Title
SUP#20-005: Public hearing for a request for a Specific Use Permit for apartments on approximately 8.08 acres known as Lot 3 and a portion of Lot 2R, Block 1, THR RTC, located at 269 N. SH 360; David S. Kulkarni of Guefen Development Partners, LLC on behalf of Jon M. Sullivan, Jr. of Texas Health Resources
Description/History
The subject property consists of 8.08 acres of vacant land at 269 N. SH 360, approximately 450 feet northeast of Heritage Parkway. The property is located in the Business Campus Sub-District of The Reserve, which is intended to provide for a superior business park environment, focusing on a strong presentation of office buildings within a natural campus environment, as well as a focus on landscaping and building prominence from the highway. The district also allows for multi-family uses (apartments, lofts, townhouses, and brownstones) as well as supporting service-related uses such as retail and hotels.
The applicant is requesting a Specific Use Permit for 257 apartment units. The Business Campus Sub-District allows a maximum of 612 residential dwelling units. If approved, this development will comprise all of the remaining allowable units in this sub-district after The Sydney (located a quarter-mile north of this development) was approved in January 2020 for 355 apartments.
General Information
Existing Use: Vacant Land
Existing Zoning: PD Planned Development
Surrounding Land Use & Zoning:
North - Medical recovery and wellness center, PD
South - SH 360
East - Vacant land, PD
West - Vacant land, PD
Thoroughfare Plan Specification:
SH 360 - freeway
Site Plan
The applicant plans to develop an urban-style multi-family residential development called Haven at Mansfield. The development will be served by two access drives off SH 360, one on the east side of the development and one on the west side of the development, each of which will separate the development from future commercial uses to the east and west.
The Haven at Mansfield will include three four-story multi-family buildings. The units will be accessed by interior lobbies and hallways and each building will include elevators. In conformance with the intent of the Business Campus Sub-District, the development will include prominent building frontages, particularly along SH 360 and the access drives, with most of the parking being located within the building envelopes, in the interior of the development, and along the north side of the development adjacent to the Texas Health Recovery and Wellness Center. Buildings 1 and 2 will be located in the western half of the development, separated by a paseo (with fire pit, seating area, and planters), with a strong building frontage along the western access drive. Building 3 will be located in the eastern portion of the development, and will include the indoor amenities, leasing center, mail center, and adjacent outdoor amenity area with pool, arbors, patio, and grilling stations. Combined, the buildings will include 257 apartments over 8.08 acres for a density of 31.81 dwelling units per acre. Each building will be 62’ in overall height (from grade to highest point), with a typical height of 54’-8” (from grade to typical parapet wall).
The number of units, floor area, and footprint size for each building is:
Building 1 (84 units): 98,024 sq. ft. floor area; 24,673 sq. ft. footprint
Building 2 (85 units): 103,938 sq. ft. floor area; 26,132 sq. ft. footprint
Building 3 (88 units): 104,106 sq. ft. floor area; 26,286 sq. ft. footprint
The lot coverage is 22% (minus paseo, arbors, etc.) and the floor area ratio is 0.87.
The applicant is proposing the following unit mix:
Efficiency (min. 638 sq. ft. floor area): 9 units (3.5%)
One-bedroom (min. 756 sq. ft. floor area): 170 units (66.15%)
Two-bedroom (min. 1,044 sq. ft. floor area): 78 units (30.35%)
The units are distributed in a fairly balanced manner amongst the buildings, with the exception that Building 3 will not contain any efficiency units.
Access, Circulation, and Parking
Primary access to the development will be from SH 360 off of two main access driveways on the east and west sides of the development. From there, a drive along the north side of the development provides access into the development; this northern drive will be gated on both sides and restrict vehicle access to the interior of the development. However, parking spaces on the east and west sides will not be restricted in order to accommodate visitors, guests, deliveries, and rideshare. A parallel parking configuration and paseo on the west side of the development will also create an urban streetscape and allow for a mix of uses and movement between uses when the vacant tract to the west develops.
The access point on the east will be shared between this development and the tract to the east (the Sweeney tract) as required by TXDOT and consented to by representatives for the owners of the Sweeney tract.
Both primary access points off SH 360 cross active gas pipelines. Despite numerous attempts by the applicant, the operator for the pipelines will not issue conceptual approval of the crossings and will only issue approval after review of the detailed civil/construction plans to ensure the crossings meet the clearance requirements.
Parking for the development includes a mix of surface parking lot spaces (some restricted and some not), parallel parking spaces along the western access drive (not restricted), and tuck-under garage spaces in the apartment buildings. The tuck-under spaces are all located on the interior of the development and do not directly face any public streets. There will not be any carports or freestanding garages. There are 42 garage spaces and 296 surface spaces. The development will provide for a total of 338 spaces and a ratio of 1 space per bedroom or 1.32 spaces per unit.
To serve pedestrians, sidewalks will be located along the perimeter of most building facades (except where tuck-under garages are located) and sidewalk and crosswalk connections will allow for connection between buildings and access to amenities and parking areas. Between Buildings 1 and 2, a widened sidewalk with enhanced paving will travel from the western end of the development to the interior of the development and will include a paseo with fire pit on one side and a plaza with a fountain on the other side. This sidewalk, paseo area, and plaza area will also include planters and benches and will allow for public access and interconnectivity, create outdoor gathering and recreational spaces, and encourage pedestrian movement throughout the development. Crosswalks and sidewalk connections will also connect this space to the outdoor pool amenity area and indoor amenities located in Building 3. The development sidewalk system will also connect to the existing sidewalk along SH 360 with connections located at the main access points.
Storage, Equipment/Service Area Screening, and Lighting
The applicant notes that there will be no outside storage or outside operations on the property, no parking of boats/trailers/recreational vehicles, all utilities with the exception of electric transmission lines will be placed underground, all service areas and mechanical equipment will be located and screened in accordance with the requirements of The Reserve, and adequate lighting will be provided in accordance with the requirements of The Reserve. A trash compactor will be located on the north side of the development adjacent to Building 1 and will be screened by shrubs. Staff notes an exterior utility vehicle storage area near Building 3 and recommends that it be placed within the building envelope or otherwise screened as required by the regulations of The Reserve.
Elevations and Perspectives
The applicant has provided elevations for all facades of each building, as well as many perspectives and aerials from different angles and directions. A few nighttime renderings have also been provided to illustrate how the development will be lighted and meet the illumination standards of The Reserve.
The building materials primarily include a mix of red and buff (beige) brick; off-white and taupe (tan) stucco; a black metal railing system; and metal garage doors that match the building colors. The tuck-under garage doors are paneled and residential in character, while the maintenance garage doors are more of a commercial design. The buildings are heavily articulated with wall plane and roof height recesses and projections, balconies, alternating building materials and colors, abundant windows and doors, and soldier coursing repeated throughout the buildings. The buildings will also include tower features at the building corners that rise to five stories and parapets to screen any rooftop equipment. Along SH 360, the ground floors of Buildings 2 and 3 are designed in a storefront condition with floor-to-ceiling window designs to provide the illusion of a commercial storefront to meet the intent of the Business Campus Sub-District of The Reserve.
The overall building materials percentages are as follows:
Building 1: 31.5% masonry; 39.2% stucco/trim; 29.3% fenestration (windows & doors)
Building 2: 31.6% masonry; 37.9% stucco/trim; 30.5% fenestration (windows & doors)
Building 3: 29.5% masonry; 39.6% stucco/trim; 31% fenestration (windows & doors)
It is noted that all elevations are 100% masonry or masonry-like (which includes stucco in The Reserve) excluding windows & doors. The percentage of glass on each building is no more than 31%.
The design of the site and the building architecture provides for prominent building frontages adjacent to SH 360 and the east and west access drives, consistent with the standards for the Business Campus Sub-District of The Reserve.
Landscaping, Screening, and Hardscaping
The applicant has provided a Landscape Plan showing the overall landscaping and hardscaping to be provided throughout the site, as well as tables specifying the different species, as well as details for the fencing, gates, and all hardscape elements, including arbors, fire pit, fountain, grilling stations, picnic tables, benches, bicycle racks, trash receptacles, light fixtures, and enhanced pavers.
The site includes a 50’ landscape setback adjacent to SH 360; this setback will not include plantings due to the presence of the gas pipelines, however foundation plantings will provided along the building facades, including ornamental trees and shrubs. There will also be a 10’ landscape buffer with trees and shrubs along the north property line, as well as a 6’ wrought iron fence to separate the property from the recovery and wellness center to the north. There will be a 15’ buffer on the west side, however this area will not include plantings since it is expected that commercial development will be built up to the sidewalk at this location. Live oaks will be planted along the east and west access drives, and ornamental trees and shrubs will also be planted along the building facades, except where tuck-under garages are located. The parking lot will also include live oaks and cedar elms in the tree islands, grasses interspersed at different locations, and shrubs to screen parking spaces. Shrubs will also screen the trash compactor and loading areas and will be located in the call box islands and the island at the main entrance off SH 360. The perimeter of the pool area will be heavily landscaped with shrubs, trees, and planters, and the paseo, plaza, and enhanced sidewalk will be lined with trees and include planter boxes with trees and groundcover as part of the design.
The pool area patio, paseo area, and plaza area will all include enhanced brick pavers. Screening and hardscape elements in the pool area include a 4’ open-style perimeter fence, tables and chairs, grilling stations, trash receptacles, and arbors. Hardscape elements in the paseo area will include a canopy structure, open fire pit with seating area, and planter boxes. The widened sidewalk and plaza area will include benches, planter boxes, trash receptacles, lamp posts, tables and chairs, and a fountain. Bicycle racks will be located along the east and west access drives and decorative lights will be located throughout the development, particularly along the main access drives and the public spaces. Details have been provided for all hardscape elements, with the exception of the paseo canopy.
Amenities
In addition to the outdoor paseo/plaza area with fountain, fire pit, planters, and seating areas (which acts as an outdoor amenity and gathering space), amenity centers will be provided in and around Building 3, including a 2,594 sq. ft. lobby and leasing center, a mail center, a 5,613 sq. ft. indoor amenity space, and the outdoor pool area with grilling stations, arbors, and seating areas.
Signage
A signage plan has been provided, showing limited signage consistent with the standards of The Reserve with blade signs similar to The Sydney, The Julian, and Bexley on Main. There will be a total of three blade signs: one on Building 2 at the intersection of SH 360 and the west access drive, one on Building 3 at the intersection of SH 360 and the east access drive, and one on Building 3 at the northeast corner of the building above the main leasing entrance. A wall sign will also be allowed over the main public entrance door to the leasing center in Building 3.
Summary and Recommendation
The subject property is located in the Business Campus Sub-District of The Reserve. This sub-district is intended to accommodate business park uses, as well as supporting retail/service and multi-family residential uses. The sub-district also calls for a focus on strong building prominence from the highway and quality site landscaping that create a campus setting. This development will bring the remaining available units to this sub-district and was designed in such a way to preserve land to the west and south for future commercial development.
The applicant has worked cooperatively with staff to design the development in such a way to meet the intent of The Reserve Planned Development Regulations, including increasing the height of the buildings to four stories to provide for interior access to units as well as to increase density and preserve additional land for future commercial development, creating strong building frontages along SH 360 with ground floors designed in a storefront condition, creating an access drive along the western side of the property with strong building frontage and parallel parking to create an urban-style and pedestrian-friendly design and streetscape (similar to The Sydney and Urban Living Ph. 1), providing public pedestrian access to promote interconnectivity between land uses, providing shared access drives and stubs to allow for future connectivity and access to adjacent parcels, providing tuck-under garages and shielding open parking fields from public view with buildings and landscaping, breaking up parking areas with landscaping and pedestrian walkways, providing abundant amenities for residents, including elements that are also accessible to the public, providing strong building architecture with abundant articulation and a mix of colors and materials with a unified design, and providing abundant landscaping and hardscape elements throughout the development.
The apartments will also provide for convenient living options near the continued expansion of employment and commercial uses in this area, including the Broad Street and Heritage Parkway corridors and the City’s growing medical, educational, and recreational facilities. The development will complement the existing multi-family land uses on the other side of SH 360 and the recently-approved Sydney development to the north and will help to support and attract additional employment-related uses in the future. The dense urban-style design in combination with the limits on the number of dwelling units established in The Reserve also allows for the continued careful stewardship of land resources in the City, including preservation of land for commercial and employment uses in the Business Campus Sub-District.
Staff recommends approval with the following conditions:
• Exhibit A be updated to reflect the increase in acreage to 8.08 acres with the inclusion of a portion of Lot 2R.
• The gas pipeline operators consent to the crossings and access points as shown.
• The parking calculations shall be corrected to 1.32 spaces per unit and 1 space per bedroom.
• The utility vehicle parking area shall be incorporated into the building envelope.
• A detailed rendering be provided for the paseo canopy; the paseo canopy shall include materials to match the design of the buildings.
Attachments:
Maps and Supporting Information
Exhibit A - Property Description
Exhibit B - Site Plan and Floor Plans
Exhibit C - Elevations and Perspectives
Exhibit D - Landscape and Hardscape Plan
Exhibit E - Signage Plan
Conceptual approval of access points from TXDOT
Concurrence from Sweeney Tract for shared access
Correspondence with Summit Midstream regarding pipeline crossings