PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION MEETING OF 08-11-09 AGENDA ITEM #09-096Z*

AGENDA ITEM

TO: Planning and Zoning Commission

THROUGH: Kevin Spath, AICP, Senior Planner

FROM: Jennifer Arnold, Planner II

SUBJECT: Conduct a Public Hearing to Consider/Discuss/Act on the Request by Bradley S. Kidwell Ltd. Family Partnership for Approval of a Request to Rezone Approximately 1.71 Acres from “ML” – Light Manufacturing District to “PD” – Planned Development District, Generally to Allow Mixed Use Development, Located on the Northwest Corner of Louisiana Street and Throckmorton Street.

APPROVAL PROCESS: The recommendation of the Planning and Zoning Commission will be forwarded to the City Council on September 15, 2009.

STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of the proposed rezoning request with the following special ordinance provisions:

1.  The subject property be developed according to “MTC” – McKinney Town Center District regulations of the Zoning Ordinance, except as follows:

  1. Additional Permitted Use.

i.  Multi-family residential use above ground level commercial use shall be allowed by right and shall not require a specific use permit.

  1. Space Limits.

i.  The maximum building height shall be 70 feet or 4 stories, whichever is less.

ii.  All existing buildings shall not have a minimum height requirement.

iii.  Maximum front yard: 5 feet. All existing buildings shall be exempt from this provision.

iv.  Minimum lot coverage: None.

v.  Maximum lot coverage: None.

vi.  Minimum floor area ratio: None.

vii.  Maximum floor area ratio: None.

  1. Parking.

i.  Residential Uses: One off-street parking space shall be provided on the subject property for each residential dwelling unit. Covered parking for residential uses shall not be required on the subject property.

ii.  Non-Residential Uses: 50% of the required parking spaces for non-residential uses shall be provided on the subject property. This percentage may be reduced with site plan approval based on anticipated peak parking demand and location of parking spaces in relation to the building(s).

  1. Landscaping.

i.  The subject property shall develop in accordance with Section 146-135 Landscaping Requirements of the City of McKinney Zoning Ordinance, except as follows:

1.  The subject property shall not be required to satisfy the requirement to keep at least 15 percent of the street yard as permanent landscape area.

2.  The subject property shall not be required to satisfy the requirement to provide a 30-foot landscape buffer parallel to the corner clip right-of-way dedication at the intersection of two dedicated public streets.

3.  The subject property shall not be required to satisfy the requirement to provide a landscape buffer adjacent to any public street.

4.  The subject property shall not be required to satisfy the requirement to plant one canopy tree per 40 linear feet, or portion thereof, of street frontage.

  1. Site Plan approval shall follow the requirements of Section 146-45 of the Zoning Ordinance of the City of McKinney, and as amended.
  1. Building elevations for newly constructed buildings and for additions or exterior alterations to existing buildings shall be submitted at the time of site planning so City of McKinney Staff (including the Historic Preservation Officer) can review for conformance with the Architectural and Site Standards of this ordinance.

2.  The maximum residential density for the subject property shall be 35 dwelling units per acre.

3.  The subject property shall develop in accordance with Section 146-139 Architectural and Site Standards of the City of McKinney Zoning Ordinance, except as follows:

i.  New additions to existing buildings, exterior alterations to existing buildings, and new construction shall not destroy historic materials that characterize the subject property. The new work shall be differentiated from the existing buildings but shall be compatible with the massing, size, scale, and architectural features to protect the historic integrity of the subject property and its environment. New additions, exterior alterations, and new construction shall follow the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and shall be designed and constructed so that the character-defining features of the existing buildings are not changed, obscured, damaged, or destroyed in the process.

ii.  Newly constructed buildings shall avoid long, monotonous, uninterrupted walls or roof planes. Building wall offsets, including projections, recesses, and changes in floor level shall be used to add architectural interest and variety, and to relieve the visual effect of a simple, long wall. Roofline offsets shall be provided as well in order to provide architectural interest and variety to the massing of the building(s) and to break the roof into small scale components.

iii.  The architectural treatment of the front façade shall continue, in its major features, around all visibly exposed sides of any newly constructed building. All sides of a newly constructed building shall be architecturally consistent with regard to style, materials, colors, and details. Blank wall or service area treatment of side and/or rear elevations visible from the public right-of-way is discouraged.

iv.  All building entrances shall be defined and articulated by architectural elements such as lintels, overhangs and railings. All these elements, as well as doors, shall be compatible with the style, materials, colors, and details of the building(s) as a whole.

v.  For pitched roofs, architectural embellishments that add visual interest to the roof of any newly constructed building, such as dormers, belvederes, masonry chimneys, cupolas, clock towers, and other similar elements are required.

vi.  In newly constructed mixed-use buildings, the difference between ground level commercial uses and entrances for upper level commercial or apartment uses shall be reflected by differences in facade treatment. Storefronts and other ground floor entrances shall be accentuated through cornice lines. Further differentiation shall be achieved through distinct, but compatible, exterior materials, signs, awnings, and exterior lighting.

vii.  Storefronts shall be integrally designed with the upper floors to be compatible with the overall facade character. Ground floor retail, service, and restaurant uses shall have large pane display windows at least 65 percent but not more than 75 percent of the ground level facade area. Those large panes shall rest on a base of at least 18 inches at the ground level unless approved as part of site plan approval if found to be in keeping with the spirit of the architectural design guidelines. Buildings with multiple storefronts shall be coordinated through the use of architecturally compatible materials, colors, details, awnings, signage, and lighting fixtures.

4.  Parks, plazas and civic open space.

  1. Public open space amenities (such as pedestrian way, courtyard, urban garden, or plaza as defined in Appendix B of the McKinney Zoning Ordinance Urban Design Standards for the Regional Employment Center) shall be provided on the subject property as follows: one square foot of public open space per 50 square feet of new floor area for the first 20,000 square feet of new floor area, and 1 square foot of public open space per 100 square feet of new floor area for every 1 square foot thereafter, or as approved by the Director of Planning.
  1. All outdoor public open spaces described above shall provide: (i) at least one shade tree or planter; and (ii) at least one linear foot of seating for each 75 square feet of open space. Ledges and benches that provide seating on both sides and are at least 30 inches deep shall count double. Level and flat planter rims that are not higher than 2 feet and are at least 8 inches deep shall also count as seating as long as protruding vegetation does not obstruct them. Moveable chairs are counted as 30 inches of linear seating per chair and may be stored after hours of operation. Corners and the space of steps that are wider than 15 feet may count as seating.

5.  The maximum height of light poles shall be 16 feet on the subject property.

6.  Existing loading docks or structures and their associated loading spaces on any existing buildings shall not have a minimum distance set back requirement from any public street, property line or adjacent residential use or zoning district.

APPLICATION SUBMITTAL DATE: July 13, 2009 (Original Application)

ITEM SUMMARY: The applicant is proposing to rezone approximately 1.71 acres of land, located on the northwest corner of Louisiana Street and Throckmorton Street from “ML” – Light Manufacturing District to “PD” – Planned Development District, generally to allow for mixed use development.

The subject property (commonly referred to as the Flour Mill) is recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior as a historic site that has helped shape the early history of McKinney. A two- and four- story industrial brick building (circa 1914) with a flat roof, steel-sash casement windows, large multi-paned industrial windows, and stepped brick detailing is located on the westernmost part of the property. The entire building is approximately 30,000 square feet of floor area and about 70 feet in height. The first 2 floors are roughly 10,000 square feet each and are currently being used as lease space for office suites. The upper floors are each about 5,000 square feet in size, are in their original condition, and are vacant. A one-story warehouse building (circa 1914) occupies the central part of the subject property. The building is roughly 8,900 square feet in size and is currently being used as general office/commercial space. Another one-story brick office building (circa 1914) occupies the southeastern most portion of the subject property. The building is just over 1,000 square feet in size and is currently vacant. Both the warehouse and office building have exterior detail similar to the two- and four- story industrial brick building. All of the buildings are considered to be contributing to the historic character of the site. To see the National Register of Historic Places designation for the Flour Mill, as well as pictures of the site, click here.

The applicant is requesting to rezone the subject property generally to allow the vertical integration of urban and loft style residential uses and complementary commercial uses within the existing two- and four- story building. The applicant is requesting rezoning of the subject property also to assist in the overall redevelopment of the site to create a mixed use and pedestrian-friendly destination, which is consistent with the Town Center Study vision (approved by City Council in March 2008).

ZONING NOTIFICATION SIGNS: The applicant has posted zoning notification signs on the subject property in compliance with Section 146-164 (Changes and Amendments) of the City of McKinney Zoning Ordinance.

SURROUNDING ZONING AND LAND USES:

Subject Property: “ML” – Light Manufacturing District (commercial and industrial uses)

North / “ML” – Light Manufacturing District (commercial and industrial uses) and “MH” – Heavy Manufacturing District (commercial and industrial uses) / Grain Elevators/Silos, vacant industrial buildings
South / “ML” – Light Manufacturing District (commercial and industrial uses) / The Toymaker, vacant industrial buildings, Grain Elevators
East / “ML” – Light Manufacturing District (commercial and industrial uses) / Reliable Insulation
West / “ML” – Light Manufacturing District (commercial and industrial uses) / Vacant Land

Discussion: The subject property is currently zoned “ML” – Light Manufacturing District. The “ML” – Light Manufacturing District is intended to provide for a wide range of commercial and industrial uses and specifically excludes residences. The applicant is requesting to rezone to “PD” – Planned Development District generally to allow mixed use development that incorporates residential uses with complementary commercial uses.

The properties immediately surrounding the subject property are generally comprised of nondescript and vacant warehousing, storage, and commercial buildings. The rail right-of-way is literally just a few feet to the west of the subject property and is planned to accommodate the anticipated expansion of the Dallas area rail transit system. A proposed station in the vicinity of Louisiana and Virginia Streets is expected to serve as a focal point for denser, compact, mixed-use redevelopment generally within a quarter-mile radius of the station. Unlike suburban transit station locations, this station (also known as the central station) is envisioned to be an urban destination that creates a live-work-shop-play environment.

To help establish the critical mass of residents needed to support public transit, the vision specifically calls for the adaptive reuse of this historically-designated site to allow for a complementary mix of loft living above ground floor commercial (office/retail) uses. Because of the uniqueness of this subject property (history, architecture, etc.), the vision expects that this site will serve as the anchor of the future transit village.

PROPOSED ZONING: The applicant is requesting to rezone the subject property from “ML” – Light Manufacturing District generally for commercial and industrial uses to “PD” – Planned Development District, generally to allow for mixed use development. The proposed special ordinance provisions for the requested planned development district are detailed below.

1.  The subject property be developed according to “MTC” – McKinney Town Center District regulations of the Zoning Ordinance, except as follows (a-f below):

·  The “MTC” – McKinney Town Center District is intended to allow both commercial and residential uses in buildings, which match the character and style of the historic downtown. Buildings within the district should be located close to the street and multi-story. The Zoning Ordinance states that the “MTC” – McKinney Town Center District is appropriate for areas near the “CHD” – Commercial Historic District.

·  The applicant is requesting to utilize the “MTC” – McKinney Town Center District to help create a transit-oriented, urban and walkable development that pulls buildings up to the street and incorporates a mix of residential loft-style living choices above ground-level retail, office and other complementary commercial uses. Given the purpose of the “MTC” – McKinney Town Center District and the general conformance of the rezoning request to the concepts outlined in the Town Center Study vision, Staff supports the applicant’s request to utilize the “MTC” – McKinney Town Center District.

  1. Additional Permitted Use.

i.  Multi-family residential use above ground level commercial use shall be allowed by right and shall not require a specific use permit.

·  The uses presently allowed by the “MTC” – McKinney Town Center District include only the same uses that are presently allowed by the “CHD” – Commercial Historic District. In the “CHD,” residential uses are allowed above the ground floor only by specific use permit.