From
Monica Espinoza, Executive Assistant
Title
S201105 - Site Plan - Hamilton Matthew Business Center (City Council District 6). Site Plan for (2) two Office/Warehouse Distribution Buildings on two lots. The proposed buildings are 52,000 and 31,540 square feet. Located at 4200 Matthew Road, legally described as 7.0 acre tract situated in the Memucan Hunt Survey, Tract 2.2, Abstract No. 1723, Page 570, City of Grand Prairie, Dallas County, Texas, zoned Planned Development - 30 District. This property is generally located south of Bardin Road and West of Matthew Road, within the I-20 Corridor Overlay District. (On November 23, 2020, the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of this request by a vote of 8-0).
Presenter
Savannah Ware, AICP, Chief City Planner
Recommended Action
Approve
Analysis
SUMMARY:
Site Plan for (2) two Office/Warehouse Distribution Buildings on two lots. The proposed buildings are 52,000 and 31,540 square feet. Located at 4200 Matthew Road, legally described as 7.0 acre tract situated in the Memucan Hunt Survey, Tract 2.2, Abstract No. 1723, Page 570, City of Grand Prairie, Dallas County, Texas, zoned Planned Development - 30 District. This property is generally located south of Bardin Road and West of Matthew Road, within the I-20 Corridor Overlay District.
PURPOSE OF REQUEST:
The applicant intends to construct two office/warehouse buildings on 7 acres. City Council must approve a site plan for any project involving industrial uses or that is located within a Corridor Overlay District. Development at this location requires City Council approval of a Site Plan because the property is for industrial uses with buildings exceeding 50,000 square feet.
The purpose of site plan approval is to ensure that development meets requirements in the Unified Development Code (UDC), provides adequate circulation, and uses quality site planning techniques. The UDC identifies criteria for evaluating proposed developments. Criteria include density and dimensional standards, landscaping and screening requirements, and architectural design for special districts.
In addition, UDC’s Appendix X, Industrial Development Standards addresses potential adverse environmental, visual, and truck traffic associated with large warehouses, outside storage, distribution-logistical related developments exceeding five acres in size.
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 |
PD-372 |
Warehouse |
|
South |
PD-30 |
Undeveloped (Willis Branch) |
|
West |
PD-378 |
Undeveloped |
|
East |
PD-30 |
Undeveloped |
PROPOSED USE CHARACTERISTICS AND FUNCTION:
The proposal includes two rear-loaded office/warehouse-buildings along Bardin Road. Building 1 is intended to house the applicant’s technology business along with headquarters. Building 2 is speculative and is being developed without a tenant in mind.
• Building 1 is 31,450 square feet. 20,000 square feet is intended for warehouse purposes, with the remaining balance as office space. The site will be accessible from two drives off West Bardin Road and includes a southwest-facing truck dock with 10 overhead doors.
• Building 2 is 52,000 square feet. 42,000 square feet is intended for warehouse purposes, with the remaining balance as office space. The site will be accessible from two drives off of West Bardin Road and includes a southwest-facing truck dock with 12 overhead doors.
ZONING REQUIREMENTS:
Density and Dimensional Requirements
Development is subject to PD-30 and Appendix X Industrial Development Standards in the UDC. PD-30 explicitly states to refer to the UDC for standards. The table below evaluates the density and dimensional standards of the proposed development. The proposal meets the density and dimensional requirements. The applicant is required to plat the property prior to issuance of building permits.
|
Table 2: Site Data Summary for Building 1 |
|
Standard |
Required |
Provided |
Meets |
|
Min. Lot Area (Sq. Ft.) |
15,000 |
122,010 |
Yes |
|
Min. Lot Width (Ft.) |
100 |
483 |
Yes |
|
Min. Lot Depth (Ft.) |
150 |
405 |
Yes |
|
Front Setback (Ft.) |
25 |
30 |
Yes |
|
Side Setback (Ft.) |
30 |
30 |
Yes |
|
Max. Height (Ft.) |
50 |
33.5 |
Yes |
|
Max. Floor Area Ratio |
1:1 |
0.26:1 |
Yes |
|
Table 3: Site Data Summary for Building 2 |
|
Standard |
Required |
Provided |
Meets |
|
Min. Lot Area (Sq. Ft.) |
15,000 |
182,911 |
Yes |
|
Min. Lot Width (Ft.) |
100 |
447 |
Yes |
|
Min. Lot Depth (Ft.) |
150 |
439 |
Yes |
|
Front Setback (Ft.) |
25 |
30 |
Yes |
|
Side Setback (Ft.) |
30 |
30 |
Yes |
|
Max. Height (Ft.) |
50 |
35 |
Yes |
|
Max. Floor Area Ratio |
1:1 |
0.28:1 |
Yes |
Landscape and Screening
The property is subject to landscape and screening requirements in Article 8 and Appendix X of the UDC. Zoning Analysis Tables summarize the requirements. The site exceeds the minimum landscape area, number of trees, and number of shrubs and screening requirements. Parking will be screened utilizing 36” height berm, along with acceptable buffer from the public right-of-way. Additionally, Appendix X requires that 30% of existing healthy caliper inches to be saved, the applicant is proposing 9%.
|
Table 4: Landscape & Screening Requirements for Building 1 |
|
Standard |
Required |
Provided |
Meets |
|
Area (Sq. Ft.) |
12,201 |
36,000 |
Yes |
|
Trees |
24 |
24 |
Yes |
|
Shrubs |
244 |
246 |
Yes |
|
Foundation Plantings |
Along primary facades |
Provided plantings |
Yes |
|
Entrance Plantings |
At building entrance |
Provided plantings |
Yes |
|
Truck Screening 1 |
8’ masonry wall |
8’ masonry wall |
Yes |
|
Truck Screening 2 |
Living Screen |
Living Screen |
Yes |
|
Tree Preservation |
30% of healthy trees |
0% |
No |
|
Table 5: Landscape & Screening Requirements for Building 2 |
|
Standard |
Required |
Provided |
Meets |
|
Area (Sq. Ft.) |
18,291 |
62,500 |
Yes |
|
Trees |
37 |
37 |
Yes |
|
Shrubs |
366 |
377 |
Yes |
|
Foundation Plantings |
Along primary facades |
Provided plantings |
Yes |
|
Entrance Plantings |
At building entrance |
Provided plantings |
Yes |
|
Truck Screening |
None |
None |
Yes |
|
Tree Preservation |
30% of healthy trees |
9% |
No |
Building Materials and Design
Industrial buildings greater than 50,000 sq. ft. are subject to the requirements in Appendix X of the UDC. Appendix X requires that primary facades include at least three design elements and secondary facades include at least two design elements. The tables below evaluate the design elements for each building. The proposed building elevations meet and exceed Appendix X requirements. To raise the level of architectural style, the applicant provided primary façades with twice as many elements than what is required by Appendix X.
Both buildings 1 & 2 consists of 100% exterior masonry construction utilizing textured concrete tilt-wall panels of varying finishes and colors in compliance with required architectural articulation requirements. The buildings also incorporate glass, stone, and accent canopies to complement the overall architectural theme of the project. The construction styles consist of three accent materials along the vertical surface. The primary facades shall provide accent lighting, colonnades, and awnings minimum 50% of its length.
|
Table 6: Building Design Elements for Building 1 |
|
Facade |
Type |
a. |
b. |
c. |
d. |
e. |
f. |
g. |
h. |
i. |
Total Elements |
Meets |
|
North |
Primary |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
N |
N |
6 |
Yes |
|
South |
Secondary |
Y |
N |
N |
Y |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
2 |
Yes |
|
West |
Primary |
Y |
Y |
Y |
N |
Y |
Y |
Y |
N |
N |
6 |
Yes |
|
East |
Secondary |
Y |
N |
N |
Y |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
2 |
Yes |
|
Table 7: Building Design Elements for Building 2 |
|
Facade |
Type |
a. |
b. |
c. |
d. |
e. |
f. |
g. |
h. |
i. |
Total Elements |
Meets |
|
North |
Primary |
Y |
Y |
Y |
N |
Y |
Y |
Y |
N |
N |
6 |
Yes |
|
South |
Secondary |
Y |
N |
N |
Y |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
2 |
Yes |
|
West |
Secondary |
Y |
N |
N |
Y |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
2 |
Yes |
|
East |
Secondary |
Y |
N |
N |
Y |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
2 |
Yes |
Parking
The proposal meets the required total parking spaces. For Lot 1, the applicant has asked for an additional 5 spaces over the allowed maximum stated in Article 10 of the UDC. The UDC allows for the DRC to review reductions/overages of parking on a case by case basis. DRC has no objections to this and approves the overages.
EXCEPTIONS OR APPEALS:
The applicant is requesting the following variances:
1. Encroachment of the 30-foot landscape buffer. The applicant will have two fire lanes and partial parking spaces that will be placed within the landscape buffer.
2. Less than 30% of trees preserved. Appendix X requires 30% of existing healthy trees to be saved, applicant is proposing to save 9%.
3. Allowance for truck docks to be slightly adjacent to residentially zoned property.
ANALYSIS:
Due to the unique shape and layout of the site, the developer has requested three variances from what is required by the UDC. Staff does not object to the requested variances as the developer has offered compensatory measures to provide a quality product. The developer has offered two rows of living screen to complement the required 8-foot masonry wall to adequately buffer the property from the residentially zoned property to the west. While staff would like to see more trees saved, there is substantial natural buffer along the southern boundary which is encompassed by floodplain.
RECOMMENDATION:
The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval by a vote of 8-0.
The Development Review Committee (DRC) recommends approval.