SUBJECT:Conduct a Public Hearing to Consider/Discuss/Act on the Request by Bradley S. Kidwell Ltd. Family Partnership for Approval of a Request to Rezone Approximately 1.71 Acres from “ML” – Light Manufacturing District to “PD” – Planned Development District, Generally to Allow Mixed Use Development, Located on the Northwest Corner of Louisiana Street and Throckmorton Street, and Accompanying Ordinance

MEETING DATE:September 15, 2009 – Regular Meeting

DEPARTMENT: Development Services – Planning

CONTACT: Jennifer Arnold, Planner II

RECOMMENDED CITY COUNCIL ACTION: Staff recommends approval of the proposed rezoning request with the following special ordinance provisions:

  1. The subject property be developed according to “MTC” – McKinney Town Center District regulations of the Zoning Ordinance, except as follows:
  1. Additional Permitted Use.
  1. Multi-family residential use above ground level commercial use shall be allowed by right and shall not require a specific use permit.
  1. Space Limits.
  1. The maximum building height shall be 70 feet or 4 stories, whichever is less.
  1. All existing buildings shall not have a minimum height requirement.
  1. Maximum front yard: 5 feet. All existing buildings shall be exempt from this provision.
  1. Minimum lot coverage: None.
  1. Maximum lot coverage: None.
  1. Minimum floor area ratio: None.
  1. Maximum floor area ratio: None.
  1. Parking.
  1. Residential Uses: One off-street parking space shall be provided on the subject property for each residential dwelling unit. Covered parking for residential uses shall not be required on the subject property.
  1. Non-Residential Uses: 50% of the required parking spaces for non-residential uses shall be provided on the subject property. This percentage may be reduced with site plan approval based on anticipated peak parking demand and location of parking spaces in relation to the building(s).
  1. Landscaping.
  1. The subject property shall develop in accordance with Section 146-135 Landscaping Requirements of the City of McKinney Zoning Ordinance, except as follows:
  1. The subject property shall not be required to satisfy the requirement to keep at least 15 percent of the street yard as permanent landscape area.
  1. The subject property shall not be required to satisfy the requirement to provide a 30-foot landscape buffer parallel to the corner clip right-of-way dedication at the intersection of two dedicated public streets.
  1. The subject property shall not be required to satisfy the requirement to provide a landscape buffer adjacent to any public street.
  1. The subject property shall not be required to satisfy the requirement to plant one canopy tree per 40 linear feet, or portion thereof, of street frontage.
  1. Site Plan approval shall follow the requirements of Section 146-45 of the Zoning Ordinance of the City of McKinney, and as amended.
  1. Building elevations for newly constructed buildings and for additions or exterior alterations to existing buildings shall be submitted at the time of site planning so City of McKinney Staff (including the Historic Preservation Officer) can review for conformance with the Architectural and Site Standards of this ordinance.
  1. The maximum residential density for the subject property shall be 35 dwelling units per acre.
  1. The subject property shall develop in accordance with Section 146-139 Architectural and Site Standards of the City of McKinney Zoning Ordinance, except as follows:
  1. New additions to existing buildings, exterior alterations to existing buildings, and new construction shall not destroy historic materials that characterize the subject property. The new work shall be differentiated from the existing buildings but shall be compatible with the massing, size, scale, and architectural features to protect the historic integrity of the subject property and its environment. New additions, exterior alterations, and new construction shall follow the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and shall be designed and constructed so that the character-defining features of the existing buildings are not changed, obscured, damaged, or destroyed in the process.
  1. Newly constructed buildings shall avoid long, monotonous, uninterrupted walls or roof planes. Building wall offsets, including projections, recesses, and changes in floor level shall be used to add architectural interest and variety, and to relieve the visual effect of a simple, long wall. Roofline offsets shall be provided as well in order to provide architectural interest and variety to the massing of the building(s) and to break the roof into small scale components.
  1. The architectural treatment of the front façade shall continue, in its major features, around all visibly exposed sides of any newly constructed building. All sides of a newly constructed building shall be architecturally consistent with regard to style, materials, colors, and details. Blank wall or service area treatment of side and/or rear elevations visible from the public right-of-way is discouraged.
  1. All building entrances shall be defined and articulated by architectural elements such as lintels, overhangs and railings. All these elements, as well as doors, shall be compatible with the style, materials, colors, and details of the building(s) as a whole.
  1. For pitched roofs, architectural embellishments that add visual interest to the roof of any newly constructed building, such as dormers, belvederes, masonry chimneys, cupolas, clock towers, and other similar elements are required.
  1. In newly constructed mixed-use buildings, the difference between ground level commercial uses and entrances for upper level commercial or apartment uses shall be reflected by differences in facade treatment. Storefronts and other ground floor entrances shall be accentuated through cornice lines. Further differentiation shall be achieved through distinct, but compatible, exterior materials, signs, awnings, and exterior lighting.
  1. Storefronts shall be integrally designed with the upper floors to be compatible with the overall facade character. Ground floor retail, service, and restaurant uses shall have large pane display windows at least 65 percent but not more than 75 percent of the ground level facade area. Those large panes shall rest on a base of at least 18 inches at the ground level unless approved as part of site plan approval if found to be in keeping with the spirit of the architectural design guidelines. Buildings with multiple storefronts shall be coordinated through the use of architecturally compatible materials, colors, details, awnings, signage, and lighting fixtures.
  1. Parks, plazas and civic open space.
  1. Public open space amenities (such as pedestrian way, courtyard, urban garden, or plaza as defined in Appendix B of the McKinney Zoning Ordinance Urban Design Standards for the Regional Employment Center) shall be provided on the subject property as follows: one square foot of public open space per 50 square feet of new floor area for the first 20,000 square feet of new floor area, and 1 square foot of public open space per 100 square feet of new floor area for every 1 square foot thereafter, or as approved by the Director of Planning.
  1. All outdoor public open spaces described above shall provide: (i) at least one shade tree or planter; and (ii) at least one linear foot of seating for each 75 square feet of open space. Ledges and benches that provide seating on both sides and are at least 30 inches deep shall count double. Level and flat planter rims that are not higher than 2 feet and are at least 8 inches deep shall also count as seating as long as protruding vegetation does not obstruct them. Moveable chairs are counted as 30 inches of linear seating per chair and may be stored after hours of operation. Corners and the space of steps that are wider than 15 feet may count as seating.
  1. The maximum height of light poles shall be 16 feet on the subject property.
  1. Existing loading docks or structures and their associated loading spaces associated with any existing buildings shall not have a minimum distance set back requirement from any public street, property line or adjacent residential use or zoning district.

ITEM SUMMARY:

  • The applicant is proposing to rezone approximately 1.71 acres of land, located on the northwest corner of Louisiana Street and Throckmorton Street from “ML” – Light Manufacturing District to “PD” – Planned Development District, generally to allow for the vertical integration of urban and loft style residential uses with complementary commercial uses within the existing two- and four- story building as well as to assist in the overall redevelopment of the site to create a mixed use and pedestrian-friendly destination, which is consistent with the Town Center Study vision.
  • In March 2008, City Council approved the Town Center Study Phase 1 Report and adopted amendments to the Comprehensive Planto include references to the TownCenter vision. In doing so, the Town Center Initiative serves as a long-term planning and policy guide for city officials, property owners, and private developers.
  • The rail right-of-way is literally just a few feet to the west of the subject property and is planned to accommodate the anticipated expansion of the regional passenger rail transit system. A proposed station in the vicinity of Louisiana Street and Virginia Street is expected to serve as a focal point for denser, compact, mixed-use redevelopment generally within a quarter-mile radius of the station. Unlike suburban transit station locations, this station (also known as the McKinneycentral station) is envisioned to be an urban destination that creates a live-work-shop-play environment.
  • To help establish the critical mass of residents needed to support public transit, the vision specifically calls for the adaptive reuse of this historically-designated site to allow for a complementary mix of loft living above ground floor commercial (office/retail) uses. Because of the uniqueness of this subject property (history, architecture, etc.), the vision expects that this site will serve as the anchor of the future transit village.

BOARD OR COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION:On August 11, 2009, the Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of the proposed rezoning request as conditioned by Staff.

SUPPORTING MATERIALS:

  • Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting Minutes
  • Planning and Zoning Commission Staff Report
  • Location Map
  • Aerial Exhibit
  • Letter of Intent
  • Legal Notice
  • Property Owner Notice
  • Property Owner Notification List
  • Fiscal Analysis
  • Schedule of Uses Summary
  • National Register of Historic Places designation for the Flour Mill
  • Higher Density Myth Fact - Parking
  • Higher Density Myth Fact - Fiscal Impact
  • Proposed Ordinance
  • Proposed Zoning Exhibit “A” – Location Map
  • Proposed Zoning Exhibit “B” – Location of Existing Buildings