Staff ReportITEM 4
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CITY OF COPPELL
PLANNING DEPARTMENT
STAFF REPORT
PD-292R-SF-12, Coppell Middle School East
P&Z HEARING DATE: June 21, 2018
C.C. HEARING DATE: July 10, 2018
STAFF REP.: Marcie Diamond, Assistant Director of Community Development/Planning
LOCATION: 400 Mockingbird Lane
SIZE OF AREA: 24.7 acres of property
CURRENT ZONING: PD-292-SF-12 (Planned Development 292-SF-12)
REQUEST: PD-292R-SF-12 (Planned Development 292 Revised-SF-12) to allow the
construction of a 7,800-square foot classroom addition, 13,800-square foot gym
addition and a 2,500-square foot cafeteria expansion (under the existing roof).
APPLICANT: Coppell Independent School District
Louis Macias
1303 Wrangler Circle
Coppell, Texas 75019
(214) 496-8056
Email: lmacias@coppellisd.com
HISTORY: Coppell Middle School East (CMSE) was constructed in 1986, and Mockingbird
Elementary in 1990.
On March 27, 2018 City Council approved an ordinance allowing the construction
of a concession/restroom facility, bleachers, press box, parking and the addition of
pole lighting for the existing track and football field at this school subject to various
conditions including:
o A Detail Landscape Plan shall include the location and type of the existing
trees and additional plant materials to include a combination of evergreen
trees and shrubbery on the northern and eastern perimeter of the property to
screen the view of the field from the adjacent homes.
o The use of the outdoor sound system shall not be permitted prior to 8:00
a.m. or after 9:00 p.m. and shall only be used for athletic competitions and
not practice.
o The sound system including speakers and projection elements shall not
produce sound exceeding 50 decibels as measured from the perimeter of the
property.
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o The lighting of the track and football field shall be constructed in
conformance with the equipment, grid summary, illumination summary,
lighting system and light level summary as provided and shall not be
permitted before 6:30 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m.
o The use of these facilities shall be limited to CISD uses only.
HISTORIC COMMENT: This property has no historic significance.
TRANSPORTATION: Mockingbird and Falcon Lanes, adjacent to the schools, are residential collector
streets built within 60’ right-of-way.
SURROUNDING LAND USE & ZONING:
North- single family; SF-7
South – single family; SF-9
East – single family; SF-9 and SF-7
West – single family; SF-9
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN:
Coppell 2030, A Comprehensive Master Plan, shows this property as Residential
Neighborhood with two schools designated.
DISCUSSION:
As noted above, these school facilities were constructed approximately 30 years ago and
have not had significant changes to the exterior of the building or the athletic facilities since
that time, except for the construction of the tennis courts. Last year CISD improved the
field with artificial turf, added new goal posts and resurfaced the track and the existing
chain link fence was replaced with an 8’ ornamental fence encircling the track and field.
In March of this year City Council approved the second phase of this project to provide
additional parking, bleachers, press box, concession/restroom facility and field lighting. As
of this date the lighting has been installed and the bleachers are currently under
construction.
The current request is to allow three additions to the existing building: a competition
gymnasium, a classroom expansion and addition to the existing cafeteria. These projects
were also part of the 2016 CISD bond program. The entire school will be updated to with
automatic fire sprinkler system.
Gymnasium Addition
This 13,800-square foot competition gymnasium will accommodate bleachers, concession
stands and restroom facilities. It will be located to the east of the girl’s locker room will
be accessed through the existing hallway. There will be an exterior door facing the football
field. This gym will also be constructed to serve as a storm shelter. The exterior of the
building will be 100% brick (with no windows) and will match the exterior of the existing
building.
Classroom Addition
Eight new classrooms (and hallways) will be constructed along the southern portion of the
building, closest to Falcon Drive. The building will be setback approximately 30 feet from
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Falcon Drive. There will be two external doors into the hallways. Again, the building
materials will match of brick of the existing building.
Cafeteria Expansion
The 2,500-square foot cafeteria expansion will simply be enclosing the patio area under
the existing roof and providing additional paving area.
Outstanding Conditions from Previous Approval
As noted above, earlier this year, when this PD was established, there were several
outstanding conditions relating to the re-design of the existing parking lot and the
requirement for additional landscaped buffer adjacent to the field.
This Detail Plan includes the final layout of the revised parking lot north of the existing
building. This reconfigured parking lot will increase the overall parking count by 43
parking spaces. This lot will also now be compliant with the Zoning Ordinance
requirements for fire lane configuration, parking spaces and the provision of landscaping.
Specifically, landscape islands are being provided and each will contain Chinese Pistache
(overstory) trees. The radii of the driveways have also been improved to meet the fire lane
requirements.
A condition of approval when the pole lighting and bleachers were approved was the
submission of a Detail Landscape Plan which correctly noted existing trees and provides
landscape screening to buffer the ball field/track from adjacent homes. The Landscape
Plan submitted with this request includes a shrub row of 10’ gallon Nellie R. Stevens holly,
planted 5 foot on-center. At the time of planting this shrub row will be three to four feet
tall. However, Nellie Stevens holly is a fast grower, up to 3 feet per year, and upon maturity
typically grows to 20 feet tall and 10 feet wide. Therefore, within a couple years this should
provide the visual screening required.
Finally, these building expansions will require the relocation of various utilities and fire
lanes. Therefore, a condition of this approval is that this property be platted, and the plat
being filed to ensure that all easements are properly established and recorded.
RECOMMENDATION TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION:
Staff is recommending APPROVAL of PD-292R-SF-12, Coppell Middle School East subject to the following
conditions:
1. Additional comments will be generated at the time detail engineering review of the grading, drainage,
utility and paving plans, and building permit.
2. This property shall be platted prior to a C.O. for any of the expansion areas.
3. Drafting issues
a. Correct the scale on Sheet C0.300
b. Remove the “D use” at the end of Site Restriction d.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Recommend approval of the request
2. Recommend disapproval of the request
3. Recommend modification of the request
4. Recommend holding this case under advisement until a later date.
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ATTACHMENTS:
1. Overall Site Plan
2. Detail Site Plan
3. Landscape Plan
4. Building Elevations
5. Floor Plan (Life Safety Plan)
6. Schematic