To: Planning and Zoning Commission
From: Julie Smith, Community Development Director
Subject:
Title
PUBLIC HEARING: Consider a recommendation to rezone from Old Town Keller (OTK) to Old Town Keller - Sign Overlay District, approximately 96.067 acres generally located north of Keller Parkway, south of Johnson Road, east of the railroad, and west of Elm and Charles Streets; including the properties listed below, and to consider amendments to the City of Keller Unified Development Code (UDC), adopted by Ordinance No. 1746 dated July 7, 2015, by amending Article Eight -Zoning Districts, Development Standards, Tree Preservation, by creating a new overlay district for monument signs; authorizing publication; providing for penalties; and establishing an effective date. City of Keller, applicant. (Z-22-0004 and UDC-22-0012)
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Background:
Monument Signs are expressly forbidden in the Old Town Keller (OTK) Zoning District given the tight configuration and pedestrian-oriented nature of the district, especially south of Keller Parkway. However, for some of the businesses in the predominantly car-centric portion of the OTK zoning district north of Keller Parkway, the monument sign prohibition causes concerns. Consequently, City Council directed Staff to explore a mechanism to permit monument signs in the Old Town Keller zoning district north of Keller Parkway. (See attached map of OTK.)
Though rezoning the entire 96-acre area to the Retail Zoning District would allow for monument signs, the Planning and Zoning Commission had concerns about the many other changes that would result related to uses, setback requirements, etc. In particular, the Commission heard from residents who own homes in the area and were opposed to the rezoning change to Retail. If rezoned to Retail, these homes would become legal, non-conforming structures. (OTK allows residential uses.) The Commission proposed limiting the zoning change to an overlay zoning district that would permit monument signs for the businesses in this area rather than rezoning the entire area to Retail.
The publicly-noticed area for consideration of the Monument Sign Overlay District (MS) includes the entire 96-acre area north of Keller Parkway, south of Johnson Road, east of the railroad and west of Elm and Charles Streets. However, should the Commission choose to recommend City Council adopt the MS Overlay District, it may also consider recommending limiting the MS area to the Main Street Subdistrict of OTK north of Keller Parkway where the businesses front Main Street or Keller Parkway with busy car traffic. The smaller streets to the east face the same tight-built environment found south of Keller Parkway and may not as easily lend themselves to accommodating monument signs. (See Staff Attachment B - Map Potential MS Overlay District.) The Future Land Use Plan designates OTK north of Keller Parkway for Retail/Commercial so either proposal (all of OTK north of Keller Parkway or just the Main Street Subdistrict north of Keller Parkway) would be compatible with the proposed overlay.
Analysis:
- This proposed MS overlay district would permit businesses within its boundaries to place monument signs as long as those signs met the UDC requirements for size, placement, etc. for monument signs in OTK. (See Exhibit A - UDC Section 8.03(R)(1) and (5)(e) related to OTK and Monument Sign Regulations - Proposed Amendments (highlighted).)
Proposed Amendment:
Add a Monument Sign Overlay District to Article 8 of the UDC to allow monument signs within the Main Street Subdistrict of OTK north of Keller Parkway.
Citizen Input:
A zoning change requires a public hearing notice to be published in the local newspaper ten (10) days prior to the scheduled Planning and Zoning Commission meeting date and fifteen (15) days prior to the City Council Meeting Date.
The notice for the Planning and Zoning Commission public hearing was published in the November 11, 2022 edition of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Staff also sent out one hundred and twenty-three (123) letters of Notification for a Public Hearing to property owners and businesses within the proposed overlay district boundary, as well as property owners located within 300 feet of this overlay district.
As of today, staff has received one letter of opposition.
Alternatives:
The Planning and Zoning Commission has the following options when considering an amendment to the text of the UDC:
- Recommend approval as submitted.
- Recommend approval with modifications or additional amendment(s).
- Table the agenda item to a specific date with clarification of intent and purpose.
- Recommend denial.
Planning and Zoning Action:
The Planning and Zoning Commission has the following options when considering recommending a zoning change and a UDC amendment:
- Approve as submitted.
- Approve with modifications or additional amendments.
- Table the agenda item to a specific date with clarification of intent and purpose.
- Recommend denial.
Supporting Documents:
- Map of the Old Town Keller Zoning District
- Buffer Map
- Exhibit A: UDC Section 8.03(R)(1) and (5)(e) related to OTK and Monument Sign Regulations - Proposed Amendments (highlighted)