From
Chris Hartmann
Title
S191105 - Site Plan - Sivagiri Ashram of North America (City Council District 1). A request for proposed single-story, 5880 sq. ft. place of worship on 3.25 acres. Lot 1, Block 1, Dalworth Medical Center Addition, City of Grand Prairie, Tarrant County, Texas, zoned O, Office District and located northeast of Dalworth Street and Duncan Perry Rd., addressed as 420 Duncan Perry Rd. The agent is Matthew Thomas, Thomas Site Development Engineering and the owner is Manoj Thankachen. (On November 4, 2019, the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of this request by a vote of 8-0).
Presenter
David P. Jones, AICP, Chief City Planner
Recommended Action
Approve
Analysis
SUMMARY:
Consider approval of a Site Plan to allow for a single-story, 5,880 sq. ft. place of worship. The 3.25-acre property is zoned Office (O) District and is situated in the P.H. Ford Survey, Abstract No. 543, City of Grand Prairie, Tarrant County, Texas. The property is platted as Dalworth Medical Center Addition, Block 1, Lot 1. The property is generally located northeast of Dalworth Street and Duncan Perry Road, more specifically addressed at 420 Duncan Perry Road. The property is located in City Council District 1, represented by Councilwoman Jorja Clemson.
ADJACENT LAND USES AND ACCESS:
|
Direction |
Zoning |
Existing Land Use |
|
North |
Single Family-Three (SF-3) District |
Sherwood Estates Residential |
|
East |
General Retail (GR) District |
Undeveloped |
|
West |
Duncan Perry Rd |
City of Arlington |
|
South |
Office (O) District |
Assisted Living Facility |
PURPOSE OF REQUEST:
Previously, medical and health-related uses occurred on the property. The property has since remained vacant for quite some time. The applicant proposes to construct a single-story house of worship The undeveloped 3.25-acre lot has street frontage along Duncan Perry Road (city limit boundary of Grand Prairie and City of Arlington). Abutting commercial properties to the east are undeveloped, existing assisted living and place of worship uses are to the south and existing single-family residential uses are to the north.
Lot & Dimensional Standards:
As proposed, the development meets or exceeds all minimum lot & dimensional standards.
|
Ordinance Provision |
Office Zone District Std |
Proposed Conditions |
Meets |
|
Min. Lot Size |
50,000 sq. ft. |
3.25 acres (137,586.ft.) |
Yes |
|
Min. Lot Width |
50 ft. |
Approx. 311 ft. |
Yes |
|
Min. Lot Depth |
150 ft. |
Approx. 270 ft. |
Yes |
|
Front Yard Setback |
25 ft. |
62 ft. @ Duncan Perry |
Yes |
|
Internal Side Yard |
35 ft. |
N/A |
Yes |
|
Rear Yard Setback |
0 ft. |
96 ft. |
Yes |
|
Bldg. Separation |
25 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Bldg. Height |
25 ft. |
28 ft. to top plate for Place of Worship ok |
Yes |
|
Bldg. Coverage |
1:1 Floor Area Ratio |
025:1 % |
Yes |
|
Paving Type |
Concrete or Equivalent |
Concrete Drives & Asphalt Parking |
No |
PROPOSED CHARACTERISTICS AND FUNCTION:
The 5,880 square foot facility, required parking and landscaping features shall occupy the southern portion of the property, leaving the remaining northern portion undisturbed.
As proposed, the facility offers a unique far-eastern architectural style and theme. The single-story facility provides concentric dome features on each side (twin articulation) and above the main entryway. The exterior material shall consist of 100% brick masonry with stucco accent finishes of varying painted colors.
The proposed development complies with and exceeds UDC regulations with the exception for concrete surface paving for private parking lot.
Access and Parking:
Primary access to the place of worship is from a 24’ concrete commercial paved driveway along Duncan Perry Road. Parking requirements are based on the use of the facility. Place of worship parking is based on one (1) space per (3) three seats and/or occupancy. (42) Forty-two spaces are required. The applicant provides 47 spaces including two accessible spaces. UDC, Article 10, Section 4, Minimum Pavement Construction On Or Within Non-Residential Property requires access ways, drives and parking be constructed of concrete paving. Subsection 10.4.6 Alternative Pavement Type for Non-Residential Development allows for an exception to the concrete standard to allow for asphalt paving subject to approval by the City Engineer. The applicant is requesting that the forty-(40) parking spaces previously paved as asphalt surface utilize to the same surface type.
Landscape and Screening:
UDC, Article 8, Section 8.5.1 (B) allows for a schools and/or church uses to utilize the ‘Artificial Lot’ provision, which considers the undisturbed portion of the property be excluded from the overall landscaping requirements for one-acre tracts or greater. DRC determined this site qualifies for that exception and meets those standards of the provision.
The proposed site exceeds the minimum landscaping 10% requirements for Office districts, providing for a total of 24,151 sq. ft. (39%) of irrigated landscaping provided. The site preserves large caliper Cottonwood, Pecans and Hackberry trees onsite utilizing the tree credit provision. Seventeen (17) existing trees are preserved. The site shall provide three (3) street trees and three (3) internal trees totaling twenty-three (23) trees provided. Beyond the irrigated sod installed upfront, over 60 shrubs are provided.
The following table summarizes landscape requirements and provided:
|
Standard (10%) |
Required |
Provided |
Meets |
|
Landscape Area- 60,881 sf |
6,088 |
24,151 |
Yes |
|
Trees |
0 w/ 17 Trees Preserved |
6 |
Yes |
|
Shrubs |
60 w/ 6 Tree Credit |
61 |
Yes |
|
Street Trees |
3 3 |
Yes |
|
Dumpster Enclosure:
The applicant is proposing to build a 12’ X 12’ (inside dimension) masonry dumpster enclosure that will be clad in the same masonry materials as the building. The proposed location for dumpster enclosure is located and orientated in such a manner to be accessed form concrete surface driveway. The enclosure shall conform to city standards.
VARIANCES:
The applicant requests to use a new asphalt surface in place of the existing asphalt paving south of the proposed building.
DRC RECOMMENDATION:
Development Review Committee recommends approval.
PZ RECOMMENDATION:
At its November 4, 2019 meeting, the Planning and Zoning Commission voted 8-0 to recommend approval with the requested variance (Commissioner Fisher made the motion, seconded by Commissioner Moser).