Hollows-CS 980416 (2) CITY OF COPPELL
PLANNING DEPARTMENT
STAFF REPORT
CASE NO.: PD-168, THE HOLLOWS AT NORTHLAKE
WOODLANDS
P & Z HEARING DATE: April 16, 1998
C.C. HEARING DATE: May 12, 1998
LOCATION: Northeast corner of Beltline Road and Mockingbird Lane.
SIZE OF AREA: Approximately 24 acres; proposed for 91 single-family lots.
CURRENT ZONING: SF-9 and TH-1 (Single Family 9 and Town House-l).
REQUEST: Zoning change to PD-SF-7 (Planned Development, Single Family-
7).
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: The current zoning has existed since early 1985. 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- Undeveloped; C
East - TU Electric r.o.w. & MacArthur Plaza; A & C
West - Northlake Woodlands East Phase 8; SF-12
Item # 4
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN: The Comprehensive Plan shows the property as suitable for
medium density residential uses.
DISCUSSION: The planning staff supports the reclassification of this property from TH-1
to a single-family residential PD, because of the resulting reduction in the
maximum number of housing units which may be placed on the site.
However, whether developed for 200 dwellings or for 91, there are safety
and access problems associated with the site.
The greatest problem is lack of access from the east. While N.L.W.
Development could have provided a street stub from Mallard Drive to the
northeast portion of this property, the developer relied instead on the
ability to use a right-of-way for Riverchase Drive which had been platted
on property directly to the east. Unfortunately, settlement of a lawsuit
involving that property resulted in City Council's abandonment of the
right-of-way dedication.
The best alternative available now is to construct a street from Mallard
Drive. This may be a workable plan, because the homebuilder interested
in acquiring the lots in the Hollows owns lots in Northlake Woodlands
Phase 10. Furthermore, there are lots on the south side of Mallard Drive
which are still vacant.
Another problem associated with the property is the stub street from
Pelican Drive called Sora Drive. The City permitted Sora Drive to end
without a cul-de-sac turnaround because of the potential to extend the
street southward into this property. If it is not extended into this proposed
new development, it needs to be completed as a cul-de-sac with a circular
turnaround.
While not viewed as a problem, the tree survey shows 5 mesquites and 7
hackberries within proposed street right-of-way. The largest of these is a
24" hackberry. New regulations which the Tree Board is recommending
does not list either the mesquite or the hackberry as a protected species.
Therefore, staff does not see the need for any right-of-way relocation te
preserve these trees.
The preliminary plat contains a note regarding the construction of a wood
fence the full length of the DART right-of-way, with brick columns at
each lot corner. This was in response to a staff concern about appearances
from Belt Line Road. If the property actually adjoined Belt Line Road,
the Subdivision Ordinance would require a brick screening wall and 15'-
wide landscape strip. Since there is railroad property between, the
Subdivision Ordinance requires nothing, but screening can be required as
a condition to the PD--and should be. However, east of Lot 42, the land
drops well below the height of the railroad tracks. Not much would be
seen there of either a fence or wall. On that account there would be
Item # 4
greater benefit in budgeting less for screening and landscaping east of _r.~:
42 and more for the portion west of it.
RECOMMENDATION TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION:
The planning staff recommends approval of the request subject to revision
of the site plan, zoning exhibit and entry wall/landscape plan to comply
with the following conditions:
1) Provision of a street connecting Crestview Drive with Mallard
Drive. (See Fire Prevention Comments.)
2) Extension of Sora Drive to Crestview Drive, or provision of a cul-
de-sac turnaround at the end of Sora Drive. (See Engineering
Comments.)
3) Inclusion on the landscape plans of a 6'-high earth-tone brick
screenwall along the boundary between the Lone Star Gas
easement and the sanitary sewer easement running parallel to the
DART right-of-way at least from Lot 42 west to Common Area B,
with landscaping along the south side to soften the appearance.
4) Establishment of homeowner association maintenance of fences and
walls along the southern boundary of the development, as well as
all landscaping on the south side of the fences and walls.
5) Correction of the entry wall/landscape plan to reflect the name of
the community as The Hollows at Northlake Woodlands, both ;..n
the title and on the Entry Wall Detail.
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) Zoning Exhibit
2) Tree Survey
3) Entry Wall & Landscape Plan
4) Departmental Comments
Item # 4
DEVELOPMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE
ENGINEERING COMMENTS
ITEM: PD-168. The Hollows at Northlake Woodlands. a zoning change request from
"SF-9" (Single Family-9) and "TH-1" (Town House Residential-l) to PD-SF-7
(Planned Development Single Family-7) to allow the development of 91
residential lots on approximately 24 acres of property located at the northeast
comer of Beltline Road and Mockingbird Lane, at the request of Tipton
Engineering, Inc.
DRC D~4TE: March 26, 1998 and April 2, 1998
CONT~4CT: Mike Martin, P.E., Assistant City Engineer ($0~
COMMENT STATU& PRELIMINARY /]FINAL REVISED
AFFER P & Z
1. If this development is not going to use the street stub out of Sora Drive then a cul-de-sac ne~s to
be constructed at the end of Sora Drive so it conforms to the City Standards.
DEVELOPMENT VIEW COMMITI
FIRE PREVENTION COMMENTS
ITEM: PD-16~, TI~ IINC~MVI1 AT NORTHI. AK~ WOODLANDS
DRC DATE: March 2g, 199S
CONTACT: rg4gi$ cRvTm', gau~ MAgSHAI.. (2~4) $O4-$$05
COMMENT STATUS: INITIAL PRELIMINARY FINAL
1. The Fire Department can not support this development as shown. The two ways in/two
ways out pertains to the residents as well as the Fire Department. With a major thoroughfare
immediately south of this development, a railroad adjacent to the south boundary and a natural
gas metering station just to the west, the possibility of a major evacuation is very real.
Attempting to remove 91 families on one street while trying to move emergency apparatus into
the subdivision on the same street would be impossible. Should the street dumping onto
Mockingbird be blocked there would be no way to access the families in the subdivision. A
twenty feet wide "Emergency Access Easement" does not meet the criteria for emergency
ingress/egress. In addition, the emergency access comes off of an alley which can not be used
for an emergency road. In order for the Fire Department to support this development, a full
roadway would need to be installed on the back (east) third of the development. There are also
serious concerns on the dead end eight inch water line supplying this entire project.