Peninsula HOA Pres. letterYOU ARE INVITED
To a pre-council meeting at the home of
Richard and Stephanie Scott
708 Bent Tree
at 4:00 pm
Sunday, February 22
We will be discussing the proposed development at the southwest
comer of Hwy 121 and MacArthur Blvd A representative from
City of Coppell Staff will be present to address questions/concerns.
February 21, 2004
Dear Peninsulas of Coppell neighbors & friends,
This is an update about the development project proposed for the comer of MacArthur
and Highway 121. The Coppell City Council will hear the developers' appeal of staff's
rejection during the Council meeting next Tuesda¥~ February 24 at 7:00pm. I don't
know the placement of this item on the agenda. Please attend, and I hope you'll
contribute to the discussions.
During the past weeks, several of us have been in contact with the City Manager and the
City's Planning & Zoning staff, the developers, and the other Homeowner Associations
in the area. Vistas of Coppell adjoin the development on the western side, and Steve
McAdams (HOA President) has been very involved in this process, along with other
members of that neighborhood. Our two HOAs carry tremendous weight in the
deliberations because of the direct impact of the development on our neighborhoods.
Cambridge Estates have also been involved (Mitch Kramer, HOA President) in our
discussions. They are not only interested in the development of the comer (and they very
strongly support our position), but they have also focused attention on the highway
construction itself. They are pushing an agenda to compel the highway department to use
an alternative final surfacing to the highway rather than concrete as planned. Other
surfaces are proven to be more noise deadening. This is an important matter and deserves
our support (wish we'd thought of this, too!), and we will support their efforts.
City staff member Marcie Diamond is in charge of the Planning and Zoning process. On
Friday, she received a Petition in Opposition signed by (what appears to me) 46 of our 50
homeowners. Jean Ashenfelter said that everyone's travel, work & busy lives stood
between her and 100%. I so much appreciate and applaud Jean for her hard work and
initiative! In additionto Peninsula signatures, Jean gained the signatures ofanother 11
families in the new Prestwick neighborhood and from Vistas of Coppell that directly
adjoin the project.
Steve McAdams has encouraged his HOA to write, call and/or email the Coppell Mayor,
City Council and staff of the City to express their concerns and opposition. I understand
that many of their membership have done exactly that. You can, too!
Where are we in this process? Last Tuesday night, representatives from three HOAs
met with the various developers of the project. Centex is ready to sell this property now
that the highway development has raised the corner's valuation to a very high point. City
Manager Jim Witt told me that this comer will be one of the "hottest sites" developed in
Coppell during the next year. We realize that it is an eventuality that the comer will be
developed.
The developers working on the project have proposed a blended retail and light
commercial office park. The comer would be occupied by a Shell service station and
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convenience store. Behind that would be an "upscale" auto service facility along the
lines of a blend of City Garage and Kwik Kar lube center. It is a division of Shell called
Great American. It is a very good, upscale concept.
The rest of the development would be one-story office and retail buildings. The primary
developer of these buildings is Jackson-Shaw. They own a similar project just across 121
on the west bound service road (down the street from 7-11 and Blue Star Storage). That
facility has a front 2-story building, backed by 2 or 3 pods of one-story
retail/office/warehouse. The development we are discussing will not have a 2-story
facility. Go see these one-story buildings for an idea of what the project will resemble
(except with more brick/stone as required in Coppell).
I hesitate in referring to this as warehouse. The style is more of a showroom & office
facility, but these businesses need the larger freight door in the back. Our concerns about
major truck traffic (particularly 18 wheelers) coming in and out of the area is mitigated
by the nature of these business. Most of these will be served by UPS, FedEx, and other
mid-sized freight tracks on a more infrequent basis.
The buildings on the main roads of 121 service road and MacArthur will likely be retail
oriented: restaurants, variety shopping, and - yes - probably a donut shop, nail shop and
dry cleaner (there are too many of these already!). All-in-all, these businesses (both
service station, retail, and office/warehouse) are not a bad mixture of neighbors.
Alternatives we could face for this development would be a grocery store, one or more
tall office or hotel buildings, more Blue Star-type storage units, or worse. If we can
choose our poison, this isn't bad.
Why do we oppose the development? Yes, we still oppose the development. I should
say: we still oppose the project in its present form. The developers' original plan
presented to the City did not meet the City's codes & desires for a variety of reasons.
Some of the flaws were easily addressable (mixture of brick to stucco, signage, etc.).
Some of the objections are more costly. These included adding vegetative screening (lots
of trees!), privacy walls and re-working traffic flow.
In our meeting with the developers, we saw their revised construction plans, and the
description of the project I detailed above are the results. The developers realize that the
HOAs are vigorously protecting their interests and could stand in the way of them
launching the project. Therefore, they have received several "requirements" from the
HOAs in a positive manner. These include: raising the height of the privacy wall on the
boundary with Vistas to 8 feet (and meld it into the existing wall), plant additional
screening vegetation in the development and potentially on the top edge of the levee
beside the walking trail (this blocks more of the view from Peninsulas), and improve the
rear-of-the-building finish-out of the office buildings to look more like the from
(currently, they are dull & industrial looking with large freight doors). Among other
minor changes, these are the major improvements, but they cost the developers money.
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The City has not received these changes, nor have we. The developers say they have
made great progress with the City, and that the City is approving their changes. But,
according to Marcie Diamond, this is an overstatement of the progress.
What is our strategy? We want these improvements in writing and approved by the
City's staff. These changes must be part of the approved "Planned Development" of the
entire project. Any variation would take City approval, and we would have the chance to
speak to the matter. For example, if the developers gain approval per these
improvements but later want to scrap one building and erect a 3-story travel hotel, it
would require a major re-approval process and public hearing. We do not want just good
intentions, attractive conceptual drawings and verbal commitments from the developers.
We want it in writing and blessed by the City. It is very bad precedence for the City
Council to constantly be overturning their staff when powerful businesses lobby for
special consideration.
Meeting scheduled! In addition to the City Council meeting next Tuesday night, we are
having a general meeting in preparation on Sunday, February 22, at my house: 708 Bent
Tree Ct. (phone is 972-393-3409) at 4:00pm. Feel free to bring drinks & snacks for a
social time. All-can-come, including our neighboring associations' members.
What have we learned? We've learned that this development - in the grand scheme of
things - is a rounding error in future City of Coppell tax revenue, so we should not be
resigned or settle for a project we'll later regret. We've learned that our HOA can
mobilize to fight for a cause, and that we can unite with other HOAs to give this greater
voice. We've learned that the City staff can be our powerful advocate. We've learned
that we want the promises made by developers, City staff and others in writing. We've
learned that we can compromise to find a reasonable solution.
A Final Word. I feel good about our position and strategy. We'll stand opposed to the
development until we see the developers put their verbal commitments in writing and
until that plan is approved by City staff. The development will become a good neighbor
that will provide us with some needed services (hopefully a good restaurant or 2!). But,
let us not slacken our resolve or divert our attention until we reach the finish line!
Come to the Sunday meeting if you can, and please attend the City Council on Tuesday!
Thanks for your time & help,
Richard Scott
Peninsulas of Coppell HOA
Board President
P~e3