Staff Report
ITEM #7
Page 1 of 3
CITY OF COPPELL
PLANNING DEPARTMENT
STAFF REPORT
CASE NO.: S-1033R6-SF-12, Vista (Coppell Classical) Academy
P&Z HEARING DATE: March 21, 2019
C.C. HEARING DATE: April 9, 2019
STAFF REP.: Mary Paron-Boswell, Sr. Planner
LOCATION: 140 South Heartz Road
SIZE OF AREA: 4.85 acres of property
CURRENT ZONING: S-1033R5-SF-12 (Special Use Permit-1033 Revision 5-Single Family-12)
REQUEST: A zoning change request to S-1033R6-SF-12 (Special Use Permit-1033 Revision
6-Single Family-12), to approve a revised site and landscape plan, the extension of
the fire lane, and the addition of 46 parking spaces.
APPLICANT: Responsive Education Solutions Josh Barton
1301 Waters Ridge Drive G & A Consultants, LLC/McAdams
Lewisville, Texas 75057 111 Hillside Dr
(972) 216-3663 Lewisville, Texas 75057
wchandler@responsiveed.com (469) 312-0494
jbarton@mcadamsco.com
HISTORY: In 1988, the Final Plat for Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church was approved by
Council. SUP-1033 was established for a church, nursery and school in November
1989. On July 9, 1998, the Board of Adjustment approved a temporary shade structure
over the playground which had padded metal poles instead of the required brick
cladding. In January 1999, a revised site plan was approved to allow a building
expansion for a sanctuary, fellowship hall and additional classrooms, essentially
doubling the size of the structure. In September 1999, a Site Plan Amendment was
approved allowing the retention of the shade structure in the location as initially
approved, subject to the support poles being clad with brick.
On July 28, 2009, Council approved S-1033R2 for Manara Academy, subject to the
nine conditions relating to the operation of the school (circulation patterns, number
of students, restrictions on outdoor play areas and school events/ extracurricular
activities, etc.) as well as an expiration date of June 30, 2010.
On February 9, 2010 Council approved an amended SUP with the following
conditions (the other conditions of the previous approval were expressly deleted):
ITEM #7
Page 2 of 3
A) This charter school shall be licensed and maintained in accordance with state
law and may provide instruction for Kindergarten through eighth (8th) grade.
B) The student enrollment capacity under this Special Use Permit shall not exceed
five hundred (500) students.
C) Religious services and related activities shall be permitted to remain as an
ancillary use.
D) This Special Use Permit shall expire on June 30, 2014, and
E) Solid screening gates shall be installed on the dumpster.
In the fall of 2011, Vista Academy became the new charter school operator.
Responsive Education Solutions (owner of Coppell Classical Academy) purchased
the property. On June 10, 2014, Council approved an amendment to this SUP to
allow this Charter School for Grades K-8, with an enrollment capacity of 500, to
continue to occupy this building for a permanent time period. A condition of approval
was that religious services and related activities shall be permitted to remain as an
ancillary use.
With the church no longer an ancillary use in 2016, Council approved an
amendment to allow the re-purposing of the sanctuary for a 4,000-square-foot
gymnasium, additional offices, and a 6,537-square-foot building expansion to
include six (6) new classrooms. The enrollment was 330 students which is less than
the 500 students permitted by the existing SUP.
HISTORIC COMMENT: We have found nothing of historic significance attached to this property.
TRANSPORTATION: Heartz Road is a C2U, two-lane undivided street within 50 ft. of R.O.W. with 37 feet
of paving.
SURROUNDING LAND USE & ZONING:
North - Royal Oaks, residential subdivision; PD-249-SF-7
South - Westbury Manor, residential subdivision; PD-166-SF-7
East - Westbury Manor, residential subdivision; PD-166-SF-7
West - Braewood West, 2nd Revision, residential subdivision; SF-7
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN:
Coppell 2030, A Comprehensive Master Plan, indicates this area suitable for school
and religious facilities.
DISCUSSION: This property has transitioned from a church use in 1989 to a charter school with
an ancillary church use, to a full-time charter school. As indicated in the History
section, this SUP has been amended several times since its construction in 1989.
The current request is to add 46 parking spaces on-site, extend the fire lane and
revise the site plan and landscape plan. The plan to extend the fire lane and add
additional parking was part of Phase II of the original church SUP in 1989, which
illustrated a total of 150 spaces for all phases. The extended fire lane configuration
creates a loop of the site, extending the fire lane around the back of the site and
tying into the existing parking area on the northeast portion of the site. This
ITEM #7
Page 3 of 3
extension will not only create better access for emergency vehicles, but also acts to
improve the traffic circulation on-site, creating a queuing area on-site for pick-up
and drop-off. This will remove cars from the street during the peak drop-off/pick-
up hours. Also, the additional parking spaces will also help alleviate on-street
parking during school events and on-site meetings. The number of parking spaces
will go from the current 101 spaces to 147 spaces. The number of students
attending the facility is 470, which is within the 500 permitted by the existing SUP.
The revised Landscape Plan indicates all existing landscaping to remain except for
the removal of 4 four-inch caliper Bur Oak trees which fall within the proposed fire
lane configuration. However, these four Bur Oak trees will be replaced by 6 three-
inch caliper Red Oak trees positioned outside of the fire lane. Additional trees will
be planted adjacent to the proposed parking spaces. It is noted that many of the
Dwarf Yaupon Holly shrubs along the north and adjacent to the parking lot on the
east property line are missing and will need to be replaced. In addition, any existing
dead landscaping will also be replaced.
RECOMMENDATION TO THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION:
Staff is recommending APPROVAL of S-1033R6-SF-12, Vista (Coppell Classical) Academy, subject to:
1. There may additional comments generated during detail engineering review.
2. This charter school shall be licensed and maintained in accordance with state law and may provide
instruction for Kindergarten through eight (8th) grade.
3. The student enrollment capacity under this Special Use Permit shall not exceed five hundred (500)
students.
4. All dead landscaping shall be replaced as shown on the Landscape Plan.
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. Narrative
2. Site Plan
3. Landscape Plan
4. Traffic Plan