Stratford Manor-CS 970515 CITY OF COPPELL
PLANNING DEPARTMENT
STAFF REPORT
CASE NO.: PD-161, STRATFORD MANOR
P & Z HEARING DATE: May 15, 1997
C.C. HEARING DATE: June 10, 1997
LOCATION: North side of DeForest Road, approx. 1,000 feet east of
MacArthur Boulevard.
SIZE OF AREA: 15.1257 acres; 3 l-lot single-family residential subdivision
CURRENT ZONING: A (Agriculture)
REQUEST: PD-SF-12 (Planned Development, Single Family-12)
APPLICANT: Applicant: Engineer:
Brentwood Builders, Inc. Dowdey, Anderson & Associates
P.O. Box 702468 16250 Dallas Parkway, Suite 100
Dallas, TX 75370 Dallas, TX 75248
(972) 732-8445 (972) 931-0694
HISTORY: A previous applicant submitted a similar zoning change request and
preliminary plat for this property to the Development Review Committee
in July of 1995. The applicant withdrew the request prior to the Planning
and Zoning Commission meeting. The current applicant submitted plans
to the Development Review Committee in March of this year, initially
requesting an SF-12 District. Planning staff advised the applicant that it
would support waiver of alley requirements only within a Planned
Development District. The applicant withdrew the request and
resubmitted in April as a PD District request.
TRANSPORTATION: DeForest Road is a two-lane undivided residential street contained
% ~, ~.-.,.) ..'-.~-,~
in a 40 feet right-of-way &"~-~-' -~> ¢0~¢'-.,. ) + ~ l ~.
Item # 7
SURROUNDING LAND USE & ZONING:
North - Denton Creek; "A" Agriculture
South - Raintree Subdivision; "PD-137" Planned Development
East- Estates of Cambridge Manor; "PD-131, SF-12" Planned
Development, Single Family 12
West - vacant; "A" Agriculture
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN: The Comprehensive Plan shows the property suitable for
medium density residential uses.
DISCUSSION: Although this proposal has merit, the submission fails to address some
important issues such as how trees will be preserved, how water ponding
will be avoided in tree preservation areas in flood plain, and what the
screen wall along DeForest Road will look like. The plan also proposes
cul-de-sacs that exceed 600 feet in length (See paragraph 8 on page 60 of
the Subdivision Ordinance).
Regarding woodland preservation, one method of assuring tree
maintenance is to establish common areas. In this way the entire
neighborhood owns the wooded parcel. The neighborhood, through its
homeowners association, is less likely than an individual homeowner to
have a reason for wanting a tree removed. Also, the City has yet to
propose or adopt regulations which would prohibit a homeowner from
removing trees. As a result, unless a tree within a residential subdivision
is in a common area or unless specific provisions are included within a
PD District ordinance, the City cannot enforce tree preservation.
The 15.1-acre site is 392 feet wide. The proposed minimum lot size is
12,000 square feet. The narrowest lot proposed is 85 feet wide.
Therefore, lot depths need not be greater than 142 feet, and in most cases
may be as little as 127 feet. Two 142'-deep lots on each side of a 50'-
wide street right-of-way would occupy a strip of land 334 feet wide.
Without infringing upon 12,000-square-foot lot sizes, this leaves at least
58 feet out of the width of this 15.1-acre site available for common area.
Throughout the Dallas area many residential streets run east-west,
providing the houses with a north-south exposure to front and rear yards.
This was done purposely to minimize the adverse effects of the afternoon
sun during the summer. The proposed principal street of this
development, and the adjoining Cambridge Manor Lane, orient north-
south. This gives the houses an east-west exposure to front and rear
yards. Therefore the preservation of trees on both sides of this
subdivision will offer substantial protection from summer sun for the west
sides of homes both in Stratford Manor and in the adjoining Estates of
Item # 7
Cambridge Manor. Protecting the future homes on the west side of
Bristol Court in Stratford Manor is just as important as protecting the
existing homes on the west side of Cambridge Manor Lane.
There may be other ways, besides establishing common areas, to preserve
trees. The applicant has not submitted any documents suggesting another
way. The current plan shows most of the trees which will not be removed
during reclamation of the site to be located on proposed homesites, where
the City will be unable to protect them unless language is added to the PD
District requirements. We do recognize, however, that adding language
to the PD requirements does invite future conflict between homeowners
and the City, as future homeowners wanting to build patios, pools or other
additions are likely to contend that they did not know, were not told and
would not have bought had they known the area was unavailable for them
to use in this manner. None the less, adding such a condition to the
Zoning Ordinance granting the PD does put individual property owners on
notice that such a condition does exist and is enforceable.
Regarding cul-de-sac length, please see the comments included with the
companion Preliminary Plat agenda item.
In addition to these two issues, planning staff would like to see greater
detail on the drainage of tree preservation areas in the flood plain, on the
screen wall design along DeForest Road, and on front-entry garage
orientation. As to garage orientation, provisions should be included in the
PD District regulations aimed at minimizing the visual impact of garage
doors which do not face away from the front of a lot, such as was done
at Estates of Cambridge Manor.
RECOMMENDATION TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION:
Planning staff recommends approval of a PD-SF-12 District which
includes the following conditions: S;~ ~o..~t~-4. .
1) Compliance with Engineering Department comment ~ '.3 ~o-~.~.:~::-..-'r'~
2) Compliance with Fire Department requirements;
3) Provision of a common area (or some other designation) on both
the east and the west side of the proposed development, with a
minimum width of 20 feet at any point;
4) Submissions of standards for garage orientation;
5) Removal of the cul-de-sac from the south end of Bristol Court and
intersection of the street with DeForest Road;
Item # 7
6) Revision of landscape plans consistent with an entrance to the
subdivision from DeForest Road and provision of screen wall
elevation drawings.
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) Preliminary Landscape Plan and Irrigation
Item # 7
CITY OF COPP~J-
PLANNING DEPARTMENT . -~.
STAFF REPORT
CASE: STRATFORD MANOR, PRELIMINARY PLA~
P & Z HEARING DATE: May 15, 1997
C.C. HEARING DATE: June 10, 1997
LOCATION: North side of DeForest Road, approx. 1,000 feet east of
MacArthur Boulevard.
SIZE OF AREA: 15.1257 acres - 31-lot residential subdivision
CURRENT ZONING: PD-SF-12 (Planned Development, Single Family-12)
REQUEST: Preliminary Plat approval 0__r~o,
APPLICANT: Applicant: Engineer:
Brentwood Builders, Inc. Dowdey, Anderson & Associates, Inc.
P.O. Box 702468 16250 Dallas Parkway, Ste. 100.
(9?2) 732-&44~ (972) 931-0694 .
¢omm, reviewed a
HISTORY: The Development Review ar pre~tmmary plat
~_.~ ~.. ~ ~or this propert~ in Ju~y of ~9~. The applicant with~ew the req~t
~- ~- 0_ ~. ~ ~ ~ prior to the Plannins and Zo-~-~ Comm~ion meeting.
TRANSPORTATION: DeForest Road is a two-lane undivided residential street contained
North - Denton Creek; "A" Agriculture
South - Raintree Subdivision; "PD-137" Planned Developtnent
East- Estates of Catnbridge Manor; "PD-131, SF-12" Plnnned
Development, f/ngle Family 12
West vacant;"A" AI ~cultttre ~,
? ~em#8 ~'~
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN: The Comprehensive Plan shows the property suitable for
residential medium density uses.
DISCUSSION: The entrance to this subdivision, as proposed, occurs at the intersection
of Cambridge Manor Drive with Prince Edward Lane. Once having
committed to turn on Prince Edward Lane, without backing up the
vehicle, a driver will be unable to turn around on public right-of-way until
reaching one end or the other of Bristol Court. The south end of Bristol
Court is over 1200 feet from the intersection of Cambridge Manor Drive
with Prince Edward Lane.
Construction of a cul-de-sac in excess of 600 feet in length requires a
variance of the Subdivision Regulations. -Page 14 of the Subdivision
Regulations describes a variance as a form of relief which may be granted
to a subdivider by the City Council on the basis of the following criteria:
a. The existence of circumstances or conditions affecting the
subdivider's property in such a way that the strict application of
these regulations would deprive the subdivider of the reasonable
use of his/her land; and,
b. The subdivider's offer of evidence that the granting of a variance
is absolutely necessary for the preservation and enjoyment of
his/her property rights; and,
c. The subdivider's offer of evidence that the variance will not be
detrimental to the health, safety, and general welfare of real
property in the City of Coppell; and,
d. The granting of a variance will not be simply a matter of
convenience or expedience, but is founded on the principals of
reasonableness and substantial justice.
Planning staff, therefore, sees no basis for granting a variance to the cul-
de-sac length requirements other than a stated economic advantage of
higher lot prices in the development. Furthermore, the plan creates
considerable inconvenience. Lot 11, for example, adjoins DeForest Road.
To get to it from where it adjoins DeForest Road a vehicle would have to
travel half a mile in front of or beside 35 homesites.
On the other hand, granting a variance of the alley requirement would be
justified, if the purpose of providing alleys is otherwise accommodated.
The purpose of alleys is primarily for trash pick-up and rear-entry
garages. If the zoning district provides effective measures to deal with
these neighborhood appearance issues, the plarming staff will support
variance of the alley requirement.
Item # 8
RECOMMENDATION TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION:
Planning staff recommends disapproval of the Preliminary Plat until
resubmitted without a variance to cul-de-sac maximum length
requirements. This recommendation is based upon there being insufficient
justification for such a variance, unnecessary inconvenience resulting from
such a variance, and a probable doubling of local traffic adjacent to 36
homesites. If, on the other hand, the applicant is willing to provide an
entrance to Stratford Manor from DeForest Road, and allow sufficiem
area to landscape the entrance appropriately, planning staff would support
the application, subject to Engineering Department comments.
ALTERNATIVES: 1) Recommend approval of the Preliminary Plat
2) Recommend disapproval of the Preliminary Plat
3) Recommend approval of the Preliminary Plat with modifications
ATTACHMENTS: 1) Preliminary Plat
2) Tree Preservation Plan
3) Departmental Comments
Item # 8