CC approval on 12/13/05AGENDA REQUEST FORM
COPPELL
DEP~: Planning
DATE: December 13, 2005
ITEM #: 24
ITEM CAPTION:
Consider approval of the West Sandy Lake Road Addition, Lot 1, Block 1, Site Plan Amendment, to allow the
construction of a combination of decorative metal and chain link fencing along the northern, eastern and western
property lines of 31.4 acres of land located at 944 W. Sandy Lake Road.
GOAL(S):
APPROVED BY
CITY COUNCIL
ABOVE DATE
Motion to Approve
M - York
S ~ Peters
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Date of P&Z Meeting: November 17, 2005
Decision of P&Z Commission: Approved (7-0) with Commissioners Borchgardt, Hall, McCaffrey,
Foreman, Haas, Kittrell and Reese voting in favor. None opposed.
Approval is recommended, with no conditions.
Staff recommends approval.
Agenda Request Form - Revised 09/04 Document Name: ~7WSLR, SPA I-AR
CASE:
CITY OF COPPELL
PLANNING DEPARTMENT
STAFF REPORT
West Sandy Lake Road Additioq Lot Block
Site Plan Amendment
P & Z HEARING DATE:
C.C. HEARING DATE:
November 17, 2005
December 13, 2005
STAFF REP.:
Marcie Diamond, Assistant PlanningiDirector
LOCATION:
North side of Sandy Lake Road, approximately 1,300' east of S.H.
121.
SIZE OF AREA:
CURRENT ZONING:
31.6 acres of property containing a 605,000-square-foot warehouse
building.
LI (Light Industrial)
REQUEST:
APPLICANT:
Site Plan amendment approval t° allow the construction of a
combination of decorative metal an.d chain-link fencing along the
north, east and west property lines.
Owner:
Ferguson Realty Company
c/o Myers & Crow Company, Ltd.
3811 Turtle Creek Blvd. #730
Dallas, Texas 75219
Phone: (214) 520-7800
FAX: (214) 520-2015
Architect:
John Taylor
azimuth architecture, inc.
3809 Parry Avenue, # 205
Dallas, Texas 75226
Phone: (214) 261-9060
FAX: (214) 261-9049
HISTORY:
Page 1 of 4
The owners of this property, who also own the abutting property to the west,
participated when the City initiated the rezoning Cf 200+ acres of property from
Light Industrial to Highway Commercial along S.I~I. 121 frontage. The triangular
tract of land between the subject tract and S.H. 121, north of Sandy Lake Road, is
now zoned Highway Commercial.
Item #9
In June 2004, City Council approved a Site Plan and Minor Plat to allow the
development an approximate 605,000-square-foo~ office/warehouse building on
this tract of land, which is currently under construction and expected to be
completed in the near future.
TRANSPORTATION:
Sandy Lake Road is designated as a C4D/6 on the Thoroughfare
Plan. Construction is scheduled to l~egin during the first quarter of
next year to improve this existing t~vo-lane asphalt road to a four-
lane divided thoroughfare within 110-120 feet of right-of-way.
The median has been designed to be wide enough to accommodate
the additional two lanes, if warranted in the future.
SURROUNDING LAND USE & ZONING:
North - Undeveloped LI (Light Industrial)
South - Undeveloped - AmberPoint BusineSs Park, LI (Light Industrial)
East - Office/Warehouse under construction - L1 (Light Industrial)
West- Undeveloped LI (Light Industrial) and HC (Highway Commercial)
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN:
The Comprehensive Plan o~ May 1996 shows the property
as suitable for Light Industrial and Showroom uses.
DISCUSSION:
Page 2 of 4
As stated in the HISTORY section of this rOport, the Site Plan approval for
construction of an approximate 600,000-square-foot building was
approved in June of last year. Given the prominent location of this
building and existing tree cover, there Were two major issues during
deliberations of this project -- the aesthetics of the building and tree
mitigation. This request is to allow seven-f0ot-tall black-coated chain-link
fencing to be erected along the east and west property lines, with small
sections of decorative metal along Sandy Lake Road.
In terms of the prominence of this locationi this project will be one of the
first industrial buildings along this western gateway to the City of Coppell
and it's important that attractive buildings and sites are developed here.
Staff has concerns with the proposed sevetn-foot-tall black-coated chain-
link fencing. The west property line (over L300 feet in length) is currently
visible from S.H. 121. Once the adjaceVtt property is developed, this
property line will be less visible, of course, but the existence of a chain-
link fence will not be compatible with the types of uses envisioned for this
freeway frontage.
Item//9
Page 3 of 4
Also, you may recall that tree mitigation was a major discussion point
during the Council hearing. Soon after the approval of this Site and
Landscape Plan, City Council approved an amendment to the Tree
Preservation Ordinance eliminating tree retribution under the footprint of
industrial buildings. This building greatly benefited from that action.
In filing this request, the applicant stated that this fence would not be
visible due to the significant amount o[ landscaping that would be
provided. As indicated on the Site Plan, a Seven-foot-tall chain-link fence
will be located two feet behind the curb; 91 evergreen trees (Eastern Red
Cedars and Wax Mrytles) will be planted 15 feet on-center, five feet from
the fence, and 34 Cedar Elms (25 feet on-center) at the property line -- all
being within a 10- to 20-foot-wide landlcape buffer. The separation
between the evergreen tree row and the ovetstory tree row is as close as 10
to 15 feet. John Elias, the City's Certifie~t Arborist, has stated that the
industry standard for tree separation, to erlsure survival at maturity, is a
minimum of 20 feet, and preferably 30 feel~. The survivability of the trees
and the fence in this overcrowded buffer ~trip is very questionable. It
must be noted that only 26 trees are required along this 1305'-long
property line per the Landscape Ordinance.
There are similar concerns along the east groperty line, where 51 Eastern
Red Cedars are proposed (15-feet on-center~, approximately five feet from
the fence. Again, it appears that upon matur!ty, this tree line and chain-link
fence cannot co-exist in such close proxin~ity. There is also a potential
conflict with some of the preserved trees agd the new plantings, whereas
upon maturity, the new trees will crowd the iexisting tree line.
The applicant has stated that the existing and proposed trees would
obscure the view of the fence on both thd east and west property lines;
however, it is very questionable that the tiees would suvive next to this
fence. Therefore, the City would be left ~ith a very visible black-coated
seven-foot chain-link fence. The applicani has submitted a letter from a
horticulturist stating that erecting a fence fl~e feet from the evergreen trees
would be appropriate. However, considering that at maturity these trees
have a 25- to 35-foot spread, staff questionsi this conclusion.
The applicant has stated that this is a speCulative building and securing
truck courts is for marketing purposes. If security is truly an issue, then
staff would recommend a decorative-metal:: fence along the west property
with landscaping as provided recently on s~milar projects in our industrial
area (i.e., UPS in Gateway Business Park a~d the east end of the Container
Store building). As indicated in the attact~ed memo from John Elias, the
City's Arborist, a decorative-metal fence is much more tolerant of the
impact of evergreen trees being in close proximity than a chain-link fence.
Given lesser visibility along the east property line and the industrial
Item#9
adjacency, the black-coated chain-link fenc~ could be tolerated. However,
as discussed, the placement of a chain-link fence would negatively impact
the existing and proposed trees at the density currently indicated.
Therefore, if this fencing is pursued, the de~3sity of the proposed trees must
be significantly reduced. It is recommended that the tree density of the
Eastern Red Cedars be reduced to a minim~tm of 30-feet on-center, a 50%
reduction in number of trees. This reduct!on in number of trees required
should off-set the additional cost of providing a decorative-metal fence
versus the chain-link along the west properlly line.
Also included in this requested Site Plan amendment is the addition of
entry features along both sides of the two ,main driveways, which traverse
the drainage areas. These will consist of' stone pillars, which match the
retaining wall, and decorative-metal ra!lings. The pillars will be
approximately 10-feet on-center. Staff recommends approval of the
inclusion of these entry features.
RECOMMENDATION TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION:
Staff recommends:
1) DENIAL of the chain-link fenc~ along the west property line,
and APPROVAL of a decorativ4-metal fence.
2) APPROVAL of the black-coa0ed chain-link fence along the
east property line only.
3) Prior to the erection of any fen~ing, a revised Landscape Plan
and Tree Mitigation Plan m~4st be submitted indicating a
reduction in density of the E~stem Red Cedar trees to be
compatible with the type of fencling proposed.
4) APPROVAL of the inclusion of the entry features at the
driveways, as submitted.
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 lateridate.
ATTACHMENTS:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Memo from John Elias
Letter from Horticulturist
Rendering
Site Plan Amendment
Entry Feature Details
Page 4 of 4
Item #9
From:
To:
Date:
Subject:
John Elias
Marcie Diamond
11/11/2005 7:53:12 AM
SPR~05-0056, West Sandy Lake Road Addition
Marcie,
Review of the original Tree Removal Permit for this project shows a credit balance of 826.5" (DBH).
The areas for the proposed fencing are too heavily planted with over stol~ trees and evergreen trees, to
allow room for a fence. The proper spacing for the plant material shown!in those areas should be as
follows:
Eastern Red Cedar should be spaced at 20' - 30'.
Wax Myrtle should be spaced at 8' - 12'.
Cedar Elm should be spaced at 20' - 40'.
Would suggest removing up to 50% of the evergreen trees (wax myrtle ~, eastern red cedar) to allow
space for the fence. Due to the credit balance on the Tree Removal Peilmit, there will be no fees
associated with the reduction of trees. The (DBH") removed will be deducted from the credit balance.
Would suggest an iron fence to a chain link. The fence fabric of a chainllink fence tends to snag the
growth of plant material, eventually damaging the fence and affecting pr(~per growth of the trees.
Thank You
John Elias
Parks Department
Peterman & Associates, Inc.
Jori M~tc hella
Horti( ull~rtst
P~ oject Manager
November 7, 2005
John Taylor
Azimuth Architecture
3809 Parry Avenue; Suite 205
Dallas, TX 75226
RE: Sandy Lake 121 Distribution Center · Coppell, TX
Mr. Taylor:
I have reviewed the revised plan showing the fence location along the west ~ide of the property. Planting 5' from
the fence is appropriate and adequate space for the wax myrtle and eastern ~d cedar.
1 have also reviewed the fence location along the east side of the property. 'I[he fence can be installed with out
disturbing the existing trees. In addition there is adequate space to for the n4w plantings.
If you have any questions please call at your convenience.
Sincerely,
Jon Mitchella
ttorticulturist
Project Manager
P.O. Box 531807 · Grand Prairie, TX 75053 · Phone 972/263-~500 · Fax 972/642-8850
I i I
West Sandy Lake Road Addition
Site Plan Ammendmen(t
Coppell, Texas
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