Coppell CC 1L3-CS101021 CITY OF COPPELL
PLANNING DEPARTMENT
STAFF REPORT
CASE NO.: PD- 247 -LI, Coppell Commerce Center Addition, Lot 3, Block 4
P &Z HEARING DATE: October 21, 2010
C.C. HEARING DATE: November 9, 2010
STAFF REP.: Matt S. Steer, City Planner
LOCATION: Southwest corner of South Coppell Road and Burns Street (815
South Coppell Road)
SIZE OF AREA: 4.04 acres of property
CURRENT ZONING: LI (Light Industrial)
REQUEST: A zoning change to PD- 247 -LI (Planned Development- 247 -Light
Industrial) to allow site and building modifications.
APPLICANT: Owner: Architect:
Dan Wheeler Mark Pross,
CRP Holdings B, L.P. Pross Design Group, Inc.
Two International PI, 25 Floor 5310 Harvest Hill #180
Boston, Massachusetts 02110 Dallas, Texas 75230
Email: dwheelercCr�colonyinc.com Email: mpross(cr�pdgarch.net
Phone: (617) 235 -6342 Phone: (972) 759 -1400
Fax: (617) 235 -6399 Fax: (972) 759 -1405
HISTORY: The existing office /warehouse was constructed in 1975 prior to the
adoption of the current Zoning Ordinance which has more
stringent requirements than the one in effect at that time. In 1993,
a minor plat was submitted for the subject lot, but was later
withdrawn and never acted on by the Planning Commission. It
was determined at that time the proposed 19,000- square -foot
expansion to the warehouse facility would not constitute the need
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for a plat. Later that year an application was filed for a 24,000 -
square -foot addition and subsequently constructed. A minor
plat/replat was eventually approved in 1999 for the subject
property and the adjacent lot to the west (Lot 2) in order to adjust
the common property line 33 feet to the west.
TRANSPORTATION: Burns Street is a two -lane undivided roadway within 60 feet of
right -of -way. South Coppell Road is a recently improved two -lane
undivided collector with angled on- street parking within a 90 -foot
right -of -way.
SURROUNDING LAND USE & ZONING:
North - Old Town Addition, vacant; H (Historic)
South — DART R.O.W. & Coppell Fire Administration; LI (Light
Industrial)
East — Villages of Old Coppell, vacant & Coppell Service Center;
LI (Light Industrial)
West — Office /warehouse; LI (Light Industrial)
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN: The Comprehensive Plan of May 1996, as amended,
shows the property as suitable for light industrial /showroom
uses.
DISCUSSION: As mentioned in the HISTORY section, this office /warehouse was
constructed in 1975 prior to the adoption of the current Zoning
Ordinance which has more stringent requirements than the one in
effect at that time. In 1993, a minor plat was submitted for the
subject lot, but was later withdrawn and never acted on by the
Planning Commission. It was determined at that time the
proposed 19,000- square -foot expansion to the warehouse facility
would not constitute the need for a plat. Later that year an
application was filed for a 24,000- square -foot addition and
subsequently constructed. A minor plat/replat was eventually
approved in 1999 for the subject property and the adjacent lot to
the west (Lot 2) in order to adjust the common property line 33
feet to the west. Because this building /site predates the current
Zoning Ordinance, there are several nonconforming issues that
would not be permitted within the development parameters of
today.
Staff has advised the applicant since mid -July that the site is
nonconforming and the majority of the proposed changes could
simply not be supported by staff. Originally, the proposal was to
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remove the landscape island and three Live Oak trees (ten - caliper
inch, 19- caliper inch & 21- caliper inch) that separated the two
drives on the south side of the Burns Street right -of -way. Also
proposed was the addition of four dock doors adjacent to Burns
and replacement of the declining Photenia hedge on the northeast
corner with Eastern Red Cedars. Although staff was in favor of the
landscape change, staff could not support the proposal to
eliminate the spacing between drives and removal of the three
large Live Oaks. The Subdivision Ordinance requires a minimum
90 -foot spacing between drives and 40 -foot maximum width for
industrial drives. The proposal would have increased the drive
width to 212 feet which would well exceed the maximum allowable
width and would have eliminated the required separation. The
four new dock doors would have added to the unsightly
appearance of the truck court abutting Burns and also could not
be supported.
Subsequently, the applicant hired an Architect and Landscape
Architect to work with staff and propose additional changes to the
site to make the request more appealing. Since the architect
became involved, staffs concerns related to the driveway spacing
and drive width were somewhat addressed and the proposal
included facade updates to the mid -70's style exposed aggregate
warehouse. At the northeast corner of the building, the facade is
proposed to be covered with EIFS and manufactured stone, the
existing canopies are proposed to be updated and painted, and
the tilt wall banding and dock doors are also proposed to be
painted. The remainder of the building is proposed to remain
unpainted exposed aggregate panels.
The parking area is to be restriped and the existing fire lane is
proposed to be reconfigured to accommodate the new drive and
the increased width of the island on the south side of Burns. The
total number of parking spaces is inadequate. The required
parking is calculated at one parking space per 300 square feet of
office space and one parking space per 1,000 square feet of
warehouse space. Ninety -two spaces are required, sixty -six are
provided.
Also proposed to be updated is the landscaping. To summarize,
the landscape modifications proposed are the addition of 18
overstory trees (five of which are five - caliper -inch Live Oaks), 333
shrubs, 435 ground cover plants and approximately 1,980 square
feet of added landscape area. The Landscape Plan also shows
two Live Oaks to be removed (16- caliper -inch & 18- caliper- inch).
Although the additional landscaping is considered an
improvement to the site, staff believes that this is still insignificant
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compared with the current requirements of today. As shown on
the proposed landscape plan, a total of 63 overstory trees are
required, they are providing 29 trees onsite; 7,348 square feet of
landscaping is required within the parking area and they are
providing 1,406 square feet; 22,895 square feet of landscape area
is required for the perimeter and they are providing 16,467 square
feet; 14,608 square feet of nonvehicular open space (at least
7,304 front yard) and none is provided.
If approved, the requested Planned Development would
essentially legalize the nonconfoming items (insufficient parking,
dock doors abutting Burns and Coppell Road, insufficient
landscape area and trees, and the drive approach greater than 40
feet on South Coppell Road). Staff has a great deal of concern
over legalizing this particular site with the submitted plan. Staff
believes the proposed screening of the truck court area is
insufficient within the LI Zoning District, not to mention where this
property lies in relation to the recently approved Old Town
Addition plat across Burns Street and the approved Villages of Old
Coppeil across South Coppell Road. The deficiency of landscape
area on site could be better addressed with removal of pavement
and installation of landscaping. Staff also believes the building
could be better updated and has advised the applicant to look at
other office /warehouses in the district for ideas. All and all, staff is
recommending denial of the proposal as submitted.
RECOMMENDATION TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION:
Staff is recommending DENIAL of PD- 247 -LI, Coppell Commerce Center, Lot 3, Block 4
because the Planned Development would legalize the site as proposed and there would
be no incentive to bring the site up to Coppell's current development standards at a later
date.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Recommend approval of the request
2. Recommend disapproval of the request
3. Recommend modification of the request
4. Take under advisement for reconsideration at a later date
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Site Plan
2. Tree Survey
3. Landscape Plan
4. Elevations
ITEM # 4
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