BM 2005-12-05 PZ (Corrected) CORRECTED
Minutes of Special-called meeting of December 5, 2005
PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION
At a Special-Called Meeting, the Planning and Zoning Commission of the City of Coppell met in
pre-session at 6 p.m., and in regular session at 6:30 p.m., on Monday, December 5, 2005, in the
Council Chambers of Coppell Town Center, 255 Parkway Boulevard, Coppell, Texas 75019.
The following members were present:
Commissioner
Commissioner
Commissioner
Commissioner
Commissioner
Commissioner
Lee Foreman
Anna Kittrell
Mark Borchgardt
Dornell Reese, Jr.
Matt Hall
Edmund Haas
Also present were Bruce Peshoff, Planning Works; Elisa Paster, Paul, Hastings, Janofsky &
Walker; City Attorney Bob Hager; Planning Director Gary Sieb; Assistant Planning Director
Marcie Diamond; City Planner Matt Steer and Secretary Barbara Jahoda. Commissioner
McCaffrey was absent.
PRE-SESSION (Open to the Public)
Briefing on the Agenda.
Staff briefed the Commission on the cases.
EXECUTIVE SESSION (Closed to the Public)
At 6:08 p.m., as authorized by Section 551.071(2) of the Texas Government Code, the
Planning Commission convened into closed Executive Session for the purpose of seeking
confidential legal advice from the City Attorney on Agenda Item 5 regarding a
recommendation to Council covering external areas close by or contiguous to the City
boundaries as a planning element to the Comprehensive Plan. The Executive Session ended
at 6:20 p.m. and the Commission reconvened into the pre-meeting open session.
REGULAR SESSION (Open to the Public)
Call to Order.
Chairman Foreman called the meeting to order.
Approval of minutes dated November 17, 2005.
Commissioner Borchgardt made a motion to approve the minutes of the November 17,
2005, meeting, as written. Commissioner Hall seconded; motion carried (6-0) with
Commissioners Borchgardt, Hall, Foreman, Haas, Kittrell and Reese voting in favor.
None opposed.
o
PUBLIC HEARING: Consider approval of Case No. ZC-619~ St. Ann Catholic
Parish, zoning change from C (Commercial) to SF-9 (Single Family-9) on
approximately 5.3 acres of property located at 700 E. Sandy Lake Road, to expand
church uses into an existing building, and consideration of an amendment to the Land
Use Plan of the 1996 Comprehensive Plan, changing the land use from Neighborhood
Retail to Public Institutional, at the request of Jennifer Lindsey of St. Ann Catholic
Parish.
Presentation:
Planning Director Gary Sieb introduced the item to the Commission showing exhibits,
relating the history of the property. If the requested rezoning were approved, Mr. Sieb
discussed the need to amend the Comprehensive Plan to reflect a change in land use
classification on this property from Neighborhood Retail to Public/Institutional. He then
stated that staff is recommending approval of both the zoning change request, with no
conditions, and change in land use of the Comprehensive Master Plan. He added that 24
notices were sent to property owners within 200' of this request and stated that no
responses either in favor or in opposition were returned to the Planning Department.
Jay Turner, parishioner, 747 Blue Jay Lane, Coppell, TX 75019, was present to represent
this case before the Commission and answer any questions, stated that the last retail lease
terminated November BOth, and the parish is currently using approximately 39,000-square
feet of this building for various ministries.
Public Hearing:
Chairman Foreman opened the Public Hearing, asking for people who wanted to speak
either in favor or opposition or wanted to comment on this request to come forward. No one
spoke.
Chairman Foreman closed the public hearing.
Discussion:
A question was raised as to whether or not the parish was contemplating this building to be
used as a school in the next five years. Mr. Turner replied that space will be used for some
religious educational programs adding that if a school were to develop, it would probably
need a larger facility and would go elsewhere on the property.
Action:
Commissioner Haas made a motion to recommend approval of Case No. ZC-619, St. Ann
Catholic Parish, zoning change from C to SF-9 on approximately 5.3 acres of property
located at 700 E. Sandy Lake Road, with no conditions, and approval of an amendment to
the Land Use Plan of the 1996 Comprehensive Plan, changing the land use from
Neighborhood Retail to Public Institutional. Vice Chairman Kittrell seconded the
motion; motion carried (6-0) with Commissioners Borchgardt, Hall, Foreman, Haas,
Kittrell and Reese voting in favor. None opposed.
Before reading the next agenda item into the record, Chairman Foreman addressed those citizens in
attendance, introducing the Planning staff. He asked for a show of hands as to how these citizens
learned of tonight's meeting. Nine people responded that they read about it in the newspaper, nine
responded that they read about it on the City's Web site/Coppell Clips, no one heard via word of
mouth, no one read a posted notice on the lobby bulletin board, and two people learned about the
meeting from watching the November Planning Commission meeting on TV. Mr. Foreman then
introduced the two large areas being considered for master planning and stated some basic ground
rules he would like to see followed.
o
Consider a recommendation to Council on December 13, 2005, covering external areas
close by or contiguous to the City boundaries as a planning element to the
Comprehensive Plan.
Presentation:
Planning Director Sieb introduced the item to the Commission, showing multiple exhibits,
reviewing the action taken by Council to have the City Manager engage a Planning
Consultant to prepare a study of external areas of the City, which affect our citizens and
appointing the Planning Commission to serve as a Citizen Advisory Committee to review
and recommend such a study to Council on December 13th as an element of the
Comprehensive Plan. Mr. Sieb then introduced Bruce Peshoff, a founder of Planning
Works based in Leawood, Kansas, and Elisa Paster, attorney with Paul, Hastings, Janofsky
& Walker located in Los Angeles, California. Mr. Peshoff showed graphics and spoke
about planning opportunities and what could be done in conjunction with other communities
via intergovernmental cooperation. He then lead into the proposed goals and policies of the
study, as well as implementation of prioritized strategies. He emphasized the importance of
establishing effective dialogue between Coppell and adjacent cities regarding reasonable
solutions to regional issues, especially when development spills over and impacts the quality
of life of residents of another community. Ms. Paster emphasized sustainability of the
quality of life in the City of Coppell, protecting residents from congested roadways, air
pollution, crime, unsafe neighborhoods, continuing to provide quality education to all
students, etc. Mr. Peshoffwent on to discuss suggested mixed-use land use possibilities that
might not have a significant impact on the infrastructure/facilities/services/schools and roads
for two areas within a mile of Coppell's city limits - the Northeast Study Area within
Lewisville and Carrollton and the TXU Study Area surrounding North Lake within the City
of Dallas.
A 10-minute break was observed.
Discussion:
There was extensive discussion relating to the TXU Study Area Map regarding the density
being considered, probable traffic congestion, moving school site locations to reduce trip
activity on Beltline Road, using the lake as an asset for park/recreation uses, buffering
Hackberry from intensive uses in Irving, defining the term and need for "workforce
housing", proposal for mixed-use vs. all residential and confirming that the City met with
the City of Dallas over the last six months regarding the North Lake property. The
Commission also discussed adding a senior housing area to the proposal for the northeast
sector of the City, the need for police and fire protection, indicating a preference to the
North Lake Village concept because it would be of benefit to the region, not just Coppell,
adding more low-density housing to the North Lake Village concept, fiscal impact of mixed-
use developments vs. all residential in relation to paying for city services, etc. Mr. Peshoff
asked the Commissioners to prioritize goals and strategy issues in terms of importance and
return comments to the Planning Department by 5 p.m. Tuesday, December 6th, urging each
Commissioner to identify #1 's and identifying the goals/strategies that can be postponed.
Although not a Public Hearing, the following citizens voiced their concerns:
Todd Harris, 606 Prestwick Court, Coppell, TX - felt the consultants' presentations
were very vague and not pertinent to our area. He got nothing out of it and was
disappointed in not having a copy of the 65-page report. Doesn't understand how
"workforce housing" can be defined and restricted to any particular group; wants an
extension of what residents in Coppell already have - nice housing, nice community
and nice parks.
Pat Moriarty, 156 Meadowglen Circle, Coppell, TX - was disappointed in the
presentation - thought it was vague in content. Feels Coppell already has a number
of two-bedroom homes, mobile homes, rental apartments for lower income residents
and doesn't believe "workforce housing" is appropriate. Isn't sure that Coppell
needs additional senior housing and commented that there are not many amenities
for seniors in the community. Feels this North Lake property should be extremely
low-density (acreage-type homes bordering along the lake), having parkland around
the shoreline, perhaps allowing for a cemetery in the area. Feels that the lake should
be left to be the "jewel" that it is without any warehousing, research, industrial uses
in the area. Would like to see the City buy the property or condemn the land so that
it could remain like it is and be able to control our own destiny. Would like to know
the environmental condition of the lake.
Mark Hill, 1029 Basilwood, Coppell, TX - questioned the cost to purchase North
Lake property. Would like to compare that cost with costs involved with building a
number of additional schools and infrastructure that would be needed to support
these entities, etc.
Mark Iffiander, 505 Greenridge Drive, Coppell, TX - feels there are too many
variables; doesn't believe we have enough information to adopt a realistic plan.
Wants to take a regional approach to the lake property. Feels that the school board
needs to be involved in this plan.
Steve Saunders, 560 Edinburgh Lane, Coppell, TX - supports condemnation as a
tool to continue pushing people towards making regional decisions for all. Feels that
parks and housing should be adjacent to the lake itself, keeping commercial and
industrial uses further away from housing.
For those citizens leaving the hearing, the City Attorney stated that staff would like to
receive written comments from citizens about their thoughts of various plans.
The Northeast Study Area was then discussed as follows:
The Commission comments included agreement with the Lewisville and Carrollton plan for
future use in this area, emphasizing incorporating a senior housing sector.
Pat Moriarty, 156 Meadowglen Circle, Coppell, TX- questioned the coding of the
colors on the exhibit.
Chairman Foreman asked for a motion, second and vote on the Northeast Sector of the City.
Commissioner Haas made a motion to approve the Future Land Use Plan for the Northeast
Study Area as depicted on the exhibit included in the study, with the incorporation of senior
housing as a component to the planning process and to allow the ability to refine the location
of land uses. Commissioner Hall seconded the motion; motion carried (6-0) with
Commissioners Borchgardt, Hall, Foreman, Haas, Kittrell and Reese voting in favor, none
opposed.
Referring back to the Land Use Plan for the North Lake area, some guidance was asked of
the consultants regarding park use, school use, low-density residential areas, perhaps
allowing some commercial, although that plan may not be realistic if Dallas wants revenues
from apartment complexes, etc., noting that Coppell's school and infrastructure would be
impacted. Concern was also raised concerning the ethical question of needing to provide
police/fire support if the City of Dallas did not provide these services. The inclusion of uses
such as a parkland, golf club, cemetery, hotel/convention center/commercial-type uses, as
well as low-density residential uses should be considered. As discussed during the
November 17th Commission meeting, consideration of the TXU Study Area vs. the North
Lake Village Concept was suggested since incorporation of the north side of the lake was
included in the TXU scenario. Mr. Peshoff stated that the most intensive development that
should be occurring on the land south of the lake is low-density residential, stating that the
roadway system should be able to accommodate at least some of that increase without
requiring significant additional dollars - preserving the region's land-use patterns, rather
than creating a magnet for additional uses. He suggested serious discussions and overtures
by the City of Coppell with Irving, the City of Dallas and the school district to acquire the
land for parks. It was pointed out that a Comprehensive Plan is purely a tool for planning
and uses can be moved from one area to another.
Another member of the audience came from home to speak:
Frank Ferguson, 185 Black Oak Circle, Coppell, TX - was watching the meeting on
television and wanted to comment that to expect the City of Dallas or the potential
developers to listen to our plan because it's the right thing for Coppell is probably
not going to happen. Feels that the City of Coppell should do whatever it needs to
do to control development of this lake area.
Commissioner Hall made to motion to recommend approval of the Future Land Use TXU
Study Area map, with modifications as follows:
a) Add recreational uses to the low-density residential area.
b) Consider some neighborhood commercial development if it's consistent
with traffic flow and the development of the project itself.
c) Preserve the lake and capitalize on its aesthetic value.
d) Allow school site possibilities on the north side.
Commissioner Reese seconded; motion carried (6-0) with Commissioners Borchgardt,
Hall, Foreman, Haas, Kittrell and Reese voting in favor. None opposed.
Chairman Foreman thanked everyone who took the time to participate in this exercise.
6. General discussion concerning planning and zoning issues.
Director' s comments:
a. Reminder that the Commission's December 15th meeting has
cancelled. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!
been
Planning Director Sieb stated that tonight's meeting is the only one scheduled for the
Commission in December and wished everyone a Happy Holiday season. He
reminded the Commission about the 5 p.m. deadline for prioritization of goals and
strategies.
With nothing further to discuss, the meeting adjourned at approximately 10:10 p.m.
Lee Foreman, Chairman
ATTEST:
Barbara Jahoda, Secretary