalk connection in that area.
But there will not be a direct vehicular access to Bonnie Bray.
It won't actually touch it after that roadway construction is complete.
>> Okay, so the pedestrian access would be essentially north out of the vehicle exit
area and then along the roadway on the sidewalk to the south?
>> Yes, sir.
>> Okay.
>> And you actually bring up a good point, because that was something that we worked
with the applicant.
We did want those pedestrian connections, particularly to the property to the west.
Because the adjacent zoning is MR, and then beyond that is it one of our legacy PDs that
actually allows for commercial or employment-type uses.
And so even though there was not that direct vehicular connection to the properties to
the west, we did want to make sure there was that pedestrian connection or bike connection.
So when that does develop, if there's a Starbucks over there, those residents would be able
to go through that gate and walk to those properties to the west.
>> Any other questions for Julie?
>> All right.
Thank you.
>> I do not see any.
Thank you.
>> Okay.
Our last public hearing item is 5DZ215B.
That is Cameron's item.
>> Okay.
Good evening, everyone.
This might look familiar to some of you, so this is Z21005B, which is the residential
rezoning for 418 Robertson.
So just to give you all some background, this originally went through in front of Planning
and Zoning Commission on June 23rd.
The request was for a rezoning of .326 acres from MN and R4 districts to a residential
6 district.
There was no public meeting held and one property was in favor.
This was voted 6-0 to approve the rezoning.
This was then presented to City Council on August 3rd with a recommendation for approval.
At least three members of the City Council indicated that they were in favor of an MN
rezoning instead of an R6 rezoning, and then other members indicated that they wanted to
hear more from the neighborhood regarding the proposed development.
So this was remanded, remanded the proposed rezoning back to the Planning and Zoning Commission,
and then for review of a proposed MN district, as well as a neighborhood meeting.
And then this meeting took place on Monday, August 23rd, and we had approximately 20 members
of the community in attendance.
So now the new request is a rezoning of .326 acres from that MN and existing R4 to a mixed
use neighborhood district.
The property has been vacant since 1984, and during the community meeting we did discover
that this used to be the home to the first black-owned service station in Denton.
So this just shows that zoning map from 2002 to our current zoning map, which shows that
as that MN/R4 and then as the MN district.
So just to kind of go through, as you see, we have our zoning criterion for approval.
I'm going to be focusing on the Denton plant 2030.
So the site is designated low residential.
So it does allow for new development up to four dwelling units per acre.
So the MN typically is not consistent with our future land use development.
However, it does continue that existing zoning pattern that I showed on the previous slides.
It does permit a variety of lower intensity housing types and provides that opportunity
to create a neighborhood serving retail in the future.
So currently it is surrounded by Fredmore Park, Fredmore High School, and the Child Care
Center, as well as Clarice Kitchen.
It also serves as that transition area between the low residential area to the south and
that downtown compatibility area just to the north.
And it does serve our overall goal to promote a compact development pattern through infill
development.
In terms of the MN is consistent with some of the surrounding zoning and development pattern,
our existing land use pattern along Robertson Street is mixed use.
The infill development, as I stated, would provide a variety of housing options and serve
as that transition between the north and the south.
And currently we do have two duplexes and two fourplexes currently located within 650
feet or less of the subject property, as you can see the map highlighted in blue.
There is no direct vehicular connection to the neighborhood to the south, and the development
would be required to conform with our current site design standards, including screening
and landscaping.
In terms of transportation, there would be two total morning peak hour trips and four
evening peak hour trips.
It would generate approximately one elementary student.
In terms of parks, like I stated, is located approximately 0.4 miles from Fredmore Park.
It does have public water and wastewater services available to it and is approximately 0.6 miles
from the central fire station.
We did have public outreach newspaper ad on the 22nd.
Property posted on August 18th.
We did have the neighborhood meeting on August 23rd.
And we did have one in favor as you can see on our map here at 521 Robertson Street.
And staff recommends approval for the request to rezoning.
And I'm free to take any questions.
Thank you, Cameron.
Commissioner Smith.
Thank you, Vice Chair.
A couple of questions on this one.
The desire to go to MN versus R6.
Is it primarily more based off the historical use of that property?
It is mainly looking towards the future.
So right now in front of just north of that property, there is vacant property.
And then you also have the MN districts just at the intersection or northeast corner of
the intersection of Skinner and Robertson Street and then further down near Claris Kitchen.
So yes, in the past, it was a service station and it has been vacant since the 1980s.
But I think the community is looking towards the future and wanting to have that option
if they were to do a mixed use neighborhood retail development.
But the applicant, if I remember this project correctly, the applicant was going to develop
a fourplex or a fiveplex or something like that, correct?
So the use of it right now as being put forward by the applicant is to build a fiveplex or
fourplex on that property and not do a mixed use.
Correct.
What was the applicant's opinion on this after it being remanded back to our commission?
So once speaking with the neighborhood, I think they understood as to what the neighborhood
was looking for with keeping this MN and designating the entire property to MN.
In terms of having that opportunity in the future, say they build the fourplex 20 years
from now, they want to tear it down, they want to have that mixed use opportunity to
build low scale commercial that people can walk to, people can walk from their park.
But the applicant was -- they were totally fine with it.
They saw what the community was looking for.
And the fact that they're still able to build the fourplex under that MN, there was no concern
to them just switching that from the R6 to the MN because they're able to still do that.
Yeah.
Okay.
I'll say the rest of my comments for public.
Thank you.
I'm a little bit confused on this one because, I mean, you keep saying the community wants
the MN.
But, I mean, it was really city council that kind of, I guess, forced that issue or were
there people in that public hearing?
I'm confused at how that came about.
Right.
Yeah.
So if you could clarify that, that'd be really great.
Of course.
No problem.
So once it went to city council, as I stated, there was no public meeting initially held
due to some circumstances with the applicant.
So when it went to city council, that was one of their main concerns is that the neighborhood
had no opportunity to speak regarding this rezoning.
They wanted to have that opportunity.
And when it was discussed what uses could be applied within the R6 versus MN, some members
of council felt that the MN allowed the neighborhood to do that residential if they wanted to do
that, but also do that commercial development in the future if that's what they chose to
do.
And they also felt that it didn't really deter from our future land use in terms of it was
a transition area.
So staff went back, as I briefly showed in my presentation, and obviously I'll go into
more detail in the public hearing, how, yes, it's not necessarily consistent, but it does
allow for that transition with that downtown compatibility and that kind of mixed use that
we have to the north.
And what's currently existing on Robertson Street in terms of mixed use, we do have churches,
we do have Clara's Kitchen, we do have the school just to the south.
So it's not totally off the books, I guess it would be just to continue more of that
mixed use along the street in the corridor.
Okay.
That doesn't exactly answer my concern.
So you were at the neighborhood meeting.
Yes, I was.
I mean, but wasn't it billed and the signage even and the way we have it posted, it talks
about building a duplex or at least some type of residential.
Yes.
So other uses were discussed at this neighborhood meeting?
No, mainly, it was more of a clarification at the neighborhood meeting.
It was more of the applicant discussing, because there had been confusion of what was being
proposed and what was being done and the applicant was more so there to explain, no, we're not
coming here to develop multiple properties.
We're here just to build a four complex and provide the rental rates, the time of construction,
how long that would take, kind of that just basic information just to let the community
know that they were listening and also just not coming in and doing whatever they wanted.
Well, right.
But I mean, you know, the development doesn't go with the zoning.
So I mean, now it's back to us as an MN zoning, which really kind of changes certainly the
way I look at it.
So that's, yeah, I'll leave it more for the rest of the public meeting at that point,
but I'm definitely still confused at how we got to this point.
But anyway, any other questions?
Okay.
Thank you.
I do not see any.
Thank you.
Okay.
I think that concludes the agenda and therefore our work session.
I'll adjourn us at 6.11 p.m. and we will come back here for our public meeting at 6.30.
Good evening and welcome to the City of Denton's Planning and Zoning Commission meeting for
Wednesday, September 8th, 2021.
With a quorum present, I will call our regular meeting to order at 6.37 p.m.
Our first agenda item is the Pledge of Allegiance to the U.S. and Texas Flags.
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for
which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
Honor the Texas flag.
I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one state, under God, one indivisible.
Thank you.
Our second agenda item is consider approval of planning and zoning minutes for August
18th, 2021.
Commissioner Smith.
Some motion on the floor to approve the minutes.
Commissioner Anderson.
I second.
Okay.
We've got a first and a second for approval of the minutes for August 18th.
Any discussion?
Let's take a vote on the board.
That motion passes 7-0.
That will move us to our consent agenda.
Commissioner Smith.
Make a motion to approve.
We have a first.
Commissioner Cole.
Second.
We have a first and a second to approve the consent agenda.
Any discussion?
Seeing none.
On the board, please.
That motion carries 7-0.
That moves us to agenda item four, our items for individual consideration.
For A is the election of chair and vice chair.
Any nominations for chair?
Commissioner Smith.
Make a motion to nominate Margie Ellis as chair.
Well thank you, Commissioner Smith.
Commissioner Cole.
Second.
Thank you, Commissioner Cole.
Any other nominations or discussion?
Well with that, I will say thank you and let's vote on the board.
And that passes 7-0.
Nominations for vice chair.
Commissioner Villarreal.
I move to nominate Commissioner Smith for vice chair.
Commissioner Perrett.
I second.
We've got a first and a second to nominate Commissioner Smith as vice chair.
Any discussion?
Let's take a vote on the board, please.
Motion carries 7-0.
Thank you.
Welcome vice chair Smith.
Our next item is for B, PP210012B.
We'll welcome Haley and Sean for presentation.
This is preliminary plaque 2112, this is order logistics 35 edition, this property is located
on the south side of the I-35 frontage road just north of the Acme brick facility.
Since the posting of the agenda, all staff comments have been resolved and we are now
recommending approval of this preliminary plaque.
I'm happy to answer any questions.
Thank you, Haley.
Are there any questions on this item?
Commissioner Smith.
Make a motion to approve.
And Commissioner Cole.
Second.
Okay, we've got a first and a second for item 4B.
Any discussion?
Seeing none, let's vote on the board, please.
That motion carries 7-0.
That will move us to 4C, PP210016.
That is Sean Jacobson's item.
Sorry, just having a moment here with technology, one second.
It gets the best of us, Sean.
All right.
Okay.
Yes, so this is preliminary plaque PP2116 and staff is recommending denial as it does
not meet the established criteria for approval, but staff has no objection to request extension
to the September 22nd, 2021 PMT meeting.
Any questions on this item?
The applicant is requesting an extension to a date certain of September 22nd.
Commissioner Smith.
Make a motion to approve the extension of date certain to September 22nd, 2021.
Commissioner Pruitt.
Second.
Okay, we have a first and a second to approve that extension request.
Any discussion?
Seeing none, let's call for a vote on the board, please.
That motion carries 7-0.
That will take us to 4D, PP210017.
That is Karina's item and I believe she's joining us via phone.
Hi, Karina.
Karina, are you there?
Can you hear me now?
Yes, we can.
Hi.
I apologize for that.
We have to hit a couple buttons before we unmute.
Good evening, Karina Maldonado, Associate Planner.
The item before you is a preliminary flat for a 9.92-acre property generally located
on the east side of South Loop 288, approximately 300 feet south of East McKinney Street.
This is a preliminary flat to create one lot of record intended for a multifamily development.
Staff is recommending denial as it does not meet the established criteria.
However, the applicant has requested a 30-day extension to allow additional time to address
those comments.
The staff does not have any issues with the request for the extension to October 6th, and
with that, I can take any questions.
Any questions for Karina on this item?
The applicant has requested an extension to a date certain of October 6th.
Commissioner Smith?
I make a motion to approve the extension to date certain of October 6th, 2021.
Commissioner Cole?
Second.
We've got a first and a second to approve that extension request.
Any discussion?
Seeing none, I'll call for a vote, please.
Motion carries 7-0.
That will move us to 4-E, PP21-0018.
That is also Karina's item.
The floor is yours, Karina.
Thank you.
This is a preliminary plat for legacy multifamily denton.
This is located on the south side of East McKinney Street, approximately 530 feet east
of the intersection of Mayhill Road and East McKinney.
The preliminary plat is also for one lot of record for a multifamily development.
A specific use permit to allow multifamily on this site was approved earlier this year.
The applicant is requesting a one-time 30-day extension to October 6th, and staff does not
have any opposition to this request.
I can take any questions from here.
Any questions for Karina on this item?
The applicant has a request for an extension to October 6th.
Commissioner Smith?
I make a motion to approve the extension to October 6th, 2021.
Commissioner Pruitt?
Second.
Got a first and a second to approve the extension request.
Any discussion?
Let's call for a vote on the board, please.
Motion carries 7-0.
That will take us to our public hearing section for this evening.
5A is Z21-0011.
I will call up Ron Mangitta for presentation and open the public hearing.
Thank you, Chair, members of the commission, Ron Mangitta, principal planner with Development
Services.
I will share my presentation.
Tonight for your consideration is a request for rezoning for a property approximately
9.462 acres.
From Residential 2 to Light Industrial LI Zoning District, the property is generally
located on the northwest intersection of East University, otherwise known as US 380 and
North Trinity Road.
The subject site is identified here on the screen, outlined here in yellow.
The property was annexed in 1969 as part of a city initiative to annex property along
US 380, and you can see that the area that were annexed extends further east.
Prior to 2002, the subject site was Zoned Agriculture, one of the lowest zoning district
at the time, and that typically was assigned to properties that were recently annexed.
In 2002, part of a citywide rezoning, the property transitioned to NR2, Neighborhood
Residential 2 Zoning District.
The 2019 rezoning update transitioned this site from NR2 to R2, consistent with the R2
in development standards.
Just the renaming of the zoning district is what happened in 2019.
The parcel that we're discussing tonight is currently undeveloped.
The property owner owns the property not only in the city but also to the north that is
currently in the county.
The property owner intends to, the purpose and reason for what they provided in their
narrative is to market this site to develop, so they're looking for the rezoning to do
so.
They are looking again to zone the property at LI for a property that could potentially,
or a development that could possibly be a light industrial use.
At this time, they don't have a development or use proposed at this time, however, again,
they're looking at marketing this for a use that is not currently residential.
I wanted to just share this illustration or this slide here to illustrate that there is
a zoning district of LI to the west of the subject site.
The subject site is generally here in this area right here.
Not only do we see development activity to the north of 380, that is a light industrial
nature, but we are also seeing them being developed or proposed along the southern portion
of 380, again, in this general area here.
As such, the extension or growth of light industrial to the east is something that we
considered in our staff analysis.
Part of that staff analysis, we looked at the seven zoning criteria for approval that
you see here.
I won't go through all of them.
All of them are in your backup, but I really wanted to focus on the three that it's highlighted
here on this slide.
The proposed zoning is consistent with the future land use map designation.
In this case, it is not.
The future land use designation for this area is rural areas, and again, this was done back
in 2015.
However, now with the development activity in this area, we see that this area is going
to be more than rural, and again, not only does it is inconsistent, however, there are
some parts of the comprehensive plan where it is consistent in terms of goals and policies.
Number five, the intensity of development in the zoning district is not expected to create
significant adverse impact.
One of the things that we look at is the traffic that's generated in this area.
We know that 380 is a primary arterial.
It is in TxDOT's plans to widen this roadway to be more of, I want to say, a free or higher
volume roadway.
Therefore, any traffic that's generated by a future use would be able to, US3A would
be able to accommodate that additional traffic.
Public facilities and services available in this area to serve the subject property, there
is currently no public services in terms of water or wastewater.
The applicant and the owner understands that any development that occurs, they would need
to extend water and wastewater.
There is water to the west along 380, as well as wastewater further west, but again, in
this vicinity, there is none.
However, again, any development that they propose, they will need to extend and pay
all the impact fees as related part of their development.
Notifications were sent out for this rezoning request.
Plans were posted.
Two virtual meetings were held on July 28th.
During those neighborhood meetings, there were a total of four individuals that participated.
To summarize some of their concerns or their comments, traffic was one, and then the other
was just really the use and the screening of it to their properties.
My guesstimate of their properties would be north of the subject site, so along Fishtrap
and other properties to the north.
We also posted on the city's website and also newspaper notices were sent out or published.
Mailed out were notices to property notes within 200 feet, 18 in total, and then also
postcards or courtesy notices were mailed out to properties within 500 feet, 27 were
sent out.
As of this afternoon, staff has only received one response, and that response is in opposition.
And a copy of that response has been provided to the commission.
With the staff analysis, staff recommends approval as it complies with the sections
that's listed here, 2.4.5E as well as section 2.7.2.D.
With that, that concludes my presentation.
I'll stand for any questions, and the applicant's representative is also present and can answer
any question.
I also believe that there is a presentation that they have, so again, just to let you
all know.
Thank you, Ron.
Commissioner Smith does have a question for you.
Thank you, Chair.
Ron, were the properties in the ETJ, did they get those notices too?
Did we change that?
No, they do not get notices.
They're just properties within the city of Dunn.
Gotcha.
That's what I thought.
I thought we were trying to get that.
That's correct.
Thanks.
Just to add that the signs were posted, and then we did get some calls.
Gotcha.
Ron, did you attend the neighborhood meetings at all?
I'm sorry?
Did you attend the virtual meetings?
Yes.
So, was there any discussion or concern on uses?
Was that discussed with the neighborhoods?
Yeah, there were some concerns with use.
Obviously, there is not one proposed, so they weren't sure what it is.
So I think that was really their concern is really what the use is and then how it would
be screened, like anybody that, you know, obviously sees development, they would want
to have some screening.
So generally, yes, there was discussion on what type of use and what type of screening
would be provided.
Okay.
I did feel, excuse me, Commissioner, I did feel to mention that I did have some responses
to some of the questions during work session.
One, the widening of 380, the text-dot widening is going to occur, however, it is really in
the feasibility stage right now.
And we know that there's going to be some additional right of way required, but we don't
know exactly how much.
So that is just one of the questions.
The other question is related to the zoning to the west and how the LI zoning district
was generated back in 2002 when they rezoned the citywide area.
Prior to the 2002, it was agriculture, similar to what this was prior to as well.
And at that time, I believe that they chose the ECI, the Employment Center Industrial
Zoning District, as a means of potentially seeing that area grow industrial because there
are industrial uses to the west and generally zone industrial as well.
So that is my understanding and how they got there is really based on the possibility or
the assumption that there was industrial uses already to the west of that subject property.
Thanks for that, Ron.
Commissioner Smith?
Thank you, Chair.
I haven't seen these sort of strict annexations recently.
Can you explain what the reasoning for doing that is and what the vision is typically when
a city undergoes that?
I think this was quite a while when that annexation happened.
In 1969, it was this one, and there were similar ones in other parts of the city, Fort Worth
Drive, even 35 to the north, you see these strict annexations.
And really, the purpose there is to extend our ETJ boundaries.
So as the city grows north or east, west, wherever it may be, so does the ETJ boundary.
And again, that's sort of what happens in those situations.
Any other questions for Ron?
Okay.
Thanks, Ron.
I do have a couple of cards here, so I'll invite the applicant up for her presentation.
Hi, Amy.
Hello.
Good evening, commissioners.
My name's Amy Bissett with 97 Land Company, 100 West Oak Denton, 76201.
I do have a very brief presentation to give, but I want to start by saying that I did watch
the work session and would like, will attempt throughout the course of the presentation
to answer the questions that I heard.
Okay.
I'll let you do it.
Thank you, Ron.
All right, so I do want to address the questions that I heard in work session and the concerns
that I heard in work session and maybe provide a little bit of color on the conversations
that we have had with the neighborhoods, our neighborhood meetings, and talk about options
from here.
So I do want to reiterate what Ron said earlier in his presentation that this is a strip that
was annexed in 1969.
It was annexed at the time.
It was an agricultural zoning and has been rezoned twice in citywide zonings, remaining
low density residential.
The pattern of development in this area is really why we chose the LI Zoning District
as our request.
I want to start by addressing that to some extent, and then I'm going to continue to
answer that question as I move through the presentation.
So as you all know, I represent multiple projects in the City of Denton, and I have two others
along this corridor, one of which you'll see in a couple of weeks, all of which are light,
industrial, and nature.
And when you do look at the whole corridor along 380, what you see is that the predominant
pattern of non-residential zoning is light industrial.
So when I sat with my client and we talked about the possible zoning designations, this
is the one that made the most sense in terms of consistent zoning across a corridor rather
than piecemealing a different zoning in here.
So that was one of the main reasons that we selected light industrial.
My client purchased this property with, they're a real estate company, and they purchased
the property for future development.
It's a real estate investment for them, and obviously a low density residential zoning
is not really marketable for them, and it's not necessarily appropriate along Highway
380 today.
And so we sat down and began to explore what is an appropriate zoning designation.
Their marketing intent when they purchased this property was to be as flexible as possible
to market it for warehousing offices or retail and pad sites, understanding the development
pattern, moving through this area, and seeing that there is quite a bit of demand for warehouse
type uses, specifically those that are transportation focused because of the thoroughfare nature
of Highway 380.
So they wanted to seek an appropriate zoning designation.
We did talk about multiple ones.
This one seemed to be the one that fit and gave them the most flexibility in terms of
being able to market the property going forward.
They also intend to develop to city standards versus the county standards that do not regulate
use or have other design standards associated with it that are in the ETJ.
So we've talked about how that might come to fruition, and we've had conversations
with the neighbors about how that would come to fruition, and I want to go into a little
more detail about that.
So we did hold two neighborhood meetings.
We did actually, I believe, mail to those in the ETJ because the majority of our participants
were from the ETJ, neighbors to our north.
I have highlighted in green on your screen the neighbors that we have had conversations
with or who have registered.
There's one that's registered opposition this afternoon.
So we did have two neighborhood meetings, and what we heard was that, generally speaking,
they represented the single-family owners that are to our north and northeast, and their
concerns were related to jurisdictional authority.
If we were to develop on the county side instead of the city side, what would that mean for
them?
There would be no use regulations.
There would be no development regulations.
Anything could go there, and my client at that time committed to the neighborhood that
they would take access off of 380 and not off of Trinity, which then triggers the city
requirements for development regulations, even on the county side.
We also heard that there was some interest or concern about the extension of water and
sewer from the west.
Specifically, they were concerned about who was going to pay for that.
My client made it clear that if and when this property develops, it will be on them to both
extend those services and pay for those services.
That would not be an obligation by the city.
We heard about possible land uses and tenants and the concerns associated with those, and
most of the uses that came up in those conversations, all of those uses that came up in those conversations,
either require an SUP or they have use-specific standards that specifically protect the residential
areas.
Some of those would be your automotive repair-related uses where you can't leave cars parked outside,
outside storage that has to be screened from view, landscaping and fencing requirements,
things of that nature.
Then lastly, we heard about traffic on Trinity, specifically because they are a single-family
neighborhood that is north of the site.
They did not want to see access taken off of Trinity for this project.
I think it's obvious, but my client also committed to the neighborhood that they would take their
primary access off of 380.
That's obviously desirable from a marketing standpoint and development standpoint as well.
Trinity Road is a narrow two-lane road that really wouldn't be adequate for any sort of
commercial access without some sort of improvements to it, which would be assessed at the time
of platting if this did go forward.
With that, I want to go back to the conversations that I heard in work session today.
Commissioner Cole, I heard you say that this is surrounded by rural homes.
Why light industrial?
I explained why we went with light industrial to begin with.
It's just the existing pattern all along that corridor, and we did not want to create an
inconsistent pattern of zoning.
Secondly, we did make quite a bit of effort to engage those neighbors, both on the north
side and the south side of the project, to hear their concerns, address their concerns,
and to get any sort of feel for opposition that we might hear from them.
We heard very little.
I don't know why that is, per se, but we did not hear from either the city or from the
neighbors that they wanted to see a different zoning designation, and this one seemed to
be the most compatible with what's already there today.
Having said that, we're a few months in now, and my client has had more conversations with
potential prospects, and it is possible that another zoning designation could fit here,
but we would need to be able to step back and reevaluate that.
Having said that, their preference is light industrial, and they believe that the protections
are in place for the neighbors, whether it's light industrial or another zoning designation,
because we would be under the regulatory authority of the city of Denton and the youth-specific
standards and SUP standards associated with some of those more intense uses that might
be undesirable or need some protection for the neighbors.
With that, I'm happy to answer any questions.
Thank you.
Commissioner Pruitt, did you have a question?
You're on the board.
That's from before.
Commissioner Smith.
Thank you, Chair.
I understand the zoning from the sense of how the development west has been.
It's been L.I. all the way up to there.
I think the difference, in my opinion, would be that they have more land for them to be
able to do L.I.
What is your opinion on that?
Having that strip zoning there, that narrow piece of property to be working with, there's
plenty of L.I. uses, as you mentioned, warehouse, retail space, pad sites.
But if that's the case, those things can also be in an HC or in some instances, not everything,
but even an SC or something like that.
The intent here is that the client would develop both sides of the property, both what's in
the ETJ and on the city side, so it wouldn't necessarily be development only on the strip
side.
But the strip side, that zoning would control the development regulations of the entire
site.
We've actually done some conceptual exercises to try to figure out what would fit there
as they begin to market this.
We've put some pad sites on the corner.
We've put a couple of smaller warehouse and office flex spaces that fit, but the scale
is obviously impacted by the size of the property, so while L.I. may have some larger scale projects
to the west, it would be limited here to some smaller projects just by the nature of the
site itself.
Gotcha.
But going in with L.I., even into the ETJ property, section of the property, that would
be kind of the intent.
Correct.
Our understanding is that if we take access through the zoning of the city of Denton,
we will be governed both land use and regulations on the entire property.
Okay.
Thank you.
Commissioner Anderson.
Hey, thanks, Amy.
One of my concerns now, hearing that it might be warehouse and storage, is people pulling
in and out of a 380 with trailers.
People are doing 65, 70 through there, and you're going to have people with a 10-, 20-foot
trailer trying to pull across and go across two or three lanes of traffic to go eastbound,
and I think there's 380s already, a lot of accidents, and I think that's just going to
be a big accident hazard just waiting to happen with people pulling trailers, because I know
a lot of landscape companies usually use warehouses and storage places like this to store their
equipment and stuff like this, and I just see it being a big accident waiting to happen
with trailers, people with trailers trying to pull in and out, people moving into Denton,
or people storing their furniture there with trailers pulling in and out.
To me, that's kind of scary.
I hear your point, and I don't think it would be self-storage necessarily.
I think it would be more of like a distribution type facility, and any substantial trunk traffic
I think would warrant a turn signal, or not, I'm sorry, not a turn signal, a decel lane
on our part at the cost of the developer to make sure that they are pulled off of the
main lane prior to turning in, but depending on what ultimately develops there, we would
have to look at that traffic impact specifically and make sure that it's mitigated for, but
I definitely hear your concerns, I drive that every day.
Would they be entertaining the thought of maybe doing some commercial stuff there instead
of industrial?
I would have to go back and talk with them about that.
I did see on there that you said retail pads, I think that would be better than commercial.
I think they're open to that, but in their marketing efforts to date, they've found
that there's a lot of demand for the light industrial type uses out there.
As they see that pattern continue to develop, that's where those users are looking.
I think they're still open to retail pad sites.
Our first conceptual exercise included a couple of those, especially on the corner there.
Yeah, I mean, because that's one of my big concerns is traffic, pulling in and out with
trailers trying to get across three lanes of traffic.
Absolutely.
People cruising through there pretty fast, so okay, thanks, Amy.
Amy, I did have a question for you.
You talked about concern of traffic on Trinity.
There's no way to guarantee that the development wouldn't be on Trinity.
There's really no way to do that.
This is a zoning change request, right?
So you've allayed the fears by talking to them, but there's really nothing to say that
that can't happen, right?
As far as I know, that is correct.
I think that they would intend to and want to take access off of 380, but from a zoning
standpoint, that can't be restricted.
Right, right.
That's definitely a concern of mine.
Any other questions for Amy?
I don't see any at this time, though.
Okay, thank you.
You know what?
I stand corrected.
I have one more question.
Would your applicant consider a possible postponement to re-look at some of the things and think
about some of the discussion that we've had today?
I think that if what we're hearing here is concerns for this specific zoning designation,
that would be our preference, yes, as a postponement.
I think a lot of concerns heard and one mind, too, is taking into considerations these special
areas of this rural living and really making the best decision that we can, knowing that
obviously land that fronts the university being R2 is not, obviously, that's not appropriate,
but what is the best?
We would consider a postponement, and that would be preferable over an undesirable outcome
today because light industrial is the issue.
Understood.
Okay.
Thank you for presenting.
I do have another card here wishing to speak.
From Bud, is it Fuson?
Fuson.
Bud Fuson.
Well, welcome.
If you'll state your name and address, you will have minutes to speak.
Okay.
Bud Fuson.
I live at 1828 Countryside Drive, which is at the corner of Fish Trap, and your point
on the traffic was very valid because there have been three people killed at Trinity in
380 in the last year and a half, so every time you pull out on 380 from Trinity, you're
basically taking your life in your hands.
Beyond that, my initial question was, you know, what was the classification of light
industrial, but I think that's been answered.
Pretty much anything goes, and I would definitely hate to see that, as I live just north of
this property on Fish Trap, and I would certainly hate to see the property values plummet.
As an aside, on this property, there's a tree line, and there's kind of a buffer between
the noise on 380, and whatever happens on that property, I would certainly hope to see
that tree line maintained, so thank you.
Thank you for coming to share your points with us.
Any questions for Mr. Fuson?
All right, that is the only card I have left.
This is a public hearing.
Anyone else wishing to speak, whether you filled out a card or not?
Seeing none, I will close the public hearing, and I will make a point, as Ron stated, that
we all did receive in writing a note in opposition, and that will be recorded with the city secretary.
At this point, the chair can entertain discussion or a motion, Commissioner Anderson.
To be a good steward, I'd make a motion to postpone it, to let them listen to our comments
and suggestions instead of just totally denying it, so we can come up with a solution to be
a good steward to the neighbors and to the city, something that would work for both.
I mean, would we give them a 30-day extension, Ron, is that what we'd do, or Haley?
Well, I wouldn't want to give an indefinite date, I mean, would 30 days be fine, Amy?
We can look at the calendar and identify a date, I don't have it.
I mean, I think a 30-day is October 6, is that right, that's what we did on the others.
Our preference would be to come back sooner rather than later, so either the September
22nd or October 6th, the 22nd, I think we could be quick enough to be back two weeks
from now.
But just in case, would October 6th be better, I mean, or we can do September 22nd, that's
up to you, I mean.
I don't know if that agenda's too full, Haley.
We have quite a few public hearings coming up, but either date could work, whatever is
best for the applicant.
Yeah.
I mean, I just don't want to try to rush it through and y'all not get through in time,
and then we have to deny it, or I'd rather give y'all 30 days, and then come back if
you wanted to come back earlier or something.
I think my client's preference would be the sooner date.
Okay.
Just to keep things moving.
Then why don't we postpone it to September 22nd?
Okay.
So your motion on the floor is to postpone this item to a date certain of September 22nd?
Yes.
Okay.
Commissioner Cole?
Second.
You have a second to postpone to a date certain of September 22nd.
Commissioner Pruitt?
Yeah.
Just a couple thoughts, since I didn't have the opportunity during the presentation.
I haven't yet been convinced that strip annexation is what you do in a position where you can
make good planning decisions.
Instead, you have these strips of land, and it always seems to be butted up against an
existing use, like rural homes, and it's a very strange situation.
With that said, if it wasn't annexed, it would be county property, and we'd have no jurisdiction
over the use, and the landowner would be able to do whatever they could within the county
regulations.
So, you know, we'll see what it comes back with.
I'm not opposed to postponing it.
I think we just need to keep in mind what the situation is and how we got here.
Thank you, Commissioner Pruitt, for your thoughts.
Commissioner Smith?
Thank you, Chair.
I'm in line with Commissioner Pruitt in that, you know, I don't think that strip annexation
was necessarily good for being able to develop, you know, very rural areas, and definitely
done for the sake of being able to extend ETJ, and it stinks that applicants and their
representatives have to suffer for this, but, you know, I think that's a worry that I do
have.
If this was, you know, what I always have where it's the project is what you're really
looking at when you're looking at a zoning case, in this scenario, we're actually truly
looking at a zoning case with no real project behind it, but I would hate to make what is
a major thoroughfare major gateway into the city from the east to be 100% defined by the
industrial nature that is up and down 380 definitely already exists there, but much
like what we had on the project on 77 Northside north of north of 288.
We have a little bit of a decision and to say as a commission to be able to decide if
a gateway into the city looks a certain way.
We have that choice and so I'm going to support the table to possibly say well if there isn't
a project with somebody already there and needing light industrial then what possibilities
are there for an HC or an SC and the marketability for that because I feel like those zonings
would would bring a much more attractive and even useful for Mr. Bud here zoning that retail
spaces commercial centers that their rural neighbors could have access to could possibly
be there instead of just warehousing we've got enough warehousing out there so I will
be in support of it.
Thank you Commissioner Smith why look forward to this coming back I think there were some
great thoughts shared and I think more discussion and thoughtfulness is needed on this so we'll
see what happens with that I will call for a vote on the board to prove an extension
to a date certain of September twenty second.
Motion carries seven zero.
Ron I believe this gentleman has if you could answer his question please thank you.
That will move us to item five BZ twenty one zero zero one three I'll invite Mark Laird
up for presentation and open the public hearing.
Good evening my name is Mark Laird I'm a planner for the development service department this
evening for your review and consideration I have a request to rezone one point three
seven two acre track from rural residential to residential one this property is located
on Miller Road east of Moss Branch Road the site is currently vacant and is surrounded
by rural residential residential two and ETJ.
The property owner is requesting the rezoning to allow for site compliance to develop the
property for single family use and 2010 the city annexes area and part of the annexation
is on the designation of RD five X with adoption of the current code that transition to the
rural residential the map on the right shows the proposed zoning request.
This evening for our discussion I'll be focusing on items three eight three and eight for the
general approval criteria for all applications and items three six and seven of the zoning
criteria for approval the site the didn't plan 2030 has a site designated as business
innovation this business innovation is intended for large scale office employment parks lot
manufacturing and support of residential and commercial uses business innovation land use
is a mixed use designation and residential development is not entirely discouraged within
these uses given that the lot is located under on the urban fringe with limited connectivity
to in rural roadways the current development pattern of the subject site and lot surrounding
area are appropriate in this area the subject property is within a well-established large
single family lot development and under goal LU dash three of the comprehensive plan related
to maintaining a strengthening neighborhoods infill is encouraged of vacant lots within
residential areas.
Our one zoning district is not consistent with the business innovation designation it
is consistent with the neighborhood surrounding areas minimizing adverse impacts on surrounding
property our one is consistent with the surrounding area and the proposed zoning will allow the
development of a single-family detached dwelling direct vehicular connection to Miller Road
is only from Mosh Branch Road development will require conformance with the current
site plan design standards including screening and landscaping public facilities and services
available to serve the property as far as transportation one driveway connection to
Mill Road this property is located within the school independent school district the
property is approximately 5.1 miles to the nearest park and does not meet the parks requirement
of a 10-minute walk to a park the site is has available public water service from an
8-inch waterline however wastewater is not the site can be served by onsite septic system
the nearest fast fire station is 4.6 miles and is not within the 8-minute or less response
time boundary error in establishing the current zoning district there was not an error in
the assignment of the current zoning addition as mentioned earlier this property was annexed
in 2010 and received the RD 5x zoning designation to meet the current standards of the development
code the property must be rezoned to a district smaller with the minimum lot size therefore
the existing RR excuse me therefore the existing rural residential district is no longer appropriate
walkout reach was made newspaper ads were placed signs posted 12 public noses were were
sent out within the 200-foot radius and 13 courtesy notices were mailed out at this time
we have received no responses staff recommends approval of the request as it complies to
sections 2.45 E and 2.72 D of Denton Development Code I stand for any questions that you may
have thank you mark any questions I do not see any thank you for the presentation this
is a public hearing I don't have any cards but anyone is welcome to speak on this item
and Stuart I assume we don't have anyone on the phone correct no ma'am nobody's okay
thank you okay seeing no speakers I will close the public hearing and open to the floor discussion
or a motion Commissioner Smith make a motion to approve Commissioner Villarreal second
okay we've got a first and a second to approve z21 13 any discussion okay seeing none let's
call for a vote on the board please motion carries seven zero that will move us to public
hearing item 5c pd 21 0002 c I will call Julie Wyatt for presentation and open the public
hearing good evening I'm Julie Wyatt let me pull my presentation let's see if I can get
it to work yeah I did okay good evening I'm Julie Wyatt senior planner with the city of
Denton excuse me and I'm presenting pd 21 0002 c Christopher Todd communities the request
before you is to rezone the subject property from mixed use regional district to plan development
district the purpose of the rezoning is to facilitate the development of a horizontal
multifamily living use the subject site is located at kind of that intersection of loop
288 highway 77 and north bonnie bray it is outlined here in yellow it's sort of situated
on the northern side of town just to orient you to the existing zoning that existing zoning
mr district it does permit multifamily uses with you specific standards so really that
that sort of multifamily use as it as it functions is already permitted in the district what
we're really talking about today is really that design and kind of how it's laid out
the subject the proposed horizontal multifamily use is is kind of newer to denton I think
you've maybe seen one of them and it really kind of it although it functions like a multifamily
it really doesn't meet our definition of how we define multifamily in the denton development
code and so so that's why they are moving forward with this PD sort of define this use
as they're proposing the definition it would be more than three dwelling units on a lot
with a maximum height of two stories not to exceed thirty feet and then no more than two
dwelling units could be contained in one building as I mentioned this is really similar to traditional
multifamily but it just doesn't meet that that definition that the denton development
code has for multifamily um we'll just take a look at what their site plan shows remember
with a PD you've got the development standards and then you have that development map so
we have that site plan a tie to that PD as as proposed it would contain three hundred
and sixteen single family or duplex units as you can see on the site plan on your screen
it's really organized around sort of a grid pattern that that follows also the boundaries
of the property um the subject site connects to highway 77 in three places um first in
in the middle section there is a full access point for for future residents um both in
and out of the site um the the south entrance is would just be an exit only um and then
the north entrance would really just be for emergency vehicles and that really is just
to make sure that they've got that adequate emergency access um that drive aisle loops
around the property um connecting um with north south um um spines um and that parking
is along that drive aisle so really does disperse that parking through the through the site um
you can see each of the uh the units how they're organized they really are intended to be organized
around common open spaces and you can see that in those areas that have that star those
are actually plaza areas that are kind of um um put throughout the pro the project to
allow that common gathering space in that social space um they also have are proposing
a a um an amenity for uh the community which would include a pool and a barbecue area also
a dog park at the southern end and there are also linear um connections for pedestrians
uh throughout the site uh the main one would be this main spine shown here in this on this
blue area arrow it is 30 feet wide and it would include tree plantings and and pedestrian
walkways um and that really does connect a pedestrian gate on the west side to that community
center and throughout the the development um and those drive aisles they're also proposing
patterned and stained concrete to alert drivers that at the um potential presence of pedestrians
um i mentioned the pedestrian gate on the west side they're also proposing a pedestrian
gate um near highway 77 and that would allow residents to connect to that sidewalk um and
then on to the greater uh pedestrian facility um they are also oriented one thing that i
i failed to mention in the work session i want to talk about is the southern edge of
the site uh as i mentioned this is sort of um developed with with single family and duplex
uh dwellings each dwelling unit would have its own private space so its own private backyard
with a tree uh and and it's it's oriented in a way on the southern side so that the
backyards of these uh proposed units would back up to a developing residential use and
we'll talk about this later in the uh presentation but there's uh they're proposing a six foot
masonry fence along that back along that southern property boundary um with those units with
the backyards uh backing up uh to the adjacent site so it really does um sort of function
like kind of a traditional neighborhood although a compact neighborhood uh here's kind of zooms
in and what one of those little pods um looks like uh this is this is um just a small section
of the proposal and you can see the units um the two bedroom units uh the the duplexes
just have one bedroom units so it would be um two one bedroom units within that duplex
uh it shows the backyards and they are they are proposed to be fenced with small patios
um and trees in those backyards and then foundation planting so they really do function like you
would go into a single family home with that lead walk connecting to the the pedestrian
um sidewalks the criteria for approval for a pd is in sub chapter two of the debt and
development code we've got the general criteria for approval by staffs analysis the project
does meet the general criteria criteria for approval and then we have the specific criteria
for approval for pd's and we're going to go over this a little bit more in detail as we
talk through the project so the first thing we always talk about is the denton plan 2030
it's our comprehensive plan um the subject property has a future land use designation
of business innovation and that map on your screen shows you how this this site really
fits into the larger um vision for this area um in denton um just to describe business
innovation it is one of our mixed use future land use designations it's generally intended
for um employment and office uses maybe larger scale um employment and office uses but there
is room within that future land use designation for um for supporting uses like retail and
residential um so that you do get that mix of uses um within it um and in the development
criteria it does discuss that them uh that we should maintain the character of an area
by ensuring any new development would be sensitive this to the surrounding built uh built environment
in context and scale so we'll um and you can see by that map we've got the subject property
it is in that business innovation it is adjacent to other future land use designations um low
residential is to the south we've got community mixed use um just across bonnie bray just
to the east of the subject property there's also governmental future land use designation
so there's a lot going on in this one little area and now we'll talk about how we analyze
that future land use designation so um we looked at that and and how it all fits together
in that map and then we also looked at the surrounding um built environment um and this
site is um is um near uh some developing uh residential areas and also some institutional
areas and you can see that by the map so um the subject site is outlined in yellow uh
we've got a a new single family neighborhood that's under development right now uh you
might remember those plots that you've seen come before you recently uh the the new dentin
high school is currently under construction south of there we've got some uh moderate
density residential to the um to the east of the subject property that includes things
like town homes as well as some multi-family and then we have a um a university center
uh to the northeast of the site so there's there's a lot of institutional and residential
uses in this um in this this specific area and um and so in looking at that in the context
and the character of that area we um it is staff's analysis that the supporting residential
uses may be more appropriate in this situation and maybe not not so much the employment but
those supporting uses um this proposal would um would kind of extend that existing residential
pattern that's developing to the south but at a little bit higher density to allow that
transition as you move north toward loop 288 um and this and um as a as a supporting use
within the business innovation it would provide that housing to support those future employment
uses we anticipate will be developing to the north and to the west of the subject site
um and then also not only the future land use map but we also look at other goals and
elements within dentin plan 2030 and one goal within element seven is to develop uh you
know a diverse housing stock with lots of choices in terms of costs and and housing
types and and as i mentioned this is a newer residential form it is that multi-family that
kind of with that single family and duplex flavor with those with those private backyards
and and kind of that single story um aspect and so this does contribute to our housing
choice and it just allows that additional array of options for our residents uh criterion
two complies with the dentin development code except for those areas it does that it is
um it is mentioned in the development standards in your backup it does it does comply with
the dentin development code and will have to comply with the dentin development code
as um if it's approved and if it moves forward um the intent of this pd really is to establish
that horizontal multi-family living use so that really kind of newer use um just to go
over this briefly they are as i mentioned proposing those 316 units um landscaping just
to briefly mention um a multi-family development that that comes in the city of dentin we have
within our landscape code uh um certain provisions and one of those is is you have to seek you
you have to provide enough elements within your development to equal 30 points out of
a list um it can it can range from things like um like uh uh landscape islands within
parking lots or right of way screening um um other kind of sustainability measures so
we have a menu of items with which developers may choose um as part of their development
they've actually expanded that list and as part of that would be those private backyards
so they do meet those those points within that landscape system but just added to that
list in order to sort of conform to this new uh development type um i did talk about the
buffer on the south side of the property um one other um item that they are requesting
a deviation is some um onsite pedestrian pathways as i mentioned you know they've got a lot
of those linear pathways within the the development some of those are um are less than the typical
five feet they're four feet but those are just in those areas where um those uh linear
open spaces are a little narrower and then finally um they have included in their parking
totals those garage spaces they are proposing 88 garage spaces as well as covered parking
in their in their proposal a criterion three provides greater building design amenities
and connectivity so as i mentioned this is proposed to be designed as sort of a compact
residential neighborhood and an alternative to to a kind of what we typically see that
garden style apartment um each proposal each unit would have that ground floor uh private
open space they are proposing all single story units um no two story units so they would
all just be that one story um they have the two building types and that's the single family
and then the duplex and then they have three elevations um associated with each type to
provide variety within the development and um each uh each unit does have that covered
front entry as well as connects to that um pedestrian or the um the pedestrian network
within the the site uh want to talk about um the site amenities i i know i talked about
these before just um uh just briefly want to mention a couple of other things uh there
isn't a a 75 foot uh electric easement along loop 288 as well as an additional easement
for um for a future water line along loop 288 um and that really does um help to situate
the site um the site so that it sort of sets these residential units back from loop 288
provides that sort of passive natural space really sets them back from that highway and
gives that that that nice buffer um as i mentioned the dog park and the eight courtyard the eight
courtyards the pedestrian pathways um uh the vehicular maneuvering i kind of talked about
that grid pattern that the site sets up it does sort of create those legible seat streets
within the development so that um so that you can kind of find your way through it um
and community pool and barbecue area um and then connectivity we talked about this earlier
as well um given the limited connectivity um in um for the subject property loop 288
um doesn't there's not a connection a vehicular connection that's permitted to loop 288 in
this area bonnie bray is going to be realigned um kind of away from the site and so so the
the vehicular connectivity is just to highway 77 uh in order to provide additional connectivity
for future residents they have provided the pedestrian gate on the west side as well as
the east side to connect to to nearby facilities and and properties for future development and
um and access criterion four um compatible buildings uses and consistent with the character
of the area as we looked at with the um with the aerials this area hasn't you know there's
a lot of undeveloped property particularly to the north and to the west of the subject
property um the zoning on a lot of that that property is is either uh either allows for
commercial development or maybe some sort of employment development so we anticipate
that those types of uses are going to be coming in to the north and possibly to the west of
the subject site uh as i mentioned south of the subject property we do have that residential
character and this is where we're really comparing that uh king's ridge uh plat which you're
probably familiar with with the subject site to see how those sort of marry together at
that edge so king's ridge is just south of the subject property and it abuts the subject
property on the north on the north property boundary the subject property um connects
to it in this location and it has oriented those those units so that it's it's uh it
mirrors what you typically find in in a residential neighborhood with uh oriented toward the the
street or the open space area to the north with the with the private backyards adjacent
to the the um the the property abutting it. Provision of public facilities to support
the development uh we spoke with uh Denton ISD and they uh all of the schools within
the um attendance boundary do have the capacity to accommodate any student generation from
this development and there is a fire station within the uh eight minute or less response
boundary it's at Windsor and Bonnie Bray. Uh water and wastewater they have uh begun
working with engineering regarding utility connections the development to the south is
actually bringing water and wastewater uh north to the the boundary of this project
and if this is approved and it moves forward with development they'll have to extend that
water um to their side and then and then throughout it. I want to take just a moment to talk about
transportation in this area there are quite a few arterials and then there's a highway
within this area first we have highway 77 it's uh along the the uh northeast property
boundary it is a primary arterial and it is constructed as a four lane divided roadway
it is a text dot road north loop 288 is north of the subject property and it is also a text
dot road and that is a highway and then finally Bonnie Bray street and that is also a primary
arterial uh it is not designed arterial standards yet it is under it will be going under construction
shortly and we'll we'll talk about that um in in a subsequent slide. Uh so let's talk
about that Bonnie Bray project. This is this is the the schematic of of of the future roadway
that is adjacent to the subject property so uh north is this direction and the subject
site is is uh in this location right here. As I mentioned um it will require the um
the uh reconstruction of Bonnie Bray will uh change it from from what it is today to
a uh four lane divided road uh two lanes going north and two lanes going south. It will connect
to highway 77 south of the subject property so uh Bonnie Bray will no longer be adjacent
to the subject property but will track a little bit to the south of it and that will be a
signalized intersection there so as part of the Bonnie Bray project there will be a traffic
signal at Bonnie Bray and highway 77. There are also pedestrian improvements associated
with this project. A six foot sidewalk is uh proposed uh near the subject property on
the west side of Bonnie Bray and then a ten foot shared use path will be on the east side
so that will be able to accommodate bicycles as well as pedestrians. The applicant submitted
a traffic impact analysis for the project and it has been reviewed and approved by engineering.
It is anticipated to uh to uh generate about 2200 daily trips. That's 144 morning peak
and then 176 evening peak. There is adequate capacity to serve this development um within
the studied intersections except for that intersection at Bonnie Bray and highway 77
and it is anticipated that um with build out conditions and the background traffic uh regardless
of this development that intersection will not function at at an adequate level of level
of service uh within the next few years. So that's why uh with that capital project they
are adding that signal. The TIA um concluded that that signal will smooth out that intersection
and and our engineering folks have reviewed it and and um and agreed with that assessment.
Uh highway 77 on highway 77 they are all are also proposing to modify this uh median um
adjacent to the main entrance of the subject property to allow that protected left turn
so that those residents who are are aiming to turn left into the subject property can
go ahead and get out of the um the uh travel lanes and be able to turn into the subject
property. Uh it while it is near North Lakes Park it's one of our regional parks it um
it is just about a mile from that park so it really is not within our 10 minute walk
to a park boundary. Uh you can see that um I've kind of shown you what that future walk
or biking um uh pathway will be to the North Lakes Park facility. But the applicant is
proposing those on-site recreational amenities uh both private and public. Notification was
sent out uh we have not received any uh responses and staff recommends approval as it complies
with the criteria for approval. Um the applicant is here to answer questions and I'll be happy
to answer any questions as well. Thank you Julie. Uh Commissioner Smith. Thank you Chair.
Um on regular multifamily the owner maintains the roads. Horizontal multifamily does it
carry the same the same thing? It does. It's not it's not it's not a city street like you
would with like a what you would normally see in a duplex or a you know a bunch of little
small homes something like that. It's still be maintained by the property owner just like
normal multifamily would be. You're absolutely correct. This will be a um a gated community
and so those would all be while they sort of function as streets within the development
they are private drive aisles so they would be maintained by the by the property owner.
Gotcha. Now I don't remember seeing it in the presentation but did you put in there
in some of the criteria aligning why this zoning change made sense for the Flume Business
Innovation? Uh given the the surrounding residential especially the residential to the south um
it's it's really our analysis that um those secondary uses that are embedded within business
innovation that those make more sense in this location that we don't really anticipate a
more employment type use um or uh or in in this given that adjacency for the residential
to the south. So this makes sense in this location and I believe there's room within
the future land use map to accommodate that. Okay. Commissioner Pruitt. Thank you chair.
Uh I sorry this just occurred to me and I don't see capital projects or traffic around
but um I recall at the 2019 bond discussions there was talk of extending Bonnie Bray up
to meet 288 to have some sort of interchange up there. Um do you have any information about
that and how that might affect the the circulation at that intersection of 77 and Bonnie Bray?
Let me let me share my screen and make sure I'm I'm sure I think we can probably find
a map that find it. Um are you talking about this this leg right here? Yeah I think it
was termed as phase seven perhaps of the Bonnie Bray project something like that yeah. It's
my understanding and Haley may may know more than me that right now that that um section
is not a part of Bonnie Bray and I don't know of the timing for that. I do remember I do
remember those discussions but I don't think we're there yet and Haley I don't know if
you know anything further. There we go. Technical difficulties. Uh no that is my understanding
as well that the current bond package just goes through phase five which I believe gets
us up to this point. I don't believe there's plans uh for the the northern leg of that
okay that have been accommodated for. Thank you. Julie is there any walkability to the
high school um that would be in the near future in this area? I mean I guess eventually down
Bonnie Bray if that's what we would want them to do but is there any on the west side? Um
on the so on on this area right here. Yeah I mean is there any way to get to the high
school from um I would think I think we probably will. Engineering has been talking with city
council as well as well as the neighborhood just to the west of of the high school and
I don't know what the conclusion was of those discussions but I think it's probably information
we can bring back to y'all because I know there's been a lot of discussion. There there
are um there are sidewalks planned for Bronco Way so Bronco Way will have sidewalks as well
as Bonnie Bray. Um I believe there there may be something happening in this this area but
I just I couldn't say for sure. It just seems with what we what we have um well proposed
here and then the the the other single family development happening that we need to provide
a safe way for these kids to walk to school. They're right there but you know walking
down Bonnie Bray is not the way to go. Um so okay um I would love future discussion
on this. Yes ma'am. Um okay thank you. I do not see any other questions. Um this is a
public hearing. I do have a couple of cards here and I believe they are applicant cards
to speak so I will call up um Matt Lucas. Hi there. If you will state your name and
address your time will begin. Thank you. Good evening commissioners. Uh Matt Lucas um 13
4455 Noelle Road in Dallas. Um I'm the lead consultant. Um I work for Kimley Horn. Um
and uh this is my baby. Um we've been working on this project since November. Um actually
brought it forward um as a zoning zoning compliance plan and um received some feedback after we
prepared that that it needed to go through the PD to fit the use um because it didn't
fit straight in the multi penalty so um it's been a minute been some frustrating moments
at times you know I mean as you work through a process but uh Julie's been great and um
I really think that we've got a um a better quality product in product here um was working
with staff so really appreciate that. Um and so I'll just um I'm not going to belabor too
many points. Julie did a great job kind of being very thorough. Um so I'm just going
to add a little color. Um we've got some renderings in here that I want to just highlight that
I think will kind of highlight and give you an idea of what the community will feel like.
So um first um just uh thank you for your time this evening and want to uh talk a little
bit about um you keep hearing Christopher Todd communities um and then you'll see Taylor
Morrison uh throughout the the project and so Christopher Todd communities uh is a luxury
uh single store rental community developer. They're based out of Arizona. They've got
eight communities on the ground with four more upcoming. So they really know what they're
doing in this space and they have teamed up with Taylor Morrison who is a uh national
home builder um who builds quality product and to the question earlier about whether
this can be manufactured homes uh it will not be manufactured homes. It will be built
to the quality and the standard that Taylor Morrison builds in their single family uh
projects. Um and so what we're really talking about is uh this single store rental and uh
we are seeking uh renters by choice which really means um to kind of put it plainly
this is a product that's a cross between a multifamily product and a single family product.
So on the single family side you get your private backyards um you don't have neighbors
that are um below you and above you and unless you're living in a single family duplex building
which has two units to the building you don't have anybody beside you. Um so each unit has
a 10 foot deep backyard by the width of the unit um and where we're able we also have
some oversight yards which is actually accounts for about 20% of the units um or the homes
within the development. So um you know what makes Christopher Todd communities um different
is is the amenities that come with the name. So it's stuff like the private backyard uh
the smart home technology that's in every unit the pet friendly environment um at your
interface within the unit uh you have the ability to uh see your ring doorbell to control
your environment to when you have a visitor or package arrive uh you have access to to
to the gate uh with video um and you also have access to 24/7 uh maintenance. In addition
to that you have your uh resort style amenities that you would have at most class a multifamily
projects so you have this amenity uh this great pool um this is actually a picture of
a pool in Phoenix ours um you'll see in a later rendering um but you get the community
and the social spaces the amenities including the dog park the pool the barbecue area the
fitness center um and you know really spacious fitness center with a yoga studio um we have
as Julie uh highlighted we have a lot of social and get community gathering spaces throughout
the development um that we'll talk talk about here this is just a picture one of our oversized
backyards don't pay too much attention to the building elevation this is uh a phoenix
project um our building elevations as you've seen and you'll see here shortly um right
now are a lot um nicer than maybe what they've seen in the past in the phoenix project so
um uh we have masonry um throughout um that does include a cementious hardy board which
we think is a really attractive uh and and long-term product um but we do have three
distinct elevations for the single family um or the duplex and three for the um the
single family two bedroom units this is a rendering uh 3d rendering of the unit itself
so you see uh just spacious open concept you have stainless steel appliances you have an
island uh you have a you know double vanity walk-in closet everything that anybody wants
uh in a single family home um you have and of course the direct connection to your backyard
with a lot of natural light coming in the back very similar elevations on the two bedrooms
just three distinct elevations uh three distinct looks um and again a similar layout for the
two bedroom unit that has two full baths and it integrates the uh second bedroom at the
front of the unit here um then the fun part you know how how do we take the chris for
talk community's uh framework um their standards that they've set and apply it to a community
and um you know so we're 316 units 100 are the one bedroom homes and 206 the two bedroom
homes um and this is what you're getting um this is a bird's eye view although i was corrected
by millennial this is the drone's eye view um some of the terminology has changed um
so really enhanced entry centerpiece is the amenity complex with the pool um which to
highlight that you know we've got um drive in you've got a great view through the pool
um really gives you that just resort feel as you drive in leasing center on the right
on the left is your fitness center um and then you've got your barbecue area and your
club space that's um back behind the leasing center on the right um julie highlighted connectivity
so i won't continue to beat the dead horse but you know very similar maps if you compared
ours to hers is highlighting uh many of the the orange the vehicular connectivity which
also has um an enhanced kind of streetscape feel and so to give you an idea of what that
feels like um this is the main boulevard that runs north south this is standing basically
at the dog park on the south side looking north um streets lining the trees or lining
the streets sidewalks on both sides to really enhance the north south connectivity and you
also have that along the drives on the east west in addition to that the blue areas um
just to highlight the pedestrian only connectivity we've got three what i'll call kind of spines
running east west the two orange uh areas and then the purple that runs down the middle
those vary from 15 to 30 feet wide um and um the experience is is something like this
you know we have seating areas that are going to be uh around i guess spaced in um uh regularly
throughout the area um two sidewalks down this 30 foot uh linear open space and and
really gives a great feel um for those living in the community and be able to um you know
take your dog for a walk go for a jog um whatever you want to do um and gather with the community
so um to highlight a little bit more those gathering spaces each of the orange and the
purple stars they're a little bit um hard to see because they're you know kind of through
the middle plus the yellow stars we have um uh if you include the dog parks i think we
have 31 uh we'll call community gathering spaces which um you know is roughly one space
per 10 10 homes um which which is really impressive and i think sets a really high bar for this
type product and sets a even you know i think it holds you know holds a lot of other multifamily
projects um you know i think we could beat them hand in hand for the amount of uh community
gathering space and backyards that we provide in our community
this is what one of those uh gathering spaces the yellow uh stars around the around the um
uh project would look like um we've got seating areas shade trees um a larger paving area
um great for you know doing yoga gathering with your neighbors so um and then we've of
course got the uh 21 of units having oversized backyards um in our community as well and
i know i'm short on time we do have a short video i'll kind of leave it up to y'all deal
it kind of gives the feel of one of our communities in phoenix would love to hit play i don't know
if sound works or not but you can at least kind of see um you know some of the open spaces
in some of the minis is that something that y'all be interested in playing it's just a
few minutes long go ahead and play okay all right please thank you hopefully it'll work
here um well um i guess uh i guess it's not gonna not gonna cooperate cooperate with us
um well apologize about that that's okay thank you for joining yeah of course um and then
just uh kind of you know sum it all up here's the community kind of all in one slide so
i'm happy to answer any questions uh you might have
thank you man commissioner smith thank you chair um can you give me kind of a rough estimate
of what you think the economics on this project are going to be i was looking at some of your
properties while you're presenting out in arizona and you're looking at most of the rentals
out there somewhere between 2000 to 2400 a month what are the economics you're really
projecting for this or at least the applicants projecting for this i know you're the engineer
so sure yeah and i asked that question earlier and did get the information so um our one
bedrooms would rent for 1300 uh a month and then the two bedrooms would be uh 1710 okay
so very very comparable to um i think comparing it to local rent rental rates for multifamily
projects uh i think we're a little bit higher than the mark um i think there's another um
kind of class a that we're very comparable to kind of in that same range um now it's
kimmy horn been involved in this project that they that that christopher todd has done down
in garland as well uh no um not in garland um actually christopher todd i don't have engineer
on that first one um but uh but i do know it's under construction okay and sunday patel
with taylor morton's here if you've got any specific questions related to that yeah okay
no i don't i just wanted to know what your experience was from the engineer side of how
that how that's gone on so far well and and i will say um uh if questions related what
kind of experience we have um we we we do um a pretty good amount of these around dfw
um and and have um by far this is my my favorite project we've worked on so far um what's that
well um it really embodies um the uh really the community aspect more than a lot of other
projects do um there was a um just a a lot of thought that went through um just the shape
and form of the vehicular connectivity and the block structure and the pedestrian connectivity
um that sometimes we don't get to really dive into uh some of that was um through the the
the denting process and working with initially sean and then julie um to to really enhance
the product um and i think just the amount of community gathering spaces in this in this
project is going to it really makes it special got thank you commissioner anderson hey first
thanks for coming out and doing the showing the presentation that kind of shows off your
product i think i actually i think it's really kind of a neat little product yeah i think
uh i think it's a lot better than having all this vertical stuff we got going on these
days and um it gives the people a sense of not ownership but something that they can
call a home instead of just an apartment but uh just a just a room to live in right yeah
yeah no i think it's really good but i do have a couple quick i mean since there are
only 10 yards are you going to put is it going to be tariff or is going to be real grass
in the yards uh i think we're toying around with whether it's turf or grass at this point
um right now we're expecting it to be grass um with um one one shade tree in the backyard
okay and the fences that separate the yards are they going to be vinyl or metal fencing
uh we're actually uh proposing right now the thought process is doing wood fence on on
this project itself okay no but uh anyway i just hope to see this project get approved
and uh look forward to seeing i think it's really a neat concept excellent well thank
you thank you commissioner mr lucas i don't see any other questions thank you for joining
us thank you very much appreciate you have another card uh wishing to speak jack dawson
okay it does say here that you are in support of the project okay this is a public hearing
i don't have any other cards in front of me but is there anyone here wishing to speak
is there anyone on the phone wishing to speak no ma'am okay thank you with that i will close
the public hearing and open the floor for discussion or a motion see commissioner anderson make
a motion to approve commissioner villarreal i second okay we have a first and a second
to approve this item is there any discussion
commissioner smith thank you chair um while i'm not necessarily against this project i
think that i do want to just and i'll probably vote for the project because i think it is
a good one but i would like to maybe just make it known to the commission that if you
look at this location and where this multifamily property let's call what it is is located
we are going to be compounding on top of more residential development there with no real
access to any type of retail services any type of grocery stores anything else that
is not but further down bonnie braid down to razor ranch now it's not that far of a
drive when you start talking about the other developments that have been approved there
already and the new high school being there now a lot of those developments that are already
coming in have been approved by this commission been voted on by this commissioner but when
you take a look at this business innovation and you go through and you read what the flume
actually says about business innovation i might and julie i love you but i might disagree
with you in that i don't think i see secondary benefits that you mentioned and be and business
innovation being referenced there that it's office parks flexible use spaces supporting
company retail and services allowed by right accessible parks development there should
be transit routes development should be near near existing residential areas not development
should be residential areas and that the flume says it's business innovation this intersection
of 77 and 288 is really and it's already currently zoned for is really kind of a primed
area for some commercial uses and so it gives me concern i think the product is great it's
nothing whatsoever on taylor morrison and if you guys haven't gone look at the website
that crisper todds got out there i mean it's they they really are great great projects
but we are setting a precedent by doing something like this that uh that that we could end up
be tying that entire didn't high school development all that new high school coming in there around
there into a tight spot of not really allowing those systems to have commercial and retail
uses they may want so i just want to make that known thank you commissioner smith commissioner
purit thank you chair you know i share some of the concerns as commissioner smith the
when you talk about building neighborhoods right you need something there other than
houses for it to be a neighborhood in this case there there is some undeveloped land
to the west of here and who knows how that will progress so maybe there's a way to to
integrate something like that in the future we don't know you know i think uh when we
think about neighborhoods and these types of developments that we've seen a couple of
so far start having a discussion about what the pros and cons are between treating it
like a multifamily development where you sort of go out of your way to segment it off from
surrounding properties versus trying to integrate it into those neighborhoods now in this particular
case our hands are a little bit tied because the the property to the south as commissioner
ellis stated was proved i believe it was under the 2002 zoning code that doesn't require
any external connectivity to to adjacent properties so you know for this one it kind of is what
it is um and you know i i guess i yeah it's at the same time it's a um it's a good product
you know it'll provide homes for people we need homes of different sizes for people to
live in um and and so i i guess i i share some of the concerns and i just hope that
the projects in this region will spur some more um non-residential development in the
future thank you i think those are great points commissioners and possibly um this is near
this whole small area plan that we've had this discussion so those would be great points
um you know when we do get that started off the ground um yeah and just a few thoughts
on this this is really exciting to have um such a new and and um unique product really
available for for us i think it's i think it's a great thing for the city honestly and
and um um yeah i'm i'm excited so let's uh take a vote on the board
that motion carries seven zero congratulations uh public hearing 5d z21 0005b cameron robertson
good evening commissioners let me just share my screen real quick oops i apologize um and
cameron excuse me i will open the public hearing i failed to do that thank you um so this is
the rezoning so just to give some background um this originally went in front of planning
and zoning commission on june 23rd 2021 it was a requested rezoning of 0.326 acres from
mixed use neighborhood mn and residential four r4 districts to a residential six district
there was no public meeting held at the time and there was one property property in favor
this was voted six zero to approve the rezoning this was then presented to city council on
august 3rd with the recommendation of approval at least three members of the council indicated
that they were in favor of an mn rezoning instead of r6 rezoning and i do just want
to note that city city council can approve a change of rezoning that is more restrictive
after pnz gives their recommendation and because of this recommended rezoning um and it allowed
more uses that was why it was remanded back to pnz for further input so other members
also during that city council hearing um did indicate that they wanted to hear more from
the neighborhood regarding that proposed development development so as i stated it was remanded
back to planning and zoning commission which asked for a neighborhood meeting to take place
before that as well as review under a proposed mn district that meeting did take place on
monday august 23rd 2021 at the mlk junior recreation center with approximately 20 members
of the community in attendance so the new request is for a rezoning of 0.326 acres from
the mn and r4 to an mn district the property has been vacant since 1984 during that public
meeting we learned the applicant did learn that it was home to the first black owned
service station in denton and that property is currently surrounded by mn r4 our residential
three and public facilities districts so just to briefly cover the 2002 zoning map where
i was originally that split um rmu and that nr4 and then that current zoning map with
that mn and r4 split and then the proposed zoning map which shows that mn so we do have
our general approval criteria which i'll just be focusing on points three and eight and
then we do have the zoning criteria for approval which i'll be focusing on points one five
and six so the site is designated low residential which is intended for new development up to
four dwelling units per acre it is organized remote walkability access to parks open space
recreation amenities and neighborhood serving retail so the mn is typically not consistent
with the future land use map however this does continue that existing zoning pattern
that i previously showed on the slides it does permit a variety of lower intensity housing
types and does that provide an opportunity to create neighborhood serving retail in the
future and it is within walking distance of fred moore park the fred moore high school
and child care center as well as claris kitchen it does serve as that transition between the
low residential area to the south and that downtown compatibility area just to the north
and it does further our goal to promote a compact development pattern through infill
development so the mn is consistent with that surrounding zoning and development pattern
that currently exists the existing land use pattern along robertson street is mixed use
there is infill development would provide that variety of housing options as i stated
and serve as a transition between that single family neighborhood to the south and that
mixed use and downtown transition areas along robertson into the north and it does provide
the opportunity to develop future mixed use and film as you can see on the map there's
a couple buildings highlighted or circled in blue and those are two duplexes and two
fourplexes currently located within 650 feet or less of the subject property and there
is no direct vehicular connection to the neighborhood to the south except along robertson street
and the development would be required to conform with current site design standards just quickly
go over the public facilities and services in terms of transportation and there would
be two total morning peak hour trips and four evening peak hour trips it could generate
approximately one elementary student it is located approximately 0.4 miles from fred moore
park there are public water and wastewater services that are available to the site and
the nearest fire station is approximately 0.6 miles within that eight minute or less
response time boundary and as you can see on this conceptual site plan it does show
currently a proposed fourplex there was public outreach done we did newspaper and property
post property postings and there as i stated there was a neighborhood meeting held on august
twenty-third there were mill notices and there was response in favor located at 521 robertson
street as you can see shown on the map so staff is recommending approval of the request
of rezoning as it applies with our criteria in sections 2.4.5 e as well as 2.72 d of the
den development code and i can stand for any questions thank you cameron are there any
questions commissioner mcday thank you chair i need you to go back to the map where you
showed the fourplexes and the the duplex okay if i'm not mistaken i believe the one on the
corner of carls timbers and meal is a two story correct okay because i was actually
at the at the august twenty-third meeting there was a lot of misunderstanding so i took
liberty to actually talk to the people on robertson street to let them actually know
what was being planned and they were highly not in favor of it because the the one that's
on the corner of mill and cost him his years ago when someone who actually lived in the
neighborhood tried to have its own for that the city of the community came together and
it was denied so the owner ended up selling the property and an outsider came in and bought
it and years later there it is you know so it was like if we denied our own in our neighborhood
how can an outsider come in and they're pretty much in the whole then they pretty much get
what they want when they come into that neighborhood no matter how much they fight and how much
they you know stand up for it it always gets it always gets approved so when i was actually
talking to the the neighbors i was telling them about you know hey we have the meetings
you have the public hearing and the only thing they were saying is it's a waste of time no
matter what we do and no matter what we say it comes down to seven people who don't have
any interest in in in our neighborhood so we pretty much will whatever's going to happen
we figure it's going to happen and i'm trying to let them know that hey you do still have
a voice and i'll do whatever i can but i mean i was one of the six that actually approved
it but that was my first day on the board and when i actually got into it and started
talking to the community they were like you know you know you're going to learn hey you
know whatever whatever salvage didn't doesn't want we're going to get it anyway and i'm
trying to get them out of that mindset because that's something that they never wanted in
the neighborhood and it was approved and now another one's coming and they feel like no
matter what they do or what they say it's going to come anyway so i'm trying to get
them to understand that hey you know you still have a voice the city still cares but they're
just under the understanding that no matter what we do or what we say it's going to happen
so why waste our time waste our energy to come up to a public hearing when we already
know what the outcome is going to be thank you commissioner mcday did um that was a discussion
you had when it wasn't uh proposed an r6 zoning did you discuss this mn zoning or or that
was the neighborhood meeting was the mn zoning a lot of them don't you know when you start
getting to the r4s and r6s that they have no idea because most of the people on that
street i hate to say it they're they're over 85 years old the youngest one is 83 so they
really don't understand so they're opposed to uh their concern was the um the the four
plex that was being talked about they had a problem with a with a one story but a two
story just like what's on the corner of a meal and customers they fought for that to
be denied and it was granted anyway they want the neighborhood to look the same and not
just you have single single family homes and then you have a out of nowhere you have it
you have a two story do a two story four plex did they have any um thoughts on um non-residential
uses i know because i could say that property's been vacant since 1984 with exactly a gas
station and nothing's ever been put there so it wasn't until uh they came forward that
they even thought about it being a residential hill but it's always been a commercial or
i don't know the actual zoning i'm afraid but it's always been a gas station there so
i don't know what the actual zoning for that is but that's what they've always figured
it to be and they never thought about it being residential okay um okay um are there any
other questions for cameron um the i just wanted to note that the applicant is here
if you do have specific questions for the applicant they can come down and speak okay
thank you um commissioner pruett does have a question yeah thank you um so that we can
get a context of building scale and that sort of thing could you describe um what the difference
in height either just in a number of stories i guess maybe easiest to grasp uh between
r4 and r6 or mn with a with a uh a four plex type of structure so the four plex would be
able to have its same height whether it was in r6 or mn that doesn't matter the mn just
gives the capability to have that commercial in the future if it is wanted um and if it's
you know sought after um on that property um so there is no differentiating height um
the four plex would still be two stories whether it was in the r6 and it would still be two
stories if it was in the mn and if it was kept at r4 and somebody built a single family
home there how how tall could that be um hayley do you have yeah um so all of our residential
districts permit up to 40 feet in height um mn as you may recall from a one of the sups
a couple of weeks ago they can go up to 40 feet by right if they go above that it requires
that sup um to go up to 65 so it would be consistent across the board okay thank you
um okay haley can i get a little bit more clarity on that so that would be with r4 r6
the height is the same correct they're all 40 feet um for single for single family that's
typically measured if it's like a pitched roof it goes to the midpoint of the pitched
roof it's a flat roof it goes to the the top of the roof line okay um and with mn so mn
allows um up to 65 feet in height you can go up to 40 feet by right so same as the single
family districts if you go above 40 feet between 41 and 65 triggers an sup requirement okay
thank you uh commissioner smith oh you were on the board okay okay um is there any other
question for staff thank you camera um this is a public hearing does the applicant wish
to speak i don't have a card for you but you're welcome to come down if you could come to
the microphone do we have questions for the applicant i i do if you wouldn't mind if you
could state your name and address for the record please good evening my name is steve
homer i'm with homer engineering we're the civil engineer on this particular project
i'm trying to get some clarity how we ended up back um to to where we are um and hoping
that you can maybe shed a little bit of light on that um i know your desire has been to
build um a residential use on this site yes ma'am i'm trying to understand how we um
unfolded to where it's back to us um as a mixed use site which would could be a lot
of other things other than a residential use right as miss robertson indicated you know
we we came to staff um looking at mn originally um because it was already on the property
uh we discussed that with staff staff came back and said you know they thought r6 would
be an appropriate use uh that use or that district allowed for the use that we were
proposing so we we decided to go forward with the r6 um that was presented to the pnz previously
then when it made its way to council council had some concerns that by changing it to r6
they would eliminate the ability to potentially have a commercial use at that location so
they ask us to come back with an mn and also to meet with the the community which didn't
occur to prior to the previous meeting uh and so that's kind of how we ended up back
where we are tonight asking for mn basically at the request of the city council and were
the mn uses or anything discussed with the neighborhood at the at the neighborhood meeting
or was it mainly yeah we talked about the different uses there when we first had the
meeting there was a little bit of concern uh from the from the neighborhood uh and i
think it was primarily because they didn't understand how the process was taking place
they felt that that by changing the zoning it was actually going to change the zoning
on their property and we told them no that's not the case this is just strictly the particular
piece of property in question um there was a lot of discussion it's probably 45 minutes
to an hour maybe of discussion uh and then at the conclusion of the meeting i felt that
the majority of the uh the neighborhood was in support of what we were doing um so tonight
to hear that there was a little bit of opposition to that um was a little bit of a surprise
to me okay yeah and my concern is is um with this being brought back to us as an mn i'm
not sure that the community wouldn't be further confused um because this this discussion you
know has always been about a residential use um to me driving by the property it it should
be a residential use in my opinion um with the way that property sits and and and what
it's surrounded by um okay thank you for and and cameron may correct me if i'm wrong but
i thought there was some of the neighbors that they wanted to keep the potential for
commercial use um available should that change come up in the future if somebody wanted to
do something different um but uh like it had been indicated you know the um site's been
vacant for almost 36 years and so it hasn't been commercial it hasn't been residential
uh and so now my client is coming forward wanting to build a uh a fourplex at this location
so we feel that's a good use potentially for this site okay thank you for for sharing that
um commissioner mcdade yeah thank you yeah i just wanted to clarify you know that that
there were quite a few people who were in favor but one thing we i had to consider was
the majority of the people who were in favor don't live anywhere near where you want to
build a property i actually went to the people on robertson street okay and they were the
ones who were opposed to the four to the fourplex because uh actually when it was brought to
my attention and they brought up the names i'm like you know miss and mr so-and-so they
live almost two miles away so i didn't really take into what they had to say i wanted to
hear from the people who was actually going to be affected by the move and they were the
ones who i took to heart and those are the ones that i listened to about being in opposition
of the of the building site thank you thank you thank you for coming down um so um i'll
just put a little more clarity on what we're discussing here so this is a zoning change
so um the request is to change the zoning to mn so we're really not talking about a
specific project although that's what a lot of the discussion ends up becoming um anyway
i just wanted to put that out there and i will um ask one more time if there's anyone wanting
to speak at this public hearing is there anyone on the phone no ma'am okay thank you i will
then close the public hearing and open the floor to the commission for discussion or
a motion uh commissioner smith i'm going to make a motion to approve as an r6 zoning and
not an mn um i think that as there's been a lot of discussion i know city council shot
this down and legal can weigh in on this mac um city council can go ahead and they can
they can vote to approve a more strict zoning than what is recommended is that correct if
we recommended r6 a second time and they said well that's cool we gave you we remanded back
to you but we're we don't agree we're gonna do mn they can still they can still do that
they don't have to remand it back to us again correct that's correct they can approve less
than 10 okay and we as a commissioner are allowed to zone down in intensity in our motion
okay then uh yeah i'll make a motion to to approve for an r6 i don't think that setting
up a zoning for an area regardless of a project um i don't think setting up a zoning for an
area for mixed use that opens up a residential area for you know non-residential uses is
intelligent whether that is for uses that are going to be used six months from now and
then especially if it's uses that they're talking about that possibly 20 years from
now could be done if there's a project 20 years from now that needs an mn and they're
tearing down some other project that was residential previously they can come back for the rezoning
sounds like it's it's it looks like a residential area it fits a residential area i'm sad that
the commission even had to spend the time to go through and look at this again this
is an r6 zoning as flat as it can be so that is my motion okay we have a motion on the
floor um to recommend to city council to rezone the property to an r6 designation i'm going
to go ahead and second that um i i i just don't understand how we got to this point
um i'm not willing to um put an mn zoning here um and open up that site to those other
uses i i do think a residential um property belongs here i thought that the first time
around that that the proposal to r6 made sense here um if for whatever reason um the applicant
decides not to it's zoned r6 it can remain a residential use which i believe is the best
use at this time for the property um so with that i will open the floor for discussion
commissioner prudit thank you um mac i didn't quite hear if if we were to recommend an r6
zoning are you saying that the council would have the opportunity to approve anything r6
or below or anything as it was noticed to mn or below they'd still be able to consider
the mn because that's what it's posted for so they could still consider that okay such
as they have the ability to zone down to an r6 because it's less intense than the mn okay
thank you um i i would like to move an amendment um to recommend r7 zoning instead of r6 um
i think when when we look at this street right robertson um across the street right there's
already uh four parcels i think that are mn right it's a collector street um it it has
some history of some neighborhood retail and to me if if our if mn is too crazy for us
to think about that a neighborhood might want neighborhood retail then r7 seems like a a
clear um it's designed for that right it it has the ability to have some neighborhood
retail with an sup in the future uh with that said it it pains me that this developer is
having to go through all these hoops just because everybody's confused all we're doing
is increasing the cost of these homes in the future right um and and i think that really
what we're what what's going on seems like we're trying to figure out what this street
is going to look like by looking at one little piece of the sidewalk right i think the important
thing is how does this neighborhood adapt over the next 20 years and the zoning of this
one parcel is not going to determine that right um but i think r7 has um has sort of
some elements of it's primarily residential uh it's it's easier and cheaper to adapt it
to a neighborhood retail with an sup instead of a full zoning change uh so so that's that's
why i'm moving for that so so to clarify i'm i'm moving to amend the motion uh to recommend
r7 zoning a non-friendly friendly amendment give me time to consider your friendly amendment
so it seems here essentially all the all r7 could possibly do compared to r6 would be
open up banking and financial institutions it does open up open up multi-family both
those by sup um that really the the the commercial pieces that you reference is there anything
you can give me other than i guess i see now general retail space less than 5000 square
feet laundry facility self-services so a few things um i'll accept the friendly amendment
okay i'm going to withdraw my second on that because this opens up exactly why i didn't
want to go mn i don't think that commercial use if that's something in the future that
this is going to be then we can discuss it and whoever's sitting on pnz at that time
can discuss a zoning change in my opinion commissioner sienna fergans planning director
hopefully you can hear me through the mask yes um with the suggestion to change to r7
miss sigurski i'm going to put you on the spot here do we know do the development standards
of the r7 district would that accommodate the development proposal to do the duplex
to do the fourplex design or um cameron um to be able to accommodate them um my concern
is that if we move forward with r7 and the development standards of the r7 district do
not work for the applicant with the product that they're proposing for their development
plan i don't want to set them up for failure um on with the consideration of this district
so hence why i'm sure deferring to my staff on those standards so absolutely so the um
the development standards are roughly identical um it does allow for a smaller minimum lot
size i don't know given the size of the overall property that that could open it up for subdivision
uh but setbacks building height all of those would still be the same okay thank you for
clarifying commissioner smith did you have a comment yeah i actually wanted to um backtrack
and say that i spoke too soon i didn't i didn't have a chance to think about it and as soon
as i said it i i want to change it i i do i i want to reject your friendly amendment
i do want to keep it as r6 so my apologies so your motion on the floor is r6 no friendly
amendment i will put my second back there and do we have further discussion commissioner
pruett yeah thank you um i just want to clarify and see if if staff concurs um commissioner
ellis i think you you said that it would open it up to uh neighborhood retail uses i believe
all of those maybe with the exception of professional office uh would require an sup so it would
still come back before this body if if that was desired is that correct yes but an sup
is not the way to zone property okay and sup is in place so that that um the project can
be scrutinized it's not necessarily to to deny a use per se um it's just not um in my
opinion a way to zone property i i don't think that and an r7 belongs here at this time okay
so uh so i guess my my motion for amendment uh is failing for a second is that accurate
see if there's a second because he still has made the motion for the for the r7 if there's
a second for that is there a second for the friendly amendment to it's not friendly this
one just an amendment amendment to the motion to an r7 i see none for that so we will move
forward with the motion on the floor as presented is there any discussion
commissioner villarreal i just want to start off by thanking commissioner mcday for doing
that outreach to the folks in that community i know sometimes folks aren't willing especially
in marginally marginalized communities such as that to go forward to some of these public
meetings so i do want to thank you for that i do agree that leaving it up to a leaving
at an mn designation or an r7 is leaving too much up to up to chance there and we should
abide by the community's decision here and and zone it to an r6 so i'm in favor of the
current motion thank you and i will just say um yeah i still don't truly understand how
we got back here and i am sorry that things have been delayed for you um thank you for
your patience um with that i'll call for a vote on the board
the motion carries a seven zero that moves us to our final item planning and zoning matrix
i will turn it over to hayley if there's any discussion there microphone does not like
me tonight so we don't have any council updates since our last meeting we will be continuing
with our planning boot camp series next week covering platting so we're going to work through
somebody else's request to provide some more concrete examples of some of those reasons
for denial and as well as going over just kind of the planning process to make sure
everyone's up to speed i did want to mention in light of the discussion earlier with strip
annexation and i just wanted to see if there's any appetite for that to be a future training
or boot camp topic related to annexation kind of past history where we are now where current
legislation leaves us so if that's something that you all are interested in we can certainly
put that together as well as coming back with some more detail related to y'all's inquiries
about strip annexation as part of ron's presentation in two weeks so yeah i think that's a great
idea because i know things have changed greatly absolutely is there anything anyone wants
to add to the matrix commissioner pruett yeah i guess i it's really more of a question to
the rest of the commission whether there's appetite to discuss some of the more ways
that these horizontal multifamily i guess that it was described tonight could could
go forward in the city in the future we've had two projects like this already it sounds
like there may be some more i'm just just wondering if other members would be interested
in a discussion like that commissioner smith yeah i would be uh i think outside of just
the comments that i made about that specific area and as as chair alice said the the need
for a small area plan for that area i think those types of developments really should
be looked more at as as an infill and as a density builder for a density needed or rich
areas not as fringe area developments as kind of like that project that we approved tonight
is once again great project but i'd love to be able to see more research just having not
have a lot of familiarity with those types of horizontal multifamilies just more research
about where that came from uh different uh different i don't know um code enforcements
that we see across state of texas and even in other communities outside of texas where
those are done and just some examples of where that makes sense from a development and planning
scenario because i i think they're a cool hip chic thing to develop i think that they're
just they have a specific market in a specific location so i would agree with commissioner
prove it then i would say add it to the matrix and we should have a discussion absolutely
and just so you all know i believe there's at least two more of those in the q s pds
that will be coming up uh in the near future so we've not seen the last of that topic
yet very good anything else for the matrix okay in conclude oh commissioner cold future
one's coming thank you try to think there is another proposed along bonnie bray that
i believe julie is working with um and then there is one that shawn's working on at 380
and marshal i believe is the cross street that's what i okay that's what i thought thank
you familiar with that one okay in concluding i'll just say congratulations to vice chair
smith will be nice to have you right back at you thank you and um i will welcome once
again commissioner villarreal thank you for your service and welcome aboard and with that
i will adjourn our meeting at 8 45 pm thank you everyone