From
Monica Espinoza, Executive Assistant
Title
Z201102 - Zoning Change - SF-5 at 1609 Ranch Rd (City Council District 6). A request to change the base zoning from Agriculture District (A) to Single-Family Five Residential District (SF-5) to allow for the construction of a single-family residence at this location. Located at 1609 Ranch Road, legally described as Tract 63, SH 1B, Matthew Road Mobile Home Estates, a .43 acre tract of land situated in the Thomas J. Tone Survey, Abstract No. 1460, Page 225, City of Grand Prairie, Dallas County, Texas, zoned Agriculture District. This property is generally located south of Camp Wisdom Road and east of Matthew Road. (On November 23, 2020, the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of this request by a vote of 8-0).
Presenter
Rashad Jackson, AICP, Director of Planning and Development
Recommended Action
Deny or Approve with staff conditions. City staff suggests a comprehensive review of the area and a long-term plan established to address infrastructure issues. Until adequate infrastructure is installed, staff cannot fully support rezoning cases within Matthew Road Mobile Home Park.
Analysis
SUMMARY:
A request to change the base zoning from Agriculture District (A) to Single-Family Five Residential District (SF-5) to allow for the construction of a single-family residence at this location. Located at 1609 Ranch Road, legally described as Tract 63, SH 1B, Matthew Road Mobile Home Estates, a .43 acre tract of land situated in the Thomas J. Tone Survey, Abstract No. 1460, Page 225, City of Grand Prairie, Dallas County, Texas, zoned Agriculture District. This property is generally located south of Camp Wisdom Road and east of Matthew Road.
PURPOSE OF REQUEST:
The applicant is requesting a zoning change of an existing 0.43-acre lot located within the Matthew Road Mobile Home Estates from Agriculture (A) District to Single Family-Five (SF-5) District, which is necessary to allow a site built home to be constructed and occupied at this location. The applicant proposes to build an approximately 3324 sq. ft. four-bedroom, four-bath home with an attached 911 sq. ft. three-car garage and 743 sq. ft. backyard porch for a total building footprint of 4,978 sq. ft.
ADJACENT LAND USES:
The following table summarizes the zoning designation and existing use for the surrounding properties.
|
Table 1: Adjacent Zoning and Land Uses |
|
Direction |
Zoning |
Existing Use |
|
North |
A |
Mobile Home |
|
South |
A |
Mobile Home |
|
West |
A |
Mobile Home |
|
East |
A |
Mobile Home |
DENSITY AND DIMENSIONAL IMPACTS:
Density and dimensional standards for SF-5 are highlighted below. All standards have been met.
Table 2: SF-5 Requirements
|
Standard |
Requirement |
|
Unit Density |
8.7 units-per-acre |
|
Min. Unit Size (SF.) |
1,600 |
|
Min. Lot Size (SF.) |
6,500 |
|
Min. Lot Width (FT.) |
60 |
|
Min. Lot Depth (FT.) |
100 |
|
Front Yard Setback (FT.) |
25 |
|
Internal Side Yard (FT.) |
5 |
|
Side Yard at Street (FT.) |
10 |
|
Rear Yard Setback (FT.) |
10 |
|
Bldg. Height (FT.) |
25 |
|
Lot Coverage (%) |
50 |
CONFORMANCE WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN:
The 2018 Comprehensive Plan’s Future Land Use Map (FLUM) designates this area as Low Density Residential. The proposed zoning is consistent with the FLUM.
PROPOSED USE CHARACTERISTICS AND FUNCTION:
The applicant is seeking a zoning change from Agriculture (A) District to Single Family-Five (SF-5) District to allow for the construction and occupancy of a detached site-built home. A detached single-family home is permitted in the Agriculture (A) District, but the existing lot size (0.43 acres) does not meet the minimum density allowed (0.2 units per acre or 1 home per 5 acres) within the Agriculture (A) District. However, if the property is rezoned to Single Family-Five (SF-5) District, the property and home will meet the minimum density and dimensional requirements of the Unified Development Code. The maximum density allowed in the SF-5 District is 8.7 dwelling units per acre.
A single-family residence requires connection to a sewer system, a water source, and adequate access. The applicant has addressed these functions as follows:
Sewer System - A site-built house will need to provide a sewer system that meets the requirements of the Environmental Services Division. A new septic system will need to be installed that can easily handle a larger home on the property.
Water Source - The Matthew Road Mobile Home Estates community provides water for its parcels through a private water district. There are no fire hydrants located within the mobile home park and the water system is serviced by one water well drilled in 1972. The water system is not monitored by the City, but by the Texas Commission for Environmental Quality (TCEQ).
Adequate Access - The subject property is accessed via Ranch Road, a 60-ft. prescriptive easement. This roadway is maintained, at a very minimal level, by individuals within the Matthew Road Mobile Home Estates community.
ZONING HISTORY:
The Matthew Road Mobile Home Estates community was established in 1968 by metes and bounds. For the most part, the park is not platted, except for a few exceptions where zoning has been changed. The lots were created by deed and sold off individually as mobile home lots. The City of Grand Prairie annexed the development in August of 1969. The subject property has been zoned Agriculture (A) District since it was annexed. To date, the development has not been platted as a whole nor have the street rights-of-way within the development been dedicated to the public.
On April 17, 2007, the City Council approved a zone change from Agriculture (A) to Single Family-Five (SF-5) for 1801 Ranch Road in order for the applicant to build a site-built home (case number Z070401). The home has been constructed and is occupied.
On June 18, 2013, the City Council approved a zone change from Agriculture (A) to Single Family-Five (SF-5) for 1714 Ranch Road in order for the applicant to build a site-built home (case number Z130601).
On August 20, 2013, the City Council approved a zone change from Agriculture (A) to Single Family-Five (SF-5) for 1708 Ranch Road in order for the applicant to build a site-built home (case number Z130802).
On August 2, 2016, City Council approved a zone change from Agriculture (A) to Single Family-Five Residential District for 1606 Ranch Road in order for the applicant to build a site-built home (case number Z160701). The home has been constructed and is occupied.
As of 2020, there are 122 lots within the Matthew Road Mobile Home Estates development. Of the 122 lots, 93 have homes and/or structures on them and 28 lots are vacant. Of the 28 vacant lots, 7 lots are owned by the U.S. Corp. of Engineers and 21 lots are privately owned. City Council has approved four rezoning cases transitioning lots from Agriculture District to Single Family Residential, allowing citizens to construct site-built homes.
PROJECT’S VESTED STATUS:
The mobile home park is not vested. However, as discussed above, there have been several attempts to bring the property into some level of conformance over the years. Due to the smaller lot sizes, any request to place a mobile home on the properties does not meet City requirements. Article 26 of the Unified Development Code requires property zoned Agriculture District to be a minimum of 20 acres, along with applying for a Specific Use Permit.
ANALYSIS:
The current status of Matthew Road Mobile Home Park is of ongoing review. There is a lack of utility infrastructure in the area to adequately serve new homes, along with being able to provide acceptable public safety to residents, especially during inclement weather. Staff is concerned about the long-term integrity of the current water system serving the park and the installation of new septic systems within the vicinity of Joe Pool Lake. Additionally, the Fire Department has encountered instances of difficulty accessing properties when responding to emergency calls during extreme weather.
City staff suggests a comprehensive review of the area and a long-term plan established to address infrastructure issues. Until adequate infrastructure is installed, staff cannot support rezoning cases within Matthew Road Mobile Home Park.
RECOMMENDATION:
The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval, by a vote of 8-0, with the following conditions:
1. Approval of the use for a new septic system and safe removal of any existing system.
2. Property platted before the issuance of building permits.
Although staff does not want to prevent the redevelopment of the area, the Development Review Committee (DRC) does not fully support the request due to the life safety and infrastructure issues noted. Should the zoning change be approved, staff recommends the following conditions:
1. Approval of the use for a new septic system and safe removal of any existing system.
2. Property platted before the issuance of building permits.
Body
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS, AMENDING THE ZONING ORDINANCE AND MAP TO REZONE TRACT 63, SH 1B, MATTHEW ROAD MOBILE HOMES ESTATES, .43 ACRE TRACT OF LAND OUT OF THE THOMAS J. TONE SURVEY, ABSTRACT NO. 1460, PAGE 225, CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE, DALLAS COUNTY, TEXAS, LOCATED AT 1609 RANCH ROAD, FROM (A) AGRICULTURE DISTRICT TO (SF-5) SINGLE FAMILY FIVE RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT; SAID ZONING MAP AND ORDINANCE BEING ORDINANCE NUMBER 4779 AND PASSED ON NOVEMBER 20, 1990; REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES OR PARTS OF ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT HEREWITH; CONTAINING A SAVINGS CLAUSE; AND TO BECOME EFFECTIVE UPON ITS PASSAGE AND APPROVAL.
WHEREAS, the owners of the property described herein below filed application with the City of Grand Prairie, Texas, petitioning an amendment of the Zoning Ordinance and map of said city so as to rezone and reclassify said property from its classification of (A) Agriculture District to (SF-5) Single Family Five Residential District; and
WHEREAS, the Planning and Zoning Commission of Grand Prairie, Texas, held a public hearing on said application on November 23, 2020, after written notice of such public hearing before the Planning and Zoning Commission on the proposed rezoning had been sent to owners of real property lying within 300 feet of the property on which the change of classification is proposed, said Notice having been given not less than ten (10) days before the date set for hearing to all such owners who rendered their said property for City taxes as the ownership appears on the last approved City Tax Roll, and such Notice being served by depositing the same, properly addressed and postage paid, in the City Post Office; and
WHEREAS, after consideration of said application, the Planning and Zoning Commission of the City of Grand Prairie, Texas voted 8-0 to recommend approval to the City Council of Grand Prairie, Texas, of the request that the hereinafter described property be rezoned from its classification of (A) Agriculture District to (SF-5) Single Family Five Residential District; and
WHEREAS, Notice was given of a further public hearing to be held by the City Council of the City of Grand Prairie, Texas, in the City Hall Plaza Building at 6:30 o’clock P.M. on December 15, 2020, to consider the advisability of amending the Zoning Ordinance and Map as recommended by the Planning and Zoning Commission, and all citizens and parties at interest were notified that they would have an opportunity to be heard, such Notice of the time and place of such hearing having been given at least fifteen (15) days prior to such hearing by publication in the Fort Worth Star Telegram, Grand Prairie, Texas, a newspaper of general circulation in such municipality; and
WHEREAS, all citizens and parties at interest have been given an opportunity to be heard on all the matter of the proposed rezoning and the City Council of the City of Grand Prairie, Texas, being informed as to the location and nature of the use proposed on said property, as well as, the nature and usability of surrounding property, have found and determined that the property in question, as well as, other property within the city limits of the City of Grand Prairie, Texas, has changed in character since the enactment of the original Zoning Ordinance from its classification of (A) Agriculture District to (SF-5) Single Family Five Residential District; and, by reason of changed conditions, does consider and find that this amendatory Ordinance should be enacted since its provisions are in the public interest and will promote the health, safety and welfare of the community.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS THAT:
SECTION 1. Ordinance Number 4779, being the Zoning Ordinance and Map of the City of Grand Prairie, Texas, showing the locations and boundaries of certain districts, and said Zoning Ordinance and Map having been made a part of an Ordinance entitled:
“AN ORDINANCE AMENDING IN ITS ENTIRETY CHAPTER 28 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES KNOWN AS THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS, AS PASSED AND APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL ON THE 20TH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 1990, TOGETHER WITH ALL AMENDMENTS THERETO AND ENACTING A REVISED ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING AND PROVIDING FOR ZONING REGULATIONS; CREATING USE DISTRICTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN…”
and passed and approved November 20, 1990, as amended, is hereby further amended so as to rezone from its classification of (A) Agriculture District to (SF-5) Single Family Five Residential District; as depicted in Exhibit A - Boundary Description.
Description of Land:
Tract 63, SH 1B, Matthew Road Mobile Home Estates, .43 acre tract of land out of the Thomas J. Tone Survey, Abstract No. 1460, Page 225, City of Grand Prairie, Dallas County, Texas, located at 1609 Ranch Road and depicted in Exhibit A - Boundary Description, incorporated herein by reference.
SECTION 2. Land uses shall be restricted to those uses permitted in the (SF-5) Single Family Five Residential District allowing for residential uses as specified in Article 4 - “Permissible Uses” of the Unified Development Code of the City of Grand Prairie, Texas, as amended.
SECTION 3. Development shall conform to all applicable development standards for (SF-5) Single Family Five Residential District as specified in Article 6 - “Density and Dimensional Requirements” of the Unified Development Code of the City of Grand Prairie, Texas, as amended.
SECTION 4. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or portion of this ordinance is for any reason held invalid or unconstitutional by any court of competent jurisdiction, such provisions and such holding shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions thereof.
SECTION 5. This ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage, approval and publication.
PASSED AND APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS, THIS 15TH DAY OF DECEMBER 2020.
ORDINANCE NO. 10951-2020
CASE NO. Z201102