Planning Report
Z17-0021/Rayzor Ranch
City Council District 3
Planning & Zoning Commission
October 11, 2017
REQUEST:
Title
Hold a public hearing and consider a request by RED Development to amend Exhibits B-1, B-4, and E-1 of the Rayzor Ranch Overly District in Subchapter 35.7.15 of the Denton Development Code to change approximately 12.17 acres from the South Mixed Use District to the South RR-2 District and to incorporate approximate 22.17 acres into Sign Area 2. The Rayzor Ranch Overlay District consists of approximately 410 acres generally located on both side of West University Drive (US 380) between North Bonnie Brae Street and I-35. (Z17-0021, Rayzor Ranch, Hayley Zagurski).
Body
OWNER:
Mike Ebert, DB Denton II c/o Scott Wagner, RED Development
APPLICANT:
Gary Devleer, Hodges Architecture
BACKGROUND:
The Rayzor Ranch Overlay District (RROD) was first created in 2007, and includes a total of 410 acres of land located on both sides of US Highway 380 between I-35 and Bonnie Brae. The RROD is intended to provide design criteria and development standards for the entire mixed use development. This request is to amend some of the exhibits within the overlay. There are two components to this request, which are further described below.
The first element of the request is to amend the Concept/Schematic Plan in Exhibit B-1 and Zoning Overlay in Exhibit B-4 of the RROD to change approximately 12.17 acres on the north side of Panhandle Street from the South Mixed Use District to the South RR-2 District. There are two primary differences between these districts:
• South Mixed Use (Existing): The South Mixed Use District permits a mix of residential and non-residential uses. The architectural, landscape, and sign guidelines for the South Mixed Use District, however, have not yet been approved and are intended to be incorporated at a later date as Exhibits C-2, D-2, and E-2.
• South RR-2 (Proposed): The South RR-2 District is purely a non-residential district, subject to the architectural, landscape, and sign guidelines in Exhibits C-1, D-1, and E-1 of the RROD.
The applicant is seeking this change to allow a proposed indoor recreation use to be designed for the property subject to the existing architectural, landscape, and sign standards for the South RR-2 District in Exhibits C-1, D-1, and E-1 of the RROD. A comparison table of the South Mixed Use District and South RR-2 is attached for reference.
The second element of the request is to amend Exhibit E-1, specifically Appendices 1 and 2, to incorporate approximately 22.17 acres located east of the I-35 frontage road and on the north side of Panhandle Street into Sign Area 2. Exhibit E-1 provides sign standards for the south campus of the RROD, and currently it has three designated Sign Areas. Sign Area 1 is located along University Drive, Sign Area 2 is located along I-35, and Sign Area 3 is the Town Center area. The subject property has not previously been included in any of the Sign Areas because the area was previously part of the South Mixed Use District, which will eventually have separate sign standards developed for it and included in Exhibit E-2.
SITE DATA:
The subject property is comprised of two parcels. Approximately 10 acres located at the intersection of I-35 and Panhandle Street is under development as a Rooms to Go store. The remaining twelve acres is located immediately to the east of the Rooms to Go parcel. An indoor recreation development is intended to be developed on the property. A private street will separate the two developments in the future. The extension of Panhandle Street is under construction as a four-lane street on the southern boundary of the property.
USE OF PROPERTY UNDER CURRENT ZONING:
The ten acres located at the corner of I-35 and Panhandle Street were rezoned from the South Mixed Use District to the South RR-2 District in October 2016, and the remaining 12.17 acres is intended to be similarly rezoned as part of this request.
The base zoning district of the entire subject property is Regional Center Commercial Downtown (RCC-D) District. Please refer to the attached South Mixed Use v. South RR-2 Comparison Table for more information regarding permitted uses.
SURROUNDING ZONING AND LAND USES:
North: The property to the north along I-35 is undeveloped, has a base zoning of RCC-D District, and is part of the South RR-2 District of the RROD. The property to the north/northeast is part of the RR-1 District and is currently being developed as a Convention Center and Hotel.
East: The property to the east is undeveloped, has a base zoning of zoned RCC-D District, and is part of the South Mixed Use District of the RROD.
South: To the south is Panhandle Street. Beyond Panhandle Street is property with a base zoning of zoned RCC-D District. The parcel located immediately south along I-35 and is part of the South Mixed Use District of the RROD, and adjoining that parcel to the east is a rehabilitation hospital that is not a part of the RROD.
West: To the west is IH-35.
COMPATABILITY OF REQUEST WITH SURROUNDING ZONING AND LAND USES:
The first request to rezone approximately 12.17 acres from South Mixed Use District to South RR-2 District is compatible with the existing South RR-2 designation to the west/northwest of the subject property. Surrounding properties to the east and south are part of the South Mixed Use District, which generally permit the same non-residential uses as the South RR-2 District in addition to a number of residential uses. Approved Site Plans in this district include In-N-Out, Chili’s, Raising Cane’s, Winco, Rooms to Go, and two multi-tenant buildings containing various retail and restaurant uses. The proposed request would allow the subject property to be designed and constructed consistent with these existing developments.
The second request to incorporate the entire 22.17 acres into Sign Area 2 is consistent with the Sign Area designation to the north along I-35. Sign Area 1 is restricted to property along University Drive, and Sign Area 3 applies only to the Town Center portion of the RROD which is within the RR-1 District. Sign Area 2 applies to areas along I-35 and can logically be extended to the south to include the entire subject property.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN:
The subject property is located within an area designated as “Regional Mixed Use” according to the Future Land Use Plan in the Denton Plan 2030. This designation applies to areas that serve as regional destinations within Denton. Development within a Regional Mixed Use area may include moderate and high density residential, commercial, office, entertainment and other uses except industrial, at the highest levels of scale and density within the city. This designation is located primarily along I-35 interchanges and primary arterials to encourage the greatest regional accessibility. Future development in Regional Mixed Use areas will complement and embrace existing, viable uses, and raise the standard of design to increase their regional draw, accommodate greater connectivity and mobility options, and create a sense of place.
The RROD itself is a regional shopping and entertainment destination, and it is located at one of the primary gateways into the City at the intersection of a state highway and an interstate roadway. The uses and development standards of the South RR-2 District are consistent with the goals set forth for the Regional Mixed Use areas in the Denton Plan 2030.
CONSIDERATIONS:
The request has two unique components:
1. The first request is to change an approximately 12.17 acre property from the South Mixed Use District to the South RR-2 District so that a proposed indoor recreation use may be designed subject to the existing site design standards in Exhibits C-1, D-1, and E-1 of the RROD instead of the site design standards in Exhibits C-2, D-2, and E-2, which have not yet been approved. Indoor recreation uses are permitted in both districts, and both districts are comparable in terms of zoning criteria such as maximum lot coverage and minimum landscape area. Therefore, the request would only affect the applicable site design standards and not zoning criteria, such as permitted uses or lot coverage.
a. If approved, the request to rezone the twelve acre parcel would not only change the applicable site design standards governing the property, it would also remove the ability to develop the site with a number of residential uses including single-family, townhomes, and multi-family. As this portion of the subject property is adjacent to Panhandle Street, which is a future collector, and a major hotel and convention center, staff does not consider the removal of these residential uses on this particular property to be detrimental to the integrity of South Mixed Use District or the overall RROD.
b. The site design standards for the South Mixed Use District to be inserted as Exhibits C-2, D-2, and E-2 have not yet been included in the RROD. Until these standards are approved, it is impossible to definitely determine how the request to change design standards for the subject property may affect the overall aesthetics in the South Mixed Use District area. Considering the location the twelve acre portion of the subject property along Panhandle Street, immediately adjoining both the South RR-2 District and new convention center and hotel, the property may be equally appropriate as part of either district; either as a continuation of the pad sites in South RR-2 or as the western gateway to the South Mixed Use District. Ultimately, however, staff does not anticipate, that the eventual design standards regarding non-residential development for the South Mixed Use District will be substantially different from those already approved in Exhibits C-1, D-1, and E-1. The primary differences in the standards for the South Mixed Use District will regard the inclusion of site design guidelines for residential development.
2. The second request is to amend Exhibit E-1, specifically Appendices 1 and 2, to incorporate approximately 22.17 acres, which includes the area discussed in the first request, located east of the I-35 frontage road and on the north side of Panhandle Street into Sign Area 2. When ten acres located at the northeast corner of Panhandle Street and I-35 were rezoned last fall from the South Mixed Use District to the South RR-2 District, just as is being requested for the twelve acres discussed above, the Sign Area maps in Exhibit E-1 were not updated to assign the land into a designated Sign Area.
Sign Area 2 currently extends along the east side of I-35, so it is appropriate to extend it south to include the entire freeway frontage. For the other parcel located further east along Panhandle Street the Sign Area 2 designation is appropriate because it would provide consistent sign standards for the remainder of the South RR-2 District. The Planning Division staff does not anticipate that sign standards for the non-residential areas of the South Mixed Use District will be substantially different from those for the South RR-2 District in Exhibit E-1.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of both requests as they are compatible with the surrounding property and is consistent with the goals and objectives of the Denton Plan 2030.
OPTIONS:
1. Recommend approval as submitted.
2. Recommend approval subject to conditions.
3. Recommend denial.
4. Table the item.
PUBLIC NOTIFICATION:
To comply with the public hearing notice requirements, 101 notices were sent to property owners within 200 feet of the subject property, 292 courtesy notices were sent to physical addresses within 500 feet of the subject property, a notice was published in the Denton Record Chronicle, and signs were placed on the property.
PROJECT TIMELINE:
Application Received: August 25, 2017
1st Submittal Sent to DRC Members: August 30, 2017
Comments Released to Applicant: September 13, 2017
Business Days under DRC Review: 10
Business Day out to Applicant: 0
Total Business Days: 10
EXHIBITS:
• Aerial Map
• Zoning Map
• Future Land Use Map
• Exhibit B-1 - Current
• Exhibit B-1 - Proposed
• Exhibit B-4 - Current
• Exhibit B-4 - Proposed
• South Mixed Use v. South RR-2 Comparison Table
• Exhibit C-1 - South RR-2 Architectural Standards
• Exhibit D-1 - South RR-2 Landscape Standards
• Exhibit E-1 - South RR-2 Sign Standards
• Exhibit E-1 Appendices 1 and 2 - Proposed
• Notification Map
Respectfully submitted:
Richard Cannone
Interim Planning Director
Prepared by:
Hayley Zagurski
Senior Planner