Title
Public Hearing and Consideration of a Request for a Specific Use Permit for an Auto Repair Garage on Approximately 0.8656 Acres out of the Jacob Back Survey, Located at 800 N. SH 360; Kyle Vrla of Dynamic Engineering Consultants, PC, on Behalf of Billy Green of Christian Brothers Automotive Corporation (developer) and John Boguski of Ellanu, LLP (owner) (ZC#19-004)
Requested Action
To consider the subject Specific Use Permit request.
Recommendation
The Planning and Zoning Commission held a public hearing on April 15, 2019 and voted 7 - 0 to recommend approval with the condition that the applicant provide a direct access point to SH 360 at a location to be approved by TxDOT and to erect a 6-foot masonry wall to screen any vehicles parked outside awaiting repair.
Description/History
The subject property consists of 0.8656 acres out of a 5.783 acre unplatted tract of land along SH 360 adjacent to Vernon Newsom Stadium. The property is currently vacant land, zoned C-2 Community Business District.
Specific Use Permit Request
The applicant is requesting a Specific Use Permit (SUP) to allow an auto repair garage. In the C-2 zoning district, auto repair garages require SUP approval.
Site Plan
The applicant is proposing a 5,655 sq. ft. single-story Christian Brothers Automotive auto repair garage building with nine service bays, as well as an office and waiting area. The office/waiting area is in the far westernmost portion of the building, closest to SH 360, while the service bays and a small indoor storage area occupy the balance of the building. The main entrance and service bays are all located on the south elevation of the building. The southwestern corner of the building (near the entrance) will be flanked by an outdoor sitting area.
The site will have its primary access point directly off SH 360 at an off-site location to be determined, subject to approval by TXDOT. The off-site location will be on property owned by the current owner of the subject property, Ellanu, LLP. The exact location has not yet been determined due to the recent relocation of ramps in this area, however the applicant has stated that TXDOT has provided verbal confirmation that an access point will be granted. In addition, the site will have a stub to the property to the south. The applicant has provided staff with an overall future access plan that shows how access will be provided through the properties to the north and south to connect to the stadium property as those properties develop. To serve pedestrians, a sidewalk connection will be made directly into the development from the sidewalk along SH 360.
The site will provide 29 parking spaces, which exceeds the Zoning Ordinance requirement of 11 parking spaces, which is based on the calculation of 1 parking space per 500 sq. ft. of floor area that has been established for auto repair garages.
The applicant will provide a trash enclosure in the northeastern portion of the property, which will be adjacent to the building and screened in accordance with Section 7301.B of the Zoning Ordinance. The applicant also notes that all equipment will be designed and screened in accordance with Section 7301.A of the Zoning Ordinance. The applicant has specified that there will be no outside storage of materials on the property.
The applicant could not guarantee that there would not be any temporary outside storage of vehicles awaiting repair. As such, they agreed to construct a 6-foot masonry wall. The Development Plan shows a 6’ masonry wall (to match the building) along 16 of the south-facing parking spaces. However, staff notes that the parked vehicles will still be able to be seen from SH 360 and the property to the east. The Zoning Ordinance requires that all temporary storage of vehicles awaiting repair be completely screened from the public’s view by a six foot high opaque fence. Staff recommends that any Council action be conditioned on the screening device being extended north to meet the building on both sides to completely enclose the portion of the parking lot that may include temporary outside storage of vehicles awaiting repair.
Elevations
The provided Elevations show burgundy brick and ash limestone as the primary building materials, with the limestone extending along the base of the building and serving as accents around (or in place of) doors and windows. The building will feature a peaked roof with hunter green composition shingles and will be accented on all sides by a cast stone water table, as well as green-colored light fixtures and diamond-shaped tiles to match the roof color. The building will also feature several recesses and projections and varied rooflines to add architectural interest. Each elevation will be 96 - 98% masonry. The overhead doors for the service bays will all include windows and will be painted black. The building will be approximately 26’-8” in height as measured to the top of the highest roof peak. The trash enclosure, located adjacent to the building, will include materials and design elements that match the building. The 6’ masonry screening wall will include burgundy brick to match the building.
Landscape Plan
As indicated in the Landscape Plan, the applicant will provide a 20’ landscape setback adjacent to SH 360 and 20’ landscape buffers along the north, south, and east property lines. The north and east buffers will include Chinese pistache and Lacey oak trees. The south buffer will include a mix of Eastern red cedar and Nellie Stevens holly trees, while the landscape setback adjacent to SH 360 will include Gingko trees and a mix of shrubs and groundcover to screen the parking lot and flank the monument sign. The front of the building will also be flanked by shrubs and groundcover.
Sign Plan
The applicant has provided notes indicating that all signage will follow the standards for C-2 zoned properties as indicated in Section 7100 of the Zoning Ordinance. In addition, the applicant has provided a Sign Plan showing the specifications for the proposed signage on the property. There will be one monument sign along SH 360; the monument sign meets the materials, size, and setback requirements for monument signs as outlined in the Zoning Ordinance. There will also be two wall signs along the south-facing elevation: the company logo over the main entrance and text reading “Christian Brothers Automotive” over the service bays. While wall signs are limited to one per street frontage, staff generally allows a business to split the signage into multiple components so long as the same message/image is not repeated and that the components added together do not exceed the size requirements. The building address will be displayed on the west elevation, facing SH 360. The applicant has also submitted a rendering for the signage that will appear on the door window, which meets the City’s requirements for both content and size.
Summary and Recommendation
The proposed development will help jumpstart development of the vacant property along SH 360 in front of Vernon Newsom Stadium, provide for additional automotive repair services for area residents, provide enhanced architectural elements at the building’s prominent entrance, add landscaping, provide connections to adjacent properties, and provide abundant parking.
Staff recommends that any Council action be conditioned on the screening device being extended north to meet the building on both sides to completely enclose the portion of the parking lot that may include temporary outside storage of vehicles awaiting repair; the screening shall meet all Zoning Ordinance requirements and any gates shall also meet the requirements of the Engineering and Fire Departments. Staff also recommends that any Council action be conditioned on the applicant providing a direct access point to SH 360 at a location to be approved by TXDOT and which also meets the requirements of the Engineering and Fire Departments.
Prepared By
Lisa Sudbury, AICP
Interim Director of Planning
817-276-4227