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Hollows-CS 980618 " ~ CITY OF COPPELL / r / , ' PLANNING DEPARTMENT "'" STAFF RE~RT ,- CASE: OI LOWS AT NORT LA WOODLA S, PREI ARY PLAT P & Z HE~NG DATE: J~e 18, 1~8 C.C. HEA~NG DATE: July 14, 1998 LOCATION: Along the north side of the DART Right-of-Way; between Mockingbird Lane and MacArthur Boulevard. SIZE OF AREA: Approximately 32 acres (71 residential lots). CURRENT ZONING: SF-9 (Single Family-9). REQUEST: Preliminary Plat approval. APPLICANT: Developer: Engineer: N.L.W. Development Group Tipton Engineering, Inc. 5309 Clear Ridge 6300 Broadway, Suite C Dallas TX 75248 Garland TX 75043 972-250-2325 972-226-2967 Fax 972-226-1946 HISTORY: City Council rezoned the property SF-9 on May 12, 1998. There is no previous platting history. TRANSPORTATION: Mockingbird Lane is a C2U two-lane undivided collector built to standard within a 60'-wide Right-of-Way. East Belt Line Road is a P6D six-lane divided primary arterial funded and scheduled for County construction to standard within an existing 120'-wide Right-of-Way. SURROUNDING LAND USE & ZONING: North- Northlake Woodlands East Phase 10; SF-9 South - Railroad, undeveloped; C East - TU Electric R.O.W. & MacArthur Plaza; A & C West - Northlake Woodlands East Phase 8; SF-12 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN: The Comprehensive Plan shows the property as suitable for medium density residential uses. Item # 14 DISCUSSION: At the Planning and Zoning Commission hearing in April, whk..:_'. preceded City Council's May 12 decision on the zoning for this property, access to the property was a matter of major concern. Council has effectively eliminated that issue from Commissio_?, consideration because the property is no longer proposed as a Planned Development District. While Council ultimately may have to wrestle with the question of compliance with fire codes~ the Commission's job is to assess the proposed subdivision design relative to the Subdivision Ordinance. Sora Drive is proposed to be 2300 feet long, but it is not a cul-de-- sac street. It forms two sides of a city block at the far end. The subdivision ordinance limits block length and cul-de-sac length, but otherwise does not limit street length. Under this interpretation the subdivision as proposed can be approved. However, the subdivision also can be improved. Additional access would make it better. In the planning staff's view, the best place to add access is from Mallard Drive, but repeatedly the applicant has refused to cooperate in this regard. We believe that it could be done and that the applicant simply does not want to incur the additional development cost nor suffer the resulting loss of lot. count from the two subdivisions that would be affected. Furthermore, with or without access to Mallard Drive, a street connecting Sora Drive to Crestview Court would enhance the subdivision layout. It would enable new residents to take their children to Mockingbird Elementary and Middle School East without traveling on the residential streets of the adjoining neighborhood to the north. It is difficult to believe that the applicant, who proposed such a street just two months ago, is now unable to provide it. On the other hand, the City bears the responsibility for having approved the subdivision to the north without additional access points and for having removed access to the property from the east. On this account we believe that compromise is in order. RECOMMENDATION TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION: The planning staff recommends approval subject to compliance with Engineering comments and the following conditions: 1) Connection of Sora Drive to Crestview Court. 2) City Council waiver of fire codes relative to subdivis?;n access. Item # 14 ALTERNATIVES: 1) Recommend approval of the request 2) Recommend disapproval of the request 3) Recommend modification of the request ATTACHMENTS: 1) Departmental Comments 2) Preliminary Plat 3) Tree Survey Item # 14 DEVELOPMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE ENGINEERING COMMENTS ITEM: Hollows of Northlake Woodlands. Preliminary Plat. to allow the development of 71 residential lots on approximately 32 acres of property at the northeast corner of Beltline Road and Mockingbird Lane, at the request of Tipton Engineering, Inc. DRC DA TE: May 28, 1998 and June 4, 1998 CONTACT: Mike Martin, P.E., Assistant City Engineer (304-3679) COMMENT STATUS: PRELI31INARY REVISED AU'FE R P & Z 1. May need to consider some type of traffic calming devices on Sora Drive. 2. Provide fight-of-way comer clips at all street intersections.