From
Chris Hartmann
Title
S141204 - Site Plan - Avera (City Council District 1). Approval of a Site Plan for a 345,150 square-foot industrial warehouse distribution center. The subject properties (Joseph C Reed Abst 1729 TR 4.3, 4.5 and TR 4.6, P H Ford ABST 1711 TR 3 and TR 3.5) are located on the northwest corner of N Highway 161 and January Ln and within the SH-161 Overlay District. The applicant is Rick Kight, Park 161, LLC and the owners are David O'Connor, Series Trust, Durward Moore, Grand Prairie Series Trust 2003-1, Lauren Butler, Pooled Funds Trust, Durward Moore, 19th Street Trust, and C.M. Edwards, Daisy Field Trust. (On December 1, 2014, the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of this request by a vote of 8-0.)
Presenter
Chief City Planner Jim Hinderaker
Recommended Action
Approval
Analysis
SUMMARY:
Consider a request for approval of a Site Plan for a 345,150 square-foot industrial warehouse distribution center. The subject properties (Joseph C Reed Abst 1729 TR 4.3, 4.5 and TR 4.6, P H Ford Abst 1711 TR 3 and TR 3.5) are located on the northwest corner of N Highway 161 and January Ln and within the SH-161 Overlay District.
ADJACENT LAND USES AND ACCESS:
Direction |
Zoning |
Existing Use |
North |
PD-122, Light Industrial, PD-196 |
Multi-Family, Vacant Industrial, Vacant Commercial |
South |
PD-196 |
Vacant Commercial |
East |
N/A |
S.H. 161 |
West |
PD-292 and MF-2 |
Townhomes and Multi-Family Residential |
Access to the site is provided at two points along the southern boundary from January Lane. As January Lane is not a designated truck route, trucks are not permitted to traffic west bound when leaving the site and must travel east bound to S.H. 161. A third access point is provided along the eastern boundary from the S.H. 161 frontage road. While trucks can use this access, the applicant has indicated that this access is primarily intended for passenger vehicles. As part of the platting process of this case, a cross access easement will be established to this third access point on S.H.161 frontage road for the benefit of the owner of the vacant property to the north.
PURPOSE OF REQUEST:
The applicant is seeking City Council approval of a proposed site plan to construct and operate a 345,150 sq. ft. industrial warehouse distribution center on 18.82 acres. The subject property is zoned Planned Development 347 (PD-347) for industrial warehouse uses. The property is also located within the S.H. 161 Corridor Overlay District.
In accordance with Section 16.2.1 of the Article 16 of the Unified Development Code (UDC), site plan approval is required whenever a project is located within a Planned Development District. In addition, development located within a corridor overlay district must meet the minimum requirements prescribed in the UDC for the property's underlying zoning district classification, as applicable, and adhere to the additional architectural standards specified in UDC, Appendix F "Corridor Overlay District Standards." The purpose of the site plan approval is to ensure full compliance with the regulations and standards of the Planned Development 347 (PD-347) and the Unified Development Code, including Appendix F.
PROPOSED CHARACTERISTICS AND FUNCTION:
Use
The applicant, AVERA Companies, intends to develop the 18.82 acre tract of land located at the northwest corner of January Lane and the S.H. 161 as speculative industrial warehouse facility as allowed by PD-347. The applicant hopes to lease the proposed 345,150 square foot warehouse to a single tenant, but has submitted a site plan design that is capable of housing two (2) tenants. The PD allows for a third tenant provided a third office suit and entrance feature is added to the building. Outdoor storage is limited to truck and trailer parking.
Building
To accommodate the potential for multi-tenant use, the warehouse façade, as submitted, will accommodate up to two (2) tenants with 54 dock bays. The warehouse is to be constructed of concrete tilt wall, glass, stone and metal accent panels in keeping with both the approved PD-347 & Concept Plan and in substantial conformance with the design standards of the S.H. 161 Corridor Overlay District. To mitigate against any potential noise issues with the neighboring residential developments to the west and north and to meet the flat wall articulation standards of the overlay district, the applicant will construct wing walls on the west and east sides of the building to buffer the any noise produced by the trucks in the loading areas. However, the applicant is seeking some relief of the overlay articulation standards that requires the width of the articulation zone to be 3x the height (finished floor to top of parapet) of the building. The applicant is proposing a width that is 2x the height. In addition, the applicant is seeking full relief of the stone/masonry requirement that a minimum of 15% of the articulation zone be finished in stone/masonry. An appeal of this standard is necessary.
Access and Parking
Two access points are proposed from January Lane and a third from S.H. 161 Frontage Road. However, according to the applicant, the S.H. 161 Frontage Road access will likely be limited to passenger vehicles due to the steep grade of the access. Therefore, primary truck traffic will enter and exit the facility via January Lane and travel to and from the facility using S.H. 161. Trucks are prevented from traveling west bound on January Lane from the site as January Lane is posted as a no truck route. In addition, per approved PD-347, the applicant is required to post signs at the exits of the facility alerting truck drivers entering January Lane that no west bound truck movement is permissible. As submitted, the site plan includes this provision. The facility will have 34 trailer parking spaces located at the south side of the building running parallel with January Lane. The proposal also includes 170 passenger vehicle parking spaces along the east and west sides of the building. The parking and access standards are met or exceeded.
Fencing, Buffers, and Landscaping
The property is proposed to be fully enclosed with a perimeter fence and security gates at all access points. On-site security guards may be provided depending on the needs of future tenants. A "Type-1" masonry fence is provided along all residential adjacency lot lines, specifically along the west property line and the western most 400-feet of the north property line. Additional, a 15-foot landscape buffer is provided along same west and the north property lines abutting the residentially zoned properties. A 30-foot landscape buffer is provided between the parking lots and drive areas along January Lane and S.H. 161 Frontage Road. Perimeter parking lot screening is provided and offset every six (6) feet per linear sixty (60) feet of length, as required adjacent to ROW.
The applicant is providing a total landscaping area of over 19% of the property, which far exceeds the required 4%. The proposed landscaping plantings (trees, shrubs, and turf, etc. is in compliance with Article 8 of the UDC). As stipulated within PD-237, the applicant has indicated it is their intent to fully comply with the minimum landscaping standards of the UDC and S.H. 161 Corridor Overlay.
Dumpster Enclosure
A double sized dumpster screening enclosure is provided at the northwest corner of the property. However, the enclosure is within the 50-foot setback buffer required of all non-residential uses abutting a residentially zoned property. An appeal of this standard is necessary.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN:
The subject property is designated as appropriate for Mixed Use on the Future Land Use Map (FLUM). Mixed Use is defined as a mixture of retail, high density residential, personal service, and some limited office uses in a pedestrian oriented development. The proposal is inconsistent with the FLUM. Annually the City amends the FLUM to resolve conflicts between zoning and FLUM designations. As noted during the approval of PD-347/Concept Plan, staff will recommend an amendment to the FLUM map of the Comprehensive Plan
REQUESTED APPEALS BY APPLICANT:
1. Building Articulation Zone - The applicant is requesting a reduction of articulation zone width from 3x the building height to 2x the building height. In addition the applicant is seeking full relief of the stone/masonry requirement that a minimum of 15% of the articulation zone be finished in stone/masonry.
2. Buffer Encroachment - The applicant is requesting relief of the 50-foot setback buffer required of all non-residential uses abutting a residentially zoned property to allow the dumpster enclosure to be placed approximately 35 feet from the western property line.
RECOMMENDATION:
Since the applicant is requesting the above noted appeals, the Development Review Committee is not able to recommend full approval of this case.