To: Mark Hafner, City Manager
From: Sarah Hensley, Assistant Community Development Director
Subject:
Title
PUBLIC HEARING: Consider an ordinance approving three Specific Use Permits (SUPs) for a detached accessory building on 2.83 acres located on the east side of Whitley Road, approximately 250 feet northeast from the intersection of Whitley Road and Harper Lane, legally described as Lot 1, Block A of Andrews Addition, zoned Single-Family 36,000 square-foot lot size or greater (SF-36) and Single-Family 8,400 square-foot lot size or greater (SF-8.4) and addressed 1621 Whitley Road. Nathan Olmstead, Owner/Applicant. (SUP-22-0037)
Background:
The Applicant currently has a 4,032 square-foot barn with metal/tin framing and wood siding that has fallen into disrepair. The Applicant wishes to replace it with an all-metal building almost identical in size, appearance and location to the existing barn.
The new barn will continue to house the Applicant’s horse trailer and truck, along with feed, equipment and tack for the Applicant’s three horses and the family’s 4-H project goats. The barn also houses the animals with temporary stalls during inclement weather. The proposed structure will not have any loft or a second story, bathroom or plumbing but will have electricity. (The family utilizes an existing water line outside by their horse pens for their animals.)
Building Size:
The proposed barn would be 4,000 square feet with a concrete foundation and an average height of 21 feet. The main home is 3,980 square-feet and the existing guest house is 927 square-feet. The proposed barn exceeds three UDC limits, triggering three SUP requirements:
(1) detached accessory structures be 1,200 feet or less, and
(2) accessory structures combined be 50 percent or less than the square footage of the home (the barn plus the guest house totals 4,927 square feet - 24% larger than the home); to meet the UDC requirement, the combined square footage of the accessory structures could not exceed 1,990 square-feet, and
(3) the maximum height of an accessory structure cannot exceed 15 feet. (The average height of the barn will be 21’ with 12-foot eves and a peak of no more than 29’10”.)
Building Location:
The proposed building will be located in roughly the same location as the existing structure along the north property line approximately 225 feet behind the main home. The new barn will meet all setback requirements, including the 15-foot side-yard setback.
SUP Requests:
1. An SUP for a 4,000 square-foot accessory structure which exceeds the 1,200 square-foot maximum allowed in the SF-36 zoning district.
2. An SUP for the combined area of all accessory structures on the property to exceed 50% of the existing home.
3. An SUP for the accessory structure to be an average of 21 feet tall, which exceeds the 15-foot height maximum allowed in the City of Keller.
Summary:
Section 8.02 (F)(2) of the UDC states that when considering a SUP request, the City Council shall consider the following factors:
1) The use is harmonious and compatible with surrounding existing uses or proposed uses;
2) The activities requested by the applicant are normally associated with the permitted uses in the base district;
3) The nature of the use is reasonable and appropriate in the immediate area;
4) Any negative impact on the surrounding area has been mitigated; and
5) That any additional conditions specified ensure that the intent of the district purposes are being upheld.
Citizen Input:
On December 2, 2022, the City mailed out 27 letters of notification for this Public Hearing to all property owners within three-hundred feet (300’) of the subject site. A public hearing notice sign was posted on the site. As of today, staff has not received any responses either in support or opposition to the SUPs requested.
Planning and Zoning Commission Recommendation:
On December 13, 2022, no one spoke in favor or opposition, and the Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously recommended approval of the SUP requests with no modifications or conditions.
Alternatives:
The City Council has the following options when considering a Specific Use Permit:
-Approve as submitted.
-Recommend approval with modified or additional condition(s).
-Table the agenda item to a specific date with clarification of intent and purpose.
-Deny.