Title
Ordinance - Public Hearing Continuation and First Reading on a Change of Zoning from C-2, Community Business District to PD, Planned Development for Commercial Uses and Car Wash on Approximately 3.382 Acres in the Henry McGehee Survey Abstract No.998, City of Mansfield, Tarrant Co, TX, Located at 585 E Debbie Ln. (ZC#23-025)
Requested Action
To consider the requested change of zoning.
Recommendation
The City Council held a public hearing on May 13, 2024, and the motion to deny the change of zoning request failed for a lack of a motion. The motion to approve the change of zoning request ended with three (3) voting in favor and three (3) voting not in favor. The City Charter --- Section 3.09 entitled “Meetings And Procedure” --- states “[n]o action by the Council can be passed or failed unless four (4) of the Council members present at the meeting vote for its passage or failure.” Accordingly, the item is automatically scheduled “for re-consideration for the next Council meeting.”
The Planning and Zoning Commission held a public hearing on February 19, 2024, and voted 5 to 0 (with two absences) to recommend denial of the change of zoning request..
Vote:
Ayes: 5 - Mainer, Thompson, Axen, Bennett, and Shaw
Nays: 0
Absent: 2 - Goodwin, Moses
At the written request of the applicant, the City Council tabled their review, consideration, and action on the change of zoning request on March 4, 2024.
On February 23, 2024, the developer provided the Department of Planning and Development Services with a letter requesting that the case be tabled indefinitely.
Description/History
Existing Use: Vacant
Existing Zoning: C-2, Community Business District
Mansfield 2040 Land Use Designation: Mixed-Use Local
Surrounding Land Use & Zoning:
North - Clinic, C-2, Community Business District
South - School, C-2, Community Business District
East - Assisted Living facility, C-2, Community Business District
West - Vacant, C-2, Community Business District
Thoroughfare Plan Specification:
East Debbie Lane - 6-lane divided arterial street
North Walnut Creek Drive - 4-lane divided arterial street
Synopsis
The applicant is requesting a change of zoning from the C-2, Community Business District to PD, Planned Development District for three (3) retail buildings and a car wash facility. The requested zoning for this property --- PD, Planned Development District --- is mostly consistent with the vision and recommendations found in the recently adopted Mansfield 2040 Plan.
Mansfield 2040 Goals and Strategies
The subject property is designated as Mixed-Use Local and is intended to provide for low- to medium-scale development that supports mixing uses within the same lot or project.
Residential and nonresidential uses may be vertically mixed on different building floors or horizontally incorporated next to one another in separate or shared structures. The proposed development promotes walkability and pedestrian mobility through reduced front and side setbacks, implementation of plazas and public gathering spaces, and reduced emphasis on parking and vehicular circulation, as contemplated within the Mansfield 2040 Plan.
MU.2(b): Incentivize high-quality building techniques and materials, such as masonry products, decorative finishes, and frequent transparency applications.
MU.2(c): Establish a balanced and complementary mixture of uses within buildings and developments.
MU.3(b): Utilize mixed-use applications around existing neighborhoods to provide local destinations and services.
Department of Planning and Development Services Analysis
The subject property contains approximately 3.381 acres located at the northwest corner of East Debbie Lane and North Walnut Creek Drive. Other uses near that intersection include the Walnut Creek Academy, the Legend Assisted Living facility, the Parkside neighborhood (currently under construction), and the Brooks Wester Middle and Asa Lowe Intermediate Schools.
The applicant is proposing three (3) retail buildings and a car wash facility on the property. The desire of the applicant is to design, construct and operate a car wash facility. Previous iterations of this proposal focused exclusively on a car wash facility operating from this site. The size and shape of the lot --- from the applicant’s perspective --- lent itself purely to a car wash facility.
However, after visiting with the applicant on the possibilities for limited commercial activity on the site --- and the vision cast by the Mansfield 2040 Plan, revisions were made to introduce neighborhood-oriented services to address pent up demand for these kinds of businesses in the area. In response, the applicant oriented the car wash facility to the rear of the site and positioned the three (3) retail buildings along East Debbie Lane and North Walnut Creek Lane to create a pedestrian-focused environment that is centered on a uniquely designed courtyard space drawing visual interest to the intersection of those two (2) thoroughfares. Due to the nature of the site design, there were very few opportunities to meaningfully develop the portion of the property proposed as a car wash facility because of size and other site constraints.
The site will not have direct access to East Debbie Lane or North Walnut Creek Drive but will use shared access with the properties to the north and the west.
The site is located in the area that is primarily residential character; however, there are commercial uses contemplated at the intersection of East Debbie Lane and North Walnut Creek Lane (i.e., Parkside) that begin to realize the vision of a true neighborhood node that is consistent with the vision and the goals of the Mansfield 2040 Plan.
Site Plan
The site is laid out with the car wash building located towards the north of the property with 29 proposed vacuum stalls. Retail Buildings Nos. 1 and 2 are located along East Debbie Lane; and Retail Building No. 3 is located along North Walnut Creek Drive. A courtyard --- that meets the passive space requirements in Section 155.092(L) is also provided --- and it is located towards the intersection of East Debbie Lane and North Walnut Creek Drive.
The applicant has provided a phasing table on the site plan --- and Phase One will include the construction of the car wash building and Retail Building No. 3 --- including all pavement and sidewalk and the courtyard located toward the southeast of the property. Phase Two will include the construction of the remaining two (2) retail buildings.
The site plan is shown on Exhibit “B”.
Building Elevations
The car wash and the three (3) buildings consist of a mix of brick, stone, and fiber cement materials. Building elevations have been provided for the car wash and the three (3) retail buildings in Exhibit “C”. The proposed building elevations for the car wash and the retail buildings feature ornamental tower elements at the ends, articulations and canvas awnings that provide visual interest and distinguish it from other similar development in the City and beyond.
The building elevations are shown on Exhibit “C”.
Landscape Plan
The development is shown to be well landscaped by providing a total of 31 canopy trees and ornamental trees in the buffer yards. A 10-foot-wide landscape buffer has been provided towards the north adjacent to the Cutting Edge property and south of the property along East Debbie Lane and a 20-foot-wide landscape buffer at the east along North Walnut Creek and west adjacent to a residential neighborhood. The landscape plan also shows about 584 shrubs are provided in the interior landscape.
The Landscape Plan is shown on Exhibit “D”.
Signage
The project is subject to the General Business Sign regulations in Section 155.090 of the Zoning Ordinance. These regulations limit signage to one (1) sign per street frontage plus one (1) wall sign for the occupant of the property. For this property, the sign plan shows two (2) monument signs, one along East Debbie Lane and one along North Walnut Creek Drive; both signs are approximately eight (8) feet in height with a masonry base to match the building and a total sign area of 49 square feet. The sign plan also shows one (1) per each tenant in the three (3) proposed retail buildings and one (1) wall sign for the car wash facility.
The Sign Plan is shown on Exhibit “E”.
Summary
The property is currently zoned C-2, Community Business District, which promotes the development of a typical retail center and intends to create opportunity for shopping, employment, and other commercial services. As proposed, and presented, the request for a zoning change for commercial uses that are neighborhood serving and a car wash with elevated architecture, landscape, and site design considerations. The retail buildings --- as proposed --- will create an attractive streetscape along East Debbie Lane and North Walnut Creek Drive. By creating an attractive streetscape, the retail buildings unintentionally create a portion of land with very limited opportunities for commercial or other residential activity. Accordingly, a car wash facility could be a potential use --- and the presence of the proposed retail buildings help visually screen the use from a high-profile intersection in the northeast of Mansfield.
Prepared By
Helina Sarkodie-Minkah, Planner
817-276-4287