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U-Haul/SPAm-CS001211From: To: Date: Subject: "Cindy Brown" <CBROWN@njdhs.com> City_of..CoppelI.Town_Center(kbowling) Mon, Dec 11, 2000 4:43 PM Agenda Item #25 - 12/12/00 Meeting Kathy, Please find attached hereto a rough transcript of the hearing at the November 16, 2000 P&Z Commission meeting regarding the above referenced Council agenda item. Please forward this to the City Councilmembers for their review prior to the meeting tomorrow night. Thank you for your assistance. Please contact us if you have any questions. Cindy Brown Assistant to Robert E. Hager NICHOLS, JACKSON, DILLARD, HAGER & SMITH, LLP 1800 Lincoln Plaza 500 N. Akard Dallas, Texas 75201 214-965-9900 (main) 214-665-3322 (direct) 214-965-0010 (fax) City of Coooell Plannino_ & ZoninR Commission Meeting of November 16~ 2000 U-HAUL INTERNATIONAL (Item #6) This is the portion of the Planning & Zoning Commission meeting of November 16th discussing the U-Haul case. U-Haul International site plan to allow the construction of 3 story mini-storage facility on approximately 10.02 acres of property located on the South side of S.H. 121 east of Denton Tap Road. Mr. Sieb: Chairmembers of the Planning & Zoning Commission this is the third item on the agenda tonight. This is not a public hearing but it is a request for a site plan approval. You actually heard this back on September 21, 2000. In fact, the information in your packet of information is basically the same information which was submitted at that time, with the exception that I have added some additional comments in italics that relate to the most recent site plan that has been submitted. Umm--I would just say that the zoning on this property from the City's perspective is Highway Commercial zoning and that does not allow the use that is being proposed and that is, in fact, the staff recommendation this evening. However, the applicant asked me to review this plan as if it were LI zoning which, of course, we do not believe it is. The italicized portions of the staff report relate to the portions of the plan that do not comply with LI zoning either. So with those comments, unless you have specific questions for me that relate to our staff report, the staff will recommend denial of this request. JeffEvans, U-Haul International, Phoenix: I just wanted to bring a little larger plan around for you because I recognize the limitations of the reduced copies. I haven't got the chance to speak to you yet, I gather you are all familiar with the project. Umm-- the ah-- it is a project for mini-storage facility but quite different from a typical facility in that it is entirely enclosed within a brick structure, limited access, --ah-- it has the hours of operation similar to a retail establishment and in fact, we consider it to be a retail-type use of a building. The basic operation of the building is that we umm, you know your familiar with U-Haul, we rent tracks to people and we provide mini-storage, for as part of our moving business. The building is accessed through a single location, a loading dock, in the back of the building. Each customer would be given a swipe card and you could only access any part of the building with that swipe card. And again, different from most mini- storages that you've seen before, this is the only way to access any part of the building. There are no exterior doors whatsoever, there is no garage dial or anything in the building. If you would allow me, I would just like to address some of the comments. I feel that we are actually quite close in the design comments. We have been working with Mr. Sieb and the staff for quite a while and we believe that we have come to agreement on most issues and the few outstanding issues, I think can be worked out. Umm-- as I mentioned ~.(w,,im,~~~~: November 16, 2000 Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting Item #fl. I T.M~ul lnte~rns*tic~ns*l ~it~' Plan - P:ao~ I essentially, that is where we would .,.o,~__,.- cars. It's not, not, an industrial operation, you just pull your car in and we bolt on a hitch and it's just as an adjunct to our rental of trailers. You have to have a trailer hitch in order to rent a trailer. Umm--we have also, I believe, resolved our signage issues with the staff. We have pulled the sign back and proposed a monument sign of materials that match the building. We have also addressed the, I hope, fire code requirements. We've basically - ah -gotten a hold of, now that the plans for the Jack-In-The-Box next door (excuse me) are approved, we were able to get a hold of a copy of that and by sharing fire lanes with the property next door, we - ah - were able to meet the Fire Marshall's requirements. It has been pointed out, it has been called the jumble of colors on the building, but I think it will, in looking at the building, I think it is a fairly attractive building and what we have tried to do is match the style of a lot of other buildings in the Coppell area. And, I think is ah -- for its use -- I think it is a fairly handsome building and somewhat similar in ah-- smaller in scale, but somewhat similar in type to ah the brick and various colors of the brick that occur in many places in Coppell, but particularly on the school that is directly behind it. Ah--the parking spaces in front had been an issue at some point. I'm not certain whether that is still being considered an issue but I just wanted to point out that these are fairy large spaces and that is necessitated by the operation of the building, we have some trucks, as far as I know, in the code there is no maximum requirement for a parking space. And in order to not constrict the customers of our building, we have provided several larger spaces. Ah, our last report points out some light glare issues. In response to that, and from the DRC, '~~'~Vt/led ~et~'lighting V~ :si~l~'t° a gr0%~fy ~st6~ somet~ng ~T{e. They re all sh,elded from the adjoining property line and design to minimize any light that would go off of our property, similar to a grocery store parking lot. It was brought up that the building height may not meet your code and I read your code, I believe your height is defined as the distance from the top of the structure between the established street grade, at the street, to the top of the structure of the building and does not include __ walls that are less than 10 feet in height. Our building is no mo~~om any point based on that standard. We do have walls that extend above that and that is in order to provide the architectural treatment at the entrance at the showroom that we've done. The color board, we have a, o.k., to that color board I verbally add that the dark glass is clear tempered glass, there's nothing special about it, and that ah -- the one color not represented on there would be black hitched bay door. And ah -- it is just a mat like finish. The remainder of the issues are one where we might acknowledge are ones that we have not come to an agreement with the City yet. But we have been working, each time we've submitted it to attempt to follow what the guidelines are in Coppell. In that, your landscaping requirements are quite complicated and overlapping and I, we are trying to meet the letter of your code. If, along those lines, we, I have tried to sit up a meeting with staff and was not allowed to do so.~ The only time we were allowed to meet was the day of the DRC meeting and I personally was unable to attend that day. So, we got Novcmbcr 16, 2000 Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting Item t~fl. l 1.14a,I Intern~fit~nRI qlt~ Plan. P,o,' ? Chairman: comments on the landscaping and we have addressed them on the drawings that you have in front of you. I would just like to say that the building has a, and the drawings you have show has a 28% of the entire site landscaped and that is, you know, regardless of the building it is a very heavily landscaped site and we recognize that the City of Coppell likes to show substantial landscape on a site like this. We are perfectly willing to do that and all we ask is that we receive a little help in where we are deficient. If we are deficient, we are happy to look at the issues and have them explained to us and we will do our very best to meet those requirements. Ah, along those lines, the comments that were received by us, namely the 1100 square foot deficiency, I actually have a set of revised drawings with me today that show that extra landscaping, we could go over them or we could discuss that with staff at a future time. Whichever way you want to do it is fine with us. Ah, the ah, an issue was brought up with the landscape islands and in fact, there are a couple of places where we have not provided a landscape island at the end of a line of parking. Ah, the reason for this, ah, namely at the entrance of the site next to the large parking spaces and at the end of our loading area. The reason for that is that we have people driving fairly large tracks, about 30 feet long, and they are typically not accustomed to driving trucks like that. We have found it to be a safety issues to have trees in a parking lot that are exposed directly to this vehicular traffic. What we have done in past cases is that we have worked with staff to try to provide extra landscaping in other places, additional trees in another area, anything we can do to try to provide the desired screening without putting trees in a dangerous place. And again, we would be happy to ah, discuss that with staff further or stipulate to something like that today. Ah, the final issue is brought up, the final issue that I am going to speak to right now, is the service doors that are in the front - the hitched bay doors. Previously, we have been asked to remove all of these storage doors from visibility. We have not only removed the ones in the from but we have removed them all around the site, despite the fact that it is completely screened by a 6 foot wall and landscaping beyond that. We did remove all of the doors. We do still have those 2 overhead doors remaining there and I, ah, doors that go to a typical storage room where we put our hitches on the buildings and on a bad weather day, what the other door is, on a bad weather day we would allow our customers to have there car/truck sitting there while they got in it, essentially that is what it is for. Ah, we would load, the portions that they we purchase from U-Haul would be loaded up there and that is essentially what it is for. Ah, I did not see a requirement to specifically have those not face the street or any special screening that those required. If I am wrong on that, I would be happy to work with staff to get them around the side or just to screen them better from street level, if that is necessary. Again, the reason they are still there i~ that I don't know of any requirement to move them. And again, we just ask that you consider the approval of the project and if ah, we're very close, I believe, to meeting all of the design concerns of staff and we would just like to be given a chance to do that, whatever that might entail. I have a couple of questions. Is there any signage on your trucks?- November 16, 2000 Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting ltf.rn ~gf~. ! T. gln. I Int~nntitnnnl Rit~' PlAn - Pnut. ~4 Mr. Evans: We have verbage on our tracks, 3res. Our company is identified on our trucks. Chairman: Uh-huh. There is signs on your macks Jimmy Schnurr: I would like to address that. I am the attorney for the applicant. My address is 5400 Renaissance Tower, Dallas, Texas 75270. The issue of the signs, I know that has come up with staff. Originally when we met with staff, them was a concern about signage being placed in the macks, in the windows, that say "Rent Me - $19.95 a day" and those types of signs. We have addressed that and said that we would not put any signage on the trucks. As far as U-Hauls' name being on their trucks, we feel we have an absolute fight to have our company's name on our tracks and that does not constitute signage. Chairman: Okay. I was just asking if there was anything on the macks. So it is U-Haul on the truck. Mr. Schnurr: Absolutely. We identify the company on the mack themselves but the signage issue that we that we talked to the staff about was placing them within and we have agreed not to do that at all. Chairman: So, my next question is, how are you going to screen the macks from the road? Mr. Evans: I am not aware of any requirement beyond, I realize that there are landscaping requirements for all parking areas. I am not aware of any requirements above and beyond the normal parking area requirements for a truck. Chairman: We screen all, in our light industrial areas, we screen the truck bays from view, from the street, so that's why I'm asking. Mr. Evans: What do you mean by truck bay? Chairman: Truck bay, where you have truck parking spaces so I imagine you are going to be parking trucks up in there. And if you've got signage on the macks we want-- Mr. Evans: There's a specific requirement that a mack be screened from the street, that a parking area be screened from the street? Chairman: In light industrial we have the mack bays put inside, that's what we do on all of our sites. I mean, you may think your different but that's what we do, that's how we plan our site plans, and I imagine that's what they would ask you to do if you're going to do this, so, I'm just asking, are you going to screen your tracks2 Mr. Schnurr: I guess the applicant, what he's saying, is that we're not aware of a specific code requirement that requires that. If ya'll could provide that for us, we would be more than happy to look at it. Ah, as far as signage on the macks-- November 16, 2000 Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting [te*n t/fl. ! LI4md lnt~v'n~tir~n~l git~ Plan - Pao~ ~1 Chairman: I'm just asking are you going to? If you're not, just say you're not. Mr. Evans: Well, there's a -- If, if, if we are in fact required to, then we will have to. Chairman: Okay. Mr. Evans: Yes, absolutely. Chairman: But otherwise you are not going to do it. If there's no requirement, then you're not going to screen the tracks? Mr. Evans (?): That is correct, yes-- Chairman: Okay. Evans (?): Other than the parking lot screening which is provided for any parking area would require a 36" __ certain number of trees, certainly we would provide all the screening required for any parking area. Chairman: Okay. Mr. Evans (?): If there is something required above and beyond that - that is required by code, we will certainly have to do that also. Chairman: We work with applicants to try to get the tracks screened from the roads in all the site plans so that's why I was asking. Mr. Evans(?): Sure. Chairman: And it does sound like you're willing to do that, so-- Mr. Schnurr: I would like to add, I keep hearing signage and as I said we agreed not to put any signs in the trucks. The company name is on the trucks and we will feel we have an absolute right to do that. We feel that is not signage-- Chairman: Well, I don't know how you figure that-- Mr. Schnurr: --from a legal standpoint. And I think that's an issue your City Attorney may want to address. But from a legal standpoint, it our position that it is not signage in a way that you're saying it signage. It's just an identifier that the company has on their trucks, which they have a legal right to do. Chairman: And the next question that I have is the big windaws that go up the front of your building, what are those for? November 16, 2000 Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting Mr. Evans: Chairman: Mr. Evans: Chairman: Mr. Evans: Chairman: Mr. Evans: Chairman: Mr. Evans: Chairman: Mr. Evans: Chairman: Mr. Evans: Chairman: Mr. Tuner: Chairman: Mr. Evans: Chairman: Pardon me? What are the big windows for? (rustling of papers - muffled and can't understand who is saying whaO I imagine you have -- I want to explore the ceiling height windows, what are those for? Those are, a mini-storage building would be fairly dark and without any windows going into them, they provide hght into the storage areas. Most mini-storage buildings don't have windows so that's why I was wondering- As I said before, this is very different from any garage style mini-storage, this is a building in all normal definitions. Behind these windows, what's behind these windows? Behind those windows would be storage rooms. So, are they like individual doors to the storage areas, are they walk door or large doors, cause your going to see all of this at night. They would be - uh - roll-up doors, that's correct, yes. Roll-up doors. What color-- they would be U-Haul orange-- Orange? Yes. So, you're going to see the U-Haul orange roll-up doom behind the glass. I suspect, yes. Yes. Yes. One other question, on these overhead doors that are here fight next to the entry, are those, I'm not exactly sure on the site plan, are those the ones that face 1217 Yes, those doors do face 121. As I said, I'm not aware of anything that requires us to move it but we are certainly open to moving them to a place that is not improper. One other question on these islands that ya'll don~ want to put in, is that because you can't make the site plan work with the enough parking, so you can't put those items in? November 16, 2000 Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting Item ~f~. T l.l-lmd [ntornntinnnl Rit~ Plnn. Pnoe iR Mr. Evans: No, no--we are well above our parking requirements fight now. No, we-- Chairman: So you could put those on-- Mr. Evans: Yeah. Might I offer a suggestion, what we have done in other places that want to see a distinct barrier there but are willing to look at something else, is - what we have done is. a decorative concrete pattern, something that can be flush with the ground. We really had rather not have trees in it obviously but because someone would hit the trees. But in other places, we have done decorative concrete, things like that, on the ground in order to show more clearly where the tracks can go. It's a little more attractive than distracting but not provide the problems that an island does. Chairman: Thank you, I have no more questions and I think you have pretty much (muffled - sounds like speaker moved from the microphone) (Unidentified male-2): I don't know if this is an unbelievable question, what is the draw or what do you expect to draw to this market to this whole area-- Mr. Evans: Coppell, like most towns, is growing very fast and typically they have strict guidelines as to what you can do on your property. There are homeowners associations and it's in those neighborhoods that we have developed those types of buildings that isn't a garage style where they have very strict requirements about what you can put on your property, you can't just put your own shed in your back yard. We have found that Coppell is exactly the kind of area that we want to be in because of that type of neighborhood and this is exactly why we have developed this type of building. (Unidentified female): On your color board you listed yellow-- Mr. Evans: Oak - yes, there is a very small area, the only portion that is that color is ah - there's a -- (Unidentified female):--in the bottom-- Mr. Evans: yeah, in the back of the building, completely screened by a wall, there are some guardrails-- (Unidentified female): okay, Mr. Evans: --just a warning to keep people from, to know that there stuff there - not visible from outside the property. Chairman: If ya'll have no other questions, we are going to go meet in Executive Session. We will reconvene the meeting at 7:18 (rustling of papers - can't understand) and did you have another comment? November 16, 2000 Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting ftem ~. l 1.14md Inte~natit~nnl ~ite Plan - P~oe 7 Mr. Schnurr: Just one other point, I pointed out on the handout that we gave out, staff commented on the submittal date and as far as what the zoning is on the property. This October 18th date was the deadline to submit the request, we submitted this prior to the zoning being changed on the property and under Chapter 255 of the Tex. Local Gov't Code, we had vested rights in being looked at under LI provisions and that is our position. Just wanted to point that out bemuse I know staff did not make a comment on that. Chairman: Do you have any other comments or questions at this time? Mr. Evans: I would just like to make one final comment that U-Haul is very excited about this property. This is just the sort of building and just the sort of area that we like to move into. We are providing one of finest facilities with the brick and the large amount of landscaping, this is just something that is beyond the sort of product that our competitors deliver and we are very happy to do this for the City of Coppell. And -- of, sorry -- if there are further issues, we, again, feel like we are very close to coming to an agreement with staff on this and if you don't see your way to, ah, approving us today with some sort of stipulations, I'm confident that with given more time and given a table for a month, that we can iron out any of these last years. Chairman: Anything else? Any questions? Okay, ah, motion. (Unidentified male-3): Mr. Chairman, I move that we deny approval of the U-Haul International site plan. (Unidentified male-4): Second. Chairman: We have a motion and a second, all those in favor raise your fight hand. (Unidentified female):Magahy, Kittrell, Hausy, & Stewart all in favor of denial, motion carried. Mr. Schnurr(?): Mr. Chairman, I would just like to ask if on the record, because there was no discussion, if we can get some sort of (can't understand). (Unidentified male-?):We're not required to do that Mr. Chairman. Mr. Schnurr(?): Mr. Chairman, I would just like to request that since there was no discussion, if we could get specific reasons as to the denial. Just for the record, since we felt like we tr/ed to address every specific issue, we would just like to get an idea as to why this was denied since we felt like we complied with everything. Chairman: You got the staff comments and you heard the comments in all the conversations before this. Novemb~ 16, 2000 Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting Item ~fi. l 1.14md [nt~nntit~nnl ~it~ Plnn. Pner~ R Mr. Schnurr: Okay. Well I just mean that since it was a public hearing comments from the or since your voting on it, we would just like to get some feedback as to why you denied it since we, we addressed-- Chairman: I gave you the reasons. Mr. Schnurr: So, it's based on staffs specific comments. Is that what I'm hearing? Chairman: Staffs specific comments and the discussion that we had on it.. Mr. Schnurr: And, in our discussion we felt like we met every requirement so we're just trying to find out which requirement-- Chairman: Let's go to the next case. Mr. Schnurr: So we're not going to get any reason - I'm just asking-- (Unidentified male): Mr. Chairman, let's go to the next case. Chairman: Yes, Mr. Hager. Robert Hager: I think that your telling Mr. Schnurr is that the fact that they asked questions, you responded to those questions so I guess those were some of your concems, and based on the staff comments where the staff recommended that they had issues, that's the basis for their denial. Chairman: Right. Mr. Schnurr: Okay, so it's on the basis of staff's issues. Thank you. November 16, 2000 Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting Itt.tn ttfl. I T.I-ls~,! Int~rn~tlr~nAI gitl- Plan - Pao~ O July 12, 2001 Mr. Jeffrey Evans U-Haul International 2727 N. Central Avenue Phoenix, AZ 85004 RE: U-Haul International~ Site Plan Dear Mr. Evans: This letter is to inform you that the U-Haul International, Site Plan, to allow the construction of a three-story mini-storage facility on approximately 2.02 acres of property located along the south side of S.H. 121, approximately 350 feet east of Denton Tap Road, was approved by the Coppell City Council on Tuesday, July 10, 2001, subject to the following conditions: 1) Hours of operation shall be Saturday through Thursday 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. 2) All glass on the north elevation shall be tinted at 48% light transmission standard according to PPG references. The glass on the east and west elevations shall be opaque. 3) Outside track parking on the northeast comer shall be limited to three (3) spaces and eleven vehicles at the rear of the building, south of the east landscape island. 4) There shall be no propane facilities allowed on the property. 5) There shall be conformance to the site elevations dated June 8, 2001, except as otherwise provided herein. 6) That the building, landscaping, fire lanes and such other improvements shall conform to site plan submitted and dated June 25, 2001, except as otherwise provided herein. 7) All light standards shall be shielded with less than one-foot candle measurement at the surface of project, as measured at the property line. 255 PARKWAY 1Ir P.O BOX 478 ~r COPPELL TX 75019 it TEL 972/462 0022 ~r FAX 972/304 3673 8) An 8-foot masonry wall, matching the existing school wall, shall be erected to the insert where the parking spaces are located along the eastern property line. 9) After 8 p.m., there shall be no intemal illumination. 10) Storage of recreational vehicles; i.e., boats, RV's, campers, etc., shall be prohibited. 11) That the applicant shall submit a revised Site Plan incorporating all the conditions provided herein. If you have any questions, please contact me at (972) 304-3675. Sincerely, .P. Directbr of_P__lann~ing and Community Services ~c Building Inspection file JUL ! ! Sent By: 2001 17:02 FR NICHOLS CITY OF COPPELL; JRCKSON D!LLR4 965 0010 TO 9723047092; Jul-11 -01 T rl 5 · C I T Y 0 F 9723047092 P. 02/03 Page 2 July l l, 2001 Mr, Jeffrey Evans Ii-Haul International 2727 lq. Central Avenue Phoenix, AZ 85004 RE: U-Haul_IRt.ernati.nal~ Site Pla_n_ Dear Mr. Evans: Ti,is letter is to infom~ you that the U-llaul International.., ~ite Plan, to 'allow the construction of a three-story mini-storage I~cility on approximately 2.02 acres of property loeatM along the south side of g.T-i'. 121, approximately 350 feet east of De~ton Tap Road, was approved by the Coppell City Council on Tuesday, July 10, 2001, subject to thc tbllowing conditions: 2) ~ The glttss on the east and west elevations shall be opaque. Oo:c~''-O°L' on ~ vlorLa-v~(;(~$~ co~n~.~ ~tl ~ . 3) ~l~ck p~n~ fimited to three (3) space* ~' the ng~c~: .;id~ ~ 4) 6) 7) Hours ofopcrafion shoJl be Saturday through 7 to 7 p.m., All glass on the north elevation shall be tinted a)/48% ~ PPG of'th~:~t~ti~ and eleven vehicles at the tear, south of the east land,cape island. Ld 4h s) !ira. There shall be no propm~e facilities allowed on the propc~.'. There shall be. confommnce to the site elevations dated June 8, 200la ~ All li~t ~ds s~l be shielded mm less than on. thor c~dle me~remem at the s~ o r project, ~ me~d at the prope~ linc. ~ 8-thor maao~ wall, match~ Ih~ ,xiating schm~t w~t, ,~J b~ ~ctcd m ~e inset whet'e the ~hng spa~s ~c locamd along ~ em~m property JUL 11 2001 17:02 FR NICHOLS JACKSON DILLA4 9S5 0010 TO 97230470~2 P.03/05 ............. ~ ~t,-du4,'u~; Jul-Il.01 2:~4P~; Page 3 9) After g p.m., there shall be no internal il)urnination. 10) Storage of recreational vehicles; i.e., boats, RV's, campers, etc., shall be prohibited. Tfyou na¥¢ m~¥ qucst~o~, p~cas¢ con/act me at (972) 304-3675. 5in~rely, {50~t~$~ Gary. I,. Sieb, A.I.C.P. Director of Plarming and Community Services Cc ~uilding Inspection file