Georgian Place-CS 961121CASE:
CITY OF COPPR~L
PLANNING DEPARTMF~NT
STAFF REPORT
GEORGIAN PLACE, PRELIMINARY PLAT
P & Z I~ARING DATE: November 21, 1996
C.C. HEARING DATE: December 10, 1996
LOCATION:
At the southeast comer of Sandy Lake Road and Whispering Hills
Drive, approx. 2000' west of Denton Tap Road.
SIZE OF AREA:
9.48 acres - 35 residential lots
CURRENT ZONING:
SF-7 (Single Family-7)
REQUEST:
APPLICANT:
HISTORY:
Approval of preliminary plat to allow the development of a 35-1ot
residential subdivision
Owner/Developer:
WODTO, Inc.
1660 S. Stemmons Frwy., F280
Lewisville, TX 75061
(972) 221-1199
Representative:
Carter & Burgess, Inc.
7950 Elmbrook Dr., #250
Dallas, TX 75247
(214) 638-0145
No platting history
TRANSPORTATION:
Sandy Lake Road is a two-lane asphalt road within a variable-
width right-of-way, shown on the thoroughfare plan as a C4D
four-lane divided collector street to be built within a 110'-wide
right-of-way. Whispering Hills Drive is a two-lane undivided
residential street within a 50'-wide right-of-way.
SURROUNDING LAND USE & ZONING:
North -
South -
Shadydale Acres residential subdivision, "SF- 12" Single Family-12
zoning
Whispering Hills residential subdivision, "SF-12' Single Family-12
zoning
Item # 8
East
West -
GTE Switching Center, 'R* Retail zoning
vacant, "SF-7' Single Family-7 zoning
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN:
The Comprehensive Plan shows the property as suitable for
medium-density residential use.
DISCUSSION:
The applicant is requesting that City Council waive the alley
requirement for this particular subdivision. From staff
perspective, the applicant does not have extraordinary
circumstances or conditions affecting the property to warrant it.
The general policy has been to limit alley waivers to developments
within planned development districts, to provide greater control
of driveway and garage placement. As a matter of information,
the value of an alley waiver is considerable, probably in excess of
$300,000 in this case ($100,000 worth of pavement and a gain of
about 6 lots).
The principal reasons for the city's long-time commitment to
alleys is related to public safety and welfare, as well as aesthetics.
Rear-entry garages lessen the likelihood of residents parking in the
streets, thereby reducing the chances of pedestrian/vehicle
conflicts, as well as lessening the likelihood of vehicle obstruction
to passage of emergency vehicles. From an aesthetics standpoint,
rear-entry garages do not require as much pavement, they get the
parking out of sight, and they promote more green space in front
yards.
The plat is showing that fencing will be allowed along the property
lines that lie within the Lone Star Gas easement. This creates a
situation in which a 30' x 766' residual strip of land, under
easement, is left in the ownership of the developer, constituting a
substandard lot. The developer should either designate the
easement as a common area to be maintained by a Homeowners
Association or extend the lot lines of the abutting lots to include
the easement area.
Finally, it appears that this plat endorses minimally sized lots at
the expense of the existing neighborhood. The absence of alleys
only exacerbates this situation. This plat requires substantial
revision before it should be recommended for approval.
RECOMMENDATION TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION:
Staff recommends disapproval of this plat and re-submittal which, at a minimum,
indicates:
1. Construction of alleys.
Item # 8
Shows a correct scale of 1:100'.
Corrects zoning notation on this property from *SF-12* to *SF-7*.
Show the 50' Lone Star Gas easement either as common area to be maintained
by the Homeowners Association or extend the property lines to include the
easement area.
Label Georgian Drive on the landscape plan.
Submit a preliminary Homeowners Association Agreement.
Compliance with Engineering comments.
1) Recommend approval of the Preliminary Plat.
2) Recommend disapproval of the Preliminary Plat.
3) Recommend modification of the Preliminary Plat.
ATTACHMENTS:
1) Preliminary Pht
2) Landscape Plan
3) Irrigation Plan
4) Departmental Comments
Item