To: Planning and Zoning Commission
From: Katasha Smithers, Planner II
Subject:
Title
Consider a request for a Site Plan Amendment with variances for First Baptist Church, situated on approximately 8.53 acres, being legally described as Lot 1R1A, Block 3 of the Johnson Addition; Lot 1, Block 1 of the Cravy Addition; Lot 6, Block 1 of the BB Willard Subdivision; Lots 5-11, Block 2 of Johnson Addition-Keller; Lot 1, Block 1 or Cagle Addition; Tracts 1C01B, 1C01A, 1J, 1L, 1F, 1G, 1C02, 1H1, 1H2, 1H, 1I, 1K, 1I1A, 1K1A, Abstract 1171 of the Samuel Needham Survey and zoned Single-Family 8,400 square-foot minimum lot sizes or greater (SF-8.4) and Old Town Keller (OTK), and addressed as 218, 220, 224 and 245 Lorine St; 237, 231, 221, 217, 213, 331 and 341 Jessie Street; 222 and 238 Ruby Street; and 145, 205 and 211 Pearl Street. First Baptist Church, Owner/Applicant
Background:
The First Baptist Church occupies multiple properties generally located north of Keller Parkway, south of High Street and between Ruby Street and North College Avenue. The Church would like to expand its property to accommodate athletic fields (primarily to serve Harvest Christian Academy), add parking space, construct an accessory building to store the golf carts they use to shuttle congregants to and from parking lots, a widows’ garden and future pavilion. The Church provided Staff with the proposed amended site plan depicting the expansion. The Church is asking for nine variances related to setbacks, buffer requirements, screening wall and landscaping
Site Layout:
The Applicant proposes to add two multi-purpose fields, 4,457 square-foot storage building with covered patio area and a future 3,287 square-foot pavilion intended to provide a shade for a variety of church and school activities at 245 Lorine Street. The Applicant does not have a firm construction timeline for the pavilion. Additionally, the Applicant proposes a widows’ garden with head-in parking on the west side of Jessie Street, and a large parking lot (total of 94 spaces) at the corner of Lorine Street and Jessie Street. See Exhibit A - Site Plan.
Landscaping: VARIANCES REQUESTED
Buffer Areas
UDC Section 8.08 (F)(1), requires a 15-foot landscape buffer on Jessie Street and a 30-foot landscape buffer on High Street due to the adjacent residential uses. The practice fields are located to the north of the First Baptist Church Addition subdivision.
Variance requested:
1. To allow the multi-purpose practice field to encroach into the 15’ landscape buffer along Jessie Street as well as the 30’ landscape buffer along High Street.
UDC Section 8.08 (F)(2), states a minimum of 3-inch caliper large canopy trees spaced at a maximum 60-feet on center are required within the landscape buffer.
Variance requested:
2. To eliminate the twelve 3-inch caliper canopy buffer trees along the perimeter of the proposed multi-purpose practice fields.
UDC Section 8.08 (F)(1), a 30-foot landscape buffer is required off Lorine Street due to the adjacent residential uses.
Variance requested:
3. To allow the landscape buffer off Lorine Street to be 15-feet in lieu of the required 30-feet.
UDC Section 8.08 (F)(1)(c), the Applicant is required to place trees within the 30-foot landscape buffer on the rear and sides of the widow’s garden area as it is adjacent to residential uses. The
Variance requested:
4. To eliminate the required 3-inch caliper canopy trees within the 30-foot landscape buffer along the rear and sides of the widows’ garden area.
Sidewalks and Trails: MEETS
The applicant proposes to add sidewalks along the proposed land to be developed. New sidewalk locations would be on High Street, Jessie Street and Lorine Street.
Screening and Parking: VARIANCES REQUESTED
Screening Walls
UDC Section 8.13 requires a screening wall adjacent to a single-family use or zoning district. The Applicant proposes to keep the wood privacy fence on the west side of the widow’s garden and install a 7-foot tall powder coated steel on the north, south and east property lines rather than to construct the required screening wall adjacent to the residential uses.
Variance requested:
5. To allow the existing fencing along the west property line of the widows’ garden area to remain as-is and to allow the installation of a 7-foot tall powder-coated steel fence on the north, south and east property lines.
UDC Section 8.11 (C)(1) requires a fence to be a minimum of 4 feet from the property line.
Variance requested:
6. To allow a 7-foot tall powder coated steel fence surrounding the multi-purpose fields to be located on the property line.
Parking Lots
UDC Section 8.08 (F)(3), if the number of parking spaces exceeds the Code by 10%, a 50 square-foot of additional landscaping shall be required. The Applicant is exceeding parking requirements by 85 spaces (totaling 4,250 square-feet of landscape requirements).
Variance requested:
7. To eliminate the required 4,250 square-feet of additional landscaping for the excess of 85 parking spaces.
UDC Section 8.08 (F)(3)(f), requires to place two 3-inch large caliper canopy tree within the large parking lot islands. The Applicant wishes to install the light poles within the landscape islands and so is requesting a variance for eight trees as the light poles will have a negative impact on the trees once they begin to mature.
Variance requested:
8. To eliminate eight 3-inch caliper canopy trees within the parking lot islands.
Garage door exposure:
The Church proposes to add a 4,457 square-foot accessory structure with a garage that faces Jessie Street and is 25 feet back from the road to store the Church’s golf carts and store other items.
UDC Section 8.07 (C) states that no more than 72 square-feet of a garage door can be exposed within 100 feet of a residential street.
Variance requested:
9. To allow 172 square-foot garage door exposure to the street.
Drainage & Utilities: MEETS
The preliminary drawings for the Site Plan meet Code, and final drawings will be required through the Civil plan process.
Summary of Variances Requested:
1. To allow the multi-purpose practice field to encroach into the 15’ landscape buffer along Jessie Street as well as the 30’ landscape buffer along High Street.
2. To eliminate the twelve 3-inch caliper canopy buffer trees along the perimeter of the proposed multi-purpose practice fields.
3. To allow the landscape buffer off Lorine Street to be 15-feet in lieu of the required 30-feet.
4. To eliminate the required 3-inch caliper canopy trees within the 30-foot landscape buffer along the rear and sides of the widows’ garden area.
5. To allow the existing fencing along the west property line of the widows’ garden area to remain as-is and to allow the installation of a seven-foot tall powder coated steel fence on the north, south and east property lines.
6. To allow a seven-foot tall powder coated steel fence surrounding the multi-purpose fields to be located on the property line.
7. To eliminate the required 4,250 square-feet of additional landscaping for the excess of 85 parking spaces.
8. To eliminate eight 3-inch caliper canopy trees within the parking lot islands.
9. To allow 172 square-foot garage door exposure to the street.
Summary:
Section 2.07(A)(2) of the UDC lists the following criteria for the Planning and Zoning Commission to consider recommending approval of a variance to City Council:
a. That there are special circumstances or conditions affecting the land involved such that the strict application of the provisions of this Code would deprive the applicant of the reasonable use of his land.
b. That the granting of the variance will not be detrimental to the public health, safety or welfare, or injurious to other properties in the area.
c. That the granting of the variance will not have the effect of preventing the orderly subdivision of other lands in the area in accordance with the provisions of this Code.
d. That the granting of the variance will not constitute a violation of any other valid ordinance of the City of Keller.
e. That strict compliance with the regulations, and/or that the purpose of the regulations will be served to a greater extent by the alternative proposal.
Citizen Input:
A Site Plan Amendment application, even with variances, does not require a public hearing, so no public hearing notifications were sent out to the surrounding property owners for this request. The public will have an opportunity to speak on this agenda item at the “Persons To Be Heard”.
Alternatives:
The Planning and Zoning Commission has the following options when considering a Site Plan Amendment with variances:
§ Recommend approval as submitted (with requested variances).
§ Recommend approval with modified or additional condition(s).
§ Table the agenda item to a specific date with clarification of intent and purpose.
§ Recommend denial.
City Council Action:
If the Planning and Zoning Commission takes action and makes a recommendation on this agenda item, then this Site Plan Amendment application will be scheduled for City Council action on September 20, 2022.
Supporting Documents:
§ Maps
§ Exhibit A - Proposed Site Plan Amendment
§ Staff Attachment - Variance Narrative