Title
Ordinance - Public Hearing Continuation and Second and Final Reading on an Ordinance Approving a Zoning Change from SF-7.5/12, Single-Family Residential and C-1, Neighborhood Business Districts to PD, Planned Development District for a Church and Other Church-Related Facilities, a Pre-School, Day Care, Education, Coffee Shop, Eating Place without Drive-Through Service and Other OP Uses as Allowed on Approximately 10.97 Acres, Being Lot 1R1, Block 1, Bethlehem Baptist Church Addition and a 0.1 Acre Tract Situated in the T.J. Hanks Survey, Abstract No. 644, City of Mansfield, Tarrant Co. TX, Addressed at 1188 W. Broad Street; Shank Architects, architect and Bethlehem Baptist Church, owner (ZC#21-013)
Requested Action
To consider the subject zoning change request.
Recommendation
The Planning and Zoning Commission held a public hearing on September 20, 2021 and voted 4 to 0 to approve, Commissioner Mainer abstaining.
Staff recommends approval.
First Reading
City Council voted 6 to 0 to approve the zoning change at First Reading, with Mayor Evans abstaining.
Description/History
Existing Use: Church and church-related facilities
Existing Zoning: SF-7.5/12 and C-1
Surrounding Land Use & Zoning:
North - Vacant and single-family residential, SF-7.5/12
South - Vacant, single-family residential and Pioneer Place (multi-family residential), PR and PD
East - Vacant, SF-7.5/12
West - Single-family residential, SF-7.5/12
Thoroughfare Plan Specification:
W. Broad Street - 4-lane divided major arterial
Comments and Considerations
The subject property consists of 10.97 acres at the northwest corner of W. Broad Street and Morgan Road. The property is currently occupied by Bethlehem Baptist Church, including the existing worship center, gymnasium, education buildings, mission house and other related structures.
The property is currently zoned SF-7.5/12 and C-1. The applicant is requesting to re-zone the property to PD, Planned Development District to accommodate a new church worship center and other church related facilities, a pre-school, day care, education, coffee shop, eating place without drive-through service and other OP uses as allowed.
Development Plan (Exhibit B)
In Phase 1, the applicant proposes a new worship and education building of 54,985 square feet. This building will replace the present worship center and community education center building. The new building will accommodate future expansions for a one-story fellowship hall in Phase 2 and a two-story youth building in Phase 3. A Detailed Site Plan approved by staff will be required for all future buildings on the property.
The applicant is using OP as the base zoning. As presented, the PD will require deviations from the OP regulations for architecture, landscaping and signage as described in the following sections.
Elevations have been provided for the Phase 1 worship and education building. The PD proposes that a Detailed Site Plan for each future building be approved by staff prior to the issuance of a building permit.
The existing trash dumpster will be relocated further to the rear of the property and screened with masonry materials that match the building.
Access and Parking (Exhibit B)
At present, the church has three existing driveways on W. Broad Street. Under the proposed development plan, the center and eastern driveway will be reconfigured to provide better circulation around the worship center. A new driveway will be installed on the north side of the property on Morgan Road.
Church parking must be provided at a ratio of 1 space for every 4 seats in the sanctuary. The new worship center will have 1,074 seats, requiring 269 parking spaces. Parking will be provided as follows:
Existing parking spaces: 117
Propose parking spaces: 228
Total parking: 345
Building Standards (Exhibit C)
Elevations for the Phase 1 worship and education building are shown on Exhibit C. The development plan indicates that the building will be 2-stories with a maximum height of 40 feet and a steeple with a height of 105 feet. The maximum height for an OP building is 35 feet, but the proposed elevations have a varied roofline to provide articulation. The steeple is exempt from a height limit, but an extra setback from the property line is required based on the steeple’s height. The PD includes a deviation for the setback from W. Broad Street for the steeple to maintain the standard 25’ setback.
The primary cladding is brick and cement plaster (stucco) siding as shown on Sheets C-1 and C-2. Stone veneer and cast stone panels are accent materials to break up the facades. The standard masonry requirement in Section 155.056(A) for structures in the OP District is a minimum of 70% masonry materials. The PD proposes allowing a minimum of 30% masonry materials and a maximum of 40% of masonry-like materials as the construction material standard.
The main entryway has a canopy with plaster fascia supported by brick columns with stone veneer on the bases. The steeple structure is supported by four gables with plaster, a brick base and metal steeple.
Section 155.056(E) requires certain architectural attributes for buildings in the OP District to address the visual impact of long uninterrupted walls or rooflines by providing a minimum amount of variations according to the size of the structure. Non-residential buildings must be architecturally finished on all four sides with the same materials, detailing and features.
All four facades use the same construction materials, though not in the same quantities. However, there is sufficient masonry on each façade to meet the intent of the architectural standards. The west elevation has the least amount of masonry (approximately 30.8%), but it faces the existing education building and gymnasium and will be modified with the Phase 3 expansion. To help break up the 2-story brick wall on the north elevation, the applicant has added cast stone lintels and sills to the windows, stone wainscoting, and cast stone quoins on the corner of the wall.
Landscaping and Screening (Exhibit D)
Landscaping and screening will be provided as shown on Sheets D-1 and D-2. The landscaping for the parking lots and buffer yards generally complies with the requirements of the Zoning Ordinance. Foundation plantings are proposed along the front façade.
Along the west property line is an existing line of trees. The applicant proposes to preserve these trees as shown on Sheet D-2. Some of the existing trees in the parking lot and buffer yards will also be retained.
Ground-mounted and roof-mounted equipment serving the property will be screened according to the Zoning Ordinance.
Signage (Exhibit E)
The applicant proposes one monument sign in front of the worship and education building with a maximum height of 12 feet, maximum width of 17.5 feet, and a maximum sign area of 128 square feet. The sign includes a 4-foot stone base, 4-foot brick sign panel and a 3-foot, 8-inch electronic message board as shown on Exhibit E. The applicant is also requesting wall plaque signs similar to those on the existing buildings to identify the buildings on the property. The church’s existing freestanding signs along W. Broad Street will be removed.
Under the sign regulations, the church would be allowed to have two monument signs with a maximum height of 10 feet, maximum with of 10 feet and a maximum sign area of 50 square feet. The dimensions of the proposed sign are approximately the same as two standard monument signs combined together. The proposed sign is in scale with the size and in keeping with the appearance of the development.
Summary
The church is an established land use for this property. The expansion of church facilities is compatible with the neighborhood. With OP as the base zoning, the PD allows for future OP uses that may serve the church congregation or the neighborhood, such as a day care.
While the proposed elevations of the new building do not meet all of the OP requirements, they employ architectural features and materials on all four facades to mitigate for the articulation and masonry requirements.
The proposed sign plan eliminates multiple signs on the property and consolidates them into one larger sign. The sign is compatible and in scale with the church.
Prepared By
Art Wright, Planner II
817-276-4226