Title:
SUP#21-001: Public hearing for a request for a Specific Use Permit for apartments on approximately 12.869 acres out of the E. McAnear Survey, Abstract No. 1005, Tarrant County, TX, located at the southeast corner of Regency Pkwy. and Nahvi Rd.; Ryan Conway of JLB Partners (developer) on behalf of Mike Sellers of First Baptist Church, Michael P. Collini, and John C. Arnold of Fifteen Oaks Mansfield, L.P. (owners)
Description/History
Existing Use: Vacant Land
Existing Zoning: PD Planned Development
Surrounding Land Use & Zoning:
North - Vacant land, PD
South - Assisted senior living facility, PD
East - Vacant land, PD
West - Regency Pkwy; vacant land & professional offices (PD) across the street
Thoroughfare Plan Specification:
Regency Pkwy. - major collector (four-lane undivided)
Nahvi Rd. - minor collector (three-lane undivided)
Street along east perimeter - minor collector (three-lane undivided)
Comments and Considerations
The subject property consists of 12.869 acres of vacant land on the east side of Regency Parkway and the south side of future Nahvi Road (an extension of Robert Road). The property is located in the Workplace Sub-District of The Reserve, which is intended to provide opportunities for employment-related land uses including commercial and office, as well as multi-family residential and supporting service-related uses.
The applicant is requesting a Specific Use Permit for 356 apartment units. The Workplace Sub-District allows a maximum of 1,024 residential dwelling units. Urban Living Phase 1 (under construction) has already taken 295 units. If this development is approved, 373 units will remain available in this sub-district.
Site Plan
The applicant plans to develop an urban-style multi-family residential development called JLB Mansfield. Of the 12.869 total acres, the apartment development will be constructed on 10.475 acres, with the balance of the property to be dedicated as public right-of-way for new streets along the north and east perimeter of the development. The street along the north side of the development will be called Nahvi Road, which is an extension of Robert Road. Nahvi Road was identified in a previously-approved preliminary plat and was named after a local veteran (U.S. Army Spc. Russell Nahvi) who was killed in action in the War on Terror. The street on the east side remains unnamed and the applicant will construct the west half of the street located on their property. A private drive will run north-south through the center of the development to connect to the existing private drive in the Highlands Village senior living community to the south.
JLB Mansfield will include three (3) three-story buildings and two (2) four-story buildings, as well as four outdoor amenity spaces. The development will include a mix of tuck-under garage parking spaces, uncovered surface parking spaces, covered (carport) parking spaces, and parallel parking spaces along Nahvi Road and the street along the east perimeter. Building 1 is located on the west side of the development near the intersection of Nahvi Road and Regency Parkway and is three stories; it will include some ground-floor live-work units and is flanked by amenities on the west and east sides of the building. To the east is Building 2, which is four stories and includes the leasing office, indoor amenities, and an outdoor courtyard amenity with swimming pool; Building 2 fronts on Nahvi Road and the central private drive. Buildings 3 and 5 are to the east of Building 2 and are both three stories; Building 3 fronts Nahvi and the private drive, while Building 5 fronts the private drive. Building 4 is the easternmost building and is an L-shaped four-story building that fronts both Nahvi Road and the street along the eastern perimeter. An additional amenity area with dog park and resident activity area is located roughly equi-distant to Buildings 3, 4, and 5. Combined, the buildings will include 356 apartments over 10.475 acres for a net density of about 34 dwelling units per acre.
The number of units, floors, floor area, and footprint size for each building is:
Building 1 (61 units; three stories): 71,583 sq. ft. floor area; 23,861 sq. ft. footprint
Building 2 (117 units; four stories): 142,752 sq. ft. floor area; 35,688 sq. ft. footprint
Building 3 (38 units; three stories): 47,216 sq. ft. floor area; 15,739 sq. ft. footprint
Building 4 (112 units; four stories): 121,339 sq. ft. floor area; 30,335 sq. ft. footprint
Building 5 (28 units; three stories): 37,256 sq. ft. floor area; 12,419 sq. ft. footprint
The lot coverage is 27% and the floor area ratio is 0.945.
The applicant is proposing the following unit mix:
Efficiency/studio (min. 600 sq. ft. floor area): 26 units (7.3%)
Efficiency/one-bedroom (min. 700 sq. ft. floor area): 141 units (39.6%)
One-bedroom (min. 750 sq. ft. floor area): 94 units (26.4%)
Two-bedroom (min. 950 sq. ft. floor area): 86 units (24.2%)
Live-work/one-bedroom (min. 750 sq. ft. floor area): 9 units (2.5%)
The units are distributed in a fairly balanced manner amongst the buildings, with the exception that Building 1 will be the only building to include live-work units.
Access, Circulation, and Parking
The main access to the development will be via the central north-south drive that connects to Nahvi Road on the north and the Highlands Village development to the south. From there, two gated access points will be provided to allow access to the west and east sides of the development. Secondary gated access points will be provided on Nahvi Road between Buildings 1 & 2 and on the east perimeter street on the south side of Building 4.
Parallel parking spaces with a pedestrian-friendly urban streetscape with enhanced sidewalk and tree wells will be provided along Nahvi Road and along the east perimeter street. This streetscape will also be provided along the central drive, however this central drive will include head-in parking instead of parallel parking in order to meet the parking needs for the development. All of these spaces will be accessible to the public and residents alike. In addition, dedicated spaces will be provided near the leasing office for future residents and parcel carriers.
Restricted parking areas (accessed via gates) include a mix of uncovered spaces, covered (carport) spaces, 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. The carport spaces are all located on interior drives that are not designated as fire lanes. There are 58 tuck-under garage spaces, 99 carport spaces, 338 standard parking spaces, and 14 ADA spaces, for a total of 509 spaces. The development will provide for a ratio of 1.15 spaces per bedroom and 1.43 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. An 8’ sidewalk will also be provided along Regency Parkway and enhanced sidewalks with tree wells will be provided along Nahvi Road, the eastern perimeter street, and both sides of the central drive.
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. Three masonry trash enclosures will be provided along the south side of the development and will be screened by shrubs. A maintenance garage will be located in Building 5. The applicant has provided for screening of rooftop equipment by parapet walls adjacent to public streets and screening of rooftop equipment by a screen-guard system elsewhere; staff recommends that all rooftop equipment be screened by parapet walls at least 1’ taller than the tallest piece of equipment along all building facades.
Elevations and Perspectives
The applicant has provided elevations for all facades of each building, the carports and trash enclosures, as well as a few perspectives to illustrate how the development will look from key intersections at different angles and at different times of day.
The building materials primarily include a mix of brick, cementitious paneling, and cementitious siding. Each building material includes three different colors. Reds, greys, and whites form the predominant color scheme of the development, in addition to a black metal railing system. The tuck-under garage doors are paneled and residential in character. 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 and banding repeated throughout the buildings. The buildings will also include tower features at the building corners. The buildings include a mix of parapet walls along street frontages as well as pitched roofs along the interior facades with asphalt shingles and a 4:12 predominant roof pitch. The ground floor liv-work units in Building 1 facing Nahvi Road and the amenity areas in Building 2 are designed in a storefront condition. In addition, the ground-floor residential units facing public streets have finished floor elevations above the finished sidewalk grade.
The overall building materials percentages are as follows:
Building 1: 74.6% brick; 19.1% cementitious panel; 6.3% siding
Building 2: 62.4% brick; 37.6% cementitious panel
Building 3: 65.4% brick; 15.9% cementitious panel; 18.7% siding
Building 4: 68.9% brick; 15% cementitious panel; 16.1% siding
Building 5: 64.7% brick; 16.5% cementitious panel; 18.8% siding
It is noted that all elevations facing public or private streets are at least 75% masonry or masonry-like as required by the Workplace Sub-District regulations. The percentage of glass on each building is no more than 32%.
The trash enclosures and outer carport columns will include masonry to match the buildings.
The design of the site and the building architecture provides for prominent building corners at street intersections, abundant building façade relief and articulation, abundant roof line articulation, and a pedestrian-friendly streetscape design, all consistent with the standards for the Workplace Sub-District of The Reserve.
Landscaping, Screening, and Hardscaping
A Landscape Plan has been provided showing the overall landscaping and hardscaping to be provided throughout the site, as well as tables specifying the requirements, planting types and quantities, and details for the fencing and gates.
As required, street trees will be provided approximately every 40’ along Regency Parkway and approximately every 30’ in tree wells along Nahvi Road, the east perimeter street, and the central drive. Trees will also be provided in the parking lot islands and shrubs will be provided to screen parking areas from adjacent streets and properties. Shrubs will also be provided around building foundations and a mixture of landscaping and hardscaping will be provided in the amenity areas. Hardscape elements including benches, trash receptacles, street lights, and bike racks will be provided at regular intervals along Nahvi Road and the east perimeter street as required by the Workplace Sub-District regulations.
While The Reserve regulations discourage fencing, interior sections of the development are fenced and gated in order to restrict access to resident parking, living, and amenity areas. However, the portions of the development along public and private streets are not gated in order to provide for the street-oriented, pedestrian-friendly atmosphere intended by The Reserve. The fencing material will be a decorative ornamental metal fence in order to provide for an open, pedestrian-friendly aesthetic.
Amenities
The development will include four amenity areas:
• Amenity Area 1 will include the indoor club and fitness area as well as the mail center and leasing office, all located in Building 2; it will also include outdoor amenities in the courtyard of Building 2, including a resort-style pool with enhanced pavement pool deck, lounge chairs and outdoor furniture, covered open-air lounge space, grilling station with bar counter, and synthetic turf lawn areas.
• Amenity Area 2 will be located between Buildings 3, 4 and 5 and will include a fenced dog park with pet stations, lawn area for structured recreational activities, covered pavilion, outdoor furniture and bench seating, festive string lighting, and shade trees and enhanced planting.
• Amenity Area 3 will be located on the east side of Building 1 and will be designed as a passive space adjacent to Nahvi Road that will be accessible to the public and improved with enhanced pavement, bench seating and masonry seat wall, shade trees and enhanced planting, and pedestrian-scaled light fixtures.
• Amenity Area 4 will be located on the west side of Building 1 near the intersection of Regency Parkway and Nahvi Road and will include a masonry seat wall with memorial plaque to Spc. Russell Nahvi, as well as enhanced paving and landscaping.
Signage
A signage plan has been provided, showing limited signage consistent with the standards of The Reserve with a total of three wall signs, one each on Building 1 (facing Regency Parkway), Building 2 (facing Nahvi Road), and Building 4 (facing the east perimeter street). Each will sign will be allowed a maximum length of 20’ and a maximum height of 4’ (80 sq. ft.).
Recommendation
The subject property is located in the Workplace Sub-District of The Reserve. This sub-district is intended to accommodate employment-related uses, multi-family residential, and supporting commercial service uses. After the Urban Living development provided the initial multi-family residential units to this sub-district, this development will bring additional units and help anchor the western portion of this development along Regency Parkway with active residential uses to help balance the office/employment-related uses along this corridor and help to further the pedestrian-friendly design already established with the Urban Living development to the northeast.
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 some of the buildings to four stories, providing for a pedestrian-friendly streetscape, committing to building half of the east perimeter street, providing a central drive that is open to the public and enhanced with pedestrian-friendly elements, providing tuck-under garage spaces, limiting perimeter fencing and screening to only interior sections of the development, and providing for quality architecture, landscaping, hardscaping, and amenities 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, Heritage Parkway, and Regency Parkway corridors and the City’s growing medical, educational, and recreational facilities. The development will complement the Urban Living development and continue the gridded street system with pedestrian-friendly streetscape as intended by The Reserve. 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 much of the remainder of the Workplace Sub-District.
Staff recommends approval with the following condition:
• The screening of rooftop equipment be revised to provide for building parapets at least 1’ taller than the tallest piece of equipment on all building facades.
Attachments:
Maps and Supporting Information
Exhibit A - Property Description
Exhibit B - Site Plan
Exhibit C - Elevations & Perspectives
Exhibit D - Landscape Plan
Exhibit E - Signage Plan