To: Aaron Rector, City Manager
From: Sarah Hensley, Director of Community Development
Subject:
Title
PUBLIC HEARING: Consider an ordinance approving a Planned Development (PD) amendment for Greenway Park, related to the Garage Requirements section of the PD Development Standards, on approximately 35 acres, located on the east side of U. S. Hwy. 377, at the intersection of U. S. Hwy. 377 and Park Avenue, legally described as Lots 1-16X, Block A, Lots 1-8, Block B, Lots 1-18X, Block C, and Lots 1X-3X, Block D of the Greenway Park Addition and zoned Planned Development - Single-Family Residential 20,000 square-foot lots. Richard J. Gibson, Owner. Mark Weatherford, Applicant. (ZONE-2411-0008)
Body
Action Requested:
Conduct a Public Hearing and consider a request to amend an existing Planned Development (PD) for Greenway Park to revise the Garage Requirements section of the PD Development Standards.
Current Zoning:
PD 2016-Single Family Residential - 20,000 square-foot minimum
Proposed Zoning:
PD 2016-Single Family Residential - 20,000 square-foot minimum
Future Land Use Plan:
Medium-Density Single Family - 15,000 to 35,999 square-foot lots (MD-SF)
Background:
In May 2020 City Council approved the Greenway Park PD consisting of 37 residential lots and approximately 4.43 acres of open space. The Planning and Zoning Commission approved the major subdivision plat for the PD in February 2023.
The approved Residential Development Regulations included in the PD Development Standards include the following related to Garage Requirements:
“All residential lots shall provide a minimum of two (2) car garages that are either a j-swing or side entry garage.”
After home builders began to prepare permit applications for lots within the PD, they raised concerns about the lack of detail in the PD and the garage guidelines for all single-family development within the Unified Development Code (UDC). The Applicant is requesting an amendment to the PD standards to replace the Garage Requirements section of the PD in its entirety with the guidelines provided in Exhibit A.
The proposed standards state the 100’ average lot width and related 10’ side setback for properties in Greenway Park create constraints on the home designs, forcing them to be narrow and deep rather than wide and shallow.
All other standards of the original PD will remain as approved on May 18, 2020.
Garage Requirements:
PROPOSED: All residential lots shall provide a minimum of two car garages that are either J-swing or side entry garage.
This standard is retained from the original PD. UDC Section 9.02(C) states “In all subdivisions platted after December 15, 1992, garages shall not face or be in view from a public street unless allowed with a Planned Development zoning district or the following provisions of this Code.” The Applicant has also provided a porte-cochère design as one of the allowed garage configurations.
Garage Definitions:
PROPOSED: Side Entry (interior lot) - any garage with overhead doors facing toward the right or left side property lines of the lot (perpendicular to the street) and which enters from either the right or left side of the home.
PROPOSED: Side Entry (corner lot) - any garage with overhead doors facing toward the right or left “street side” property lines of the lot (parallel to the street) and which enters from either the right or left side of the home.
The Applicant intends to meet UDC requirements for distance from the garage door to the side or rear property lines for interior lots (25’) and corner lots (20’) for side entry garages.
UDC Section 3.01(A)(411) gives the following definition for side entry garages:
“Garages upon which the entry point from the street is on the side of the house and garage door is perpendicular to the front of the house. On corner lots, the garage door may be parallel to the street and have a side entry.”
UDC Section 9.14, Figure 24 provides an illustration of example of a side entry garage, included in the Staff Attachment.
PROPOSED: J-Swing (interior lot only) - shall be defined as any garage with overhead doors facing toward the center line of the lot (perpendicular to the street) and which enters from either the right or left center line of the home
i. The back wall of J-Swing Garages will typically back up to the side building line on either the right or left side of the home.
ii. J-Swing garages shall be limited to maximum 3-car only in order to minimize the distance from the front of the garage to the closest front plane of the main home elevation.
iii. In no instance shall the front face of the garage project further than forty-four feet (44’) from the closest front plane of the main home elevation
UDC Section 3.01(A)(220) gives the following definition for J-swing garages:
“Garages upon which the entry point from the street is located in front of the house and the garage door is perpendicular to the front of the house.”
UDC Section 9.14, Figure 23 provides an illustration of example of a J-swing garage, included in the Staff Attachment.
PROPOSED: Front-facing (any lot) - any garage with overhead doors facing toward the street on either the right or left side of the home.
The UDC does not have a definition for front-facing garage. UDC Section 9.02(C)(5) states “An attached front-facing garage is permitted if located a minimum one-hundred feet (100') behind the property line or right-of-way, whichever is closer. The garage door(s) exposure to the street shall not exceed one hundred forty-four square feet (144 S.F.). Similarly, front-facing garages with a maximum of seventy-two square feet (72 S.F.) of garage door exposure to the street are permitted if located a minimum of forty-five feet (45') behind the property line or right-of-way, whichever is closer.”
The Applicant intends to meet the UDC requirement for any front-facing garage included in the homes within the PD. Front-facing garages would only be allowed as third or fourth garages, after the two-car j-swing or side-entry garage requirement was met unless a porte-cochère configuration is utilized.
PROPOSED: Porte-Cochère - any garage configuration wherein the primary access to the garage doors requires driving under or through a covered entrance large enough for vehicles to pass through, typically opening into a motor courtyard.
i. Porte-Cochère configurations typically included split garages with doors opposing one another on either side (front or rear) of the motor courtyard.
ii. All Porte-Cochère configurations must be a minimum of 3-car garage bays.
iii. Garage doors on either side (front or rear) of the motor courtyard may be single with a maximum of seventy-two square feet (9’ x 8’ = 72 S.F.) of garage door exposure or double with a maximum one hundred forty-four square feet (18’ x 8’ = 144 S.F.) of garage door exposure if lot size permits.
iv. Per UDC 9.02, C; An attached front facing garage is permitted with a porte-cochère design that shields a part of the garage door(s) exposure such that no more than seventy-two square feet (9’ x 8’ = 72 S.F.) of garage door can be seen as viewed from a 2-dimensional plan elevation drawing.
v. Garage doors (front facing) on the rear side of the motor court yard may not be closer to the front of the lot than seventy-five (75’) behind the property line or right-of-way, whichever is closer.
UDC Section 3.01(A)(341) gives the following definition for porte-cochère:
“A roofed structure located on the same lot, which extends from the roof of the principal building over an adjacent driveway that is designed to let vehicles pass from the street to an interior courtyard and used for the shelter of those getting in and out of vehicles.”
PROPOSED: Split Garage Configuration - any “side entry” 3 or 4 car garage wherein an attached single car bay is split off separately and set front facing (toward the street) at 90º perpendicular to the side entry garages.
i. Split garages do not apply to and are not allowed with only a 2-car garage bay configuration.
ii. A split 3-car garage shall have a 2-car side facing garage and a single car front facing garage.
iii. A split 4-car garage shall have a 3-car side facing garage and a single car front facing garage.
iv. Per UDC 9.02, C; Attached front-facing garages with a maximum of seventy-two square feet (9’ x 8’ = 72 S.F.) of garage door exposure to the street are permitted if located a minimum of forty-five feet (45') behind the property line or right-of-way, whichever is closer.
The UDC does not provide a definition for split car garage configurations.
Proposed Garage Sizes and Limitations:
1. Any 1-car (attached front facing) garage bay must have a single door with a minimum of seventy-two square feet (9’ x 8’ = 72 S.F.) each. All 1-car garages must have a minimum interior space of 13’ X 22’ = 286 SF
2. Any 2-car garage bay must have a single door with a minimum of one hundred forty-four square feet (18’ x 8’ = 144 S.F.) or 2-single garage doors with a minimum of seventy-two square feet (9’ x 8’ = 72 S.F.) each. All 2-car garages must have a minimum interior space of 23’ X 22’ = 506 SF.
3. Any 3-car “in-line” garage bay must have a single door with a minimum of one hundred forty-four square feet (18’ x 8’ = 144 S.F.) plus 1-single garage door with a minimum of seventy-two square feet (9’ x 8’ = 72 S.F.) each. 3 car garages may also have 3-single garage doors with a minimum of seventy-two square feet (9’ x 8’ = 72 S.F.) each. All 3-car garages must have a minimum interior space of 35’ X 22’ = 770 SF.
4. Any 4-car “in-line” garage bay must have either double doors with a minimum of one hundred forty-four square feet (18’ x 8’ = 144 S.F.) each OR 4-single garage doors with a minimum of seventy-two square feet (9’ x 8’ = 72 S.F.) each. All 4-car garages must have a minimum interior space of 44’ X 22’ = 968 SF.
5. In no instance shall the front face of any garage project further than forty-four feet (44’) from the closest front plane of the main home elevation
UDC Section 9.02(C)(1) states “J-Swing garages are permitted in all zoning districts. The maximum garage area, including any accessory uses associated with the garage, shall not exceed seven hundred (700) square feet.” No other maximum area guidelines for attached garages are included in the UDC.
Request:
1. To amend the existing PD to replace the existing Garage Requirements section in its entirety with the new standards proposed by the Applicant (Exhibit A).
Citizen Input:
On November 26, 2024, the City mailed out 51 Letters of Notification for this Public Hearing and the associated planned development zoning change to all property owners within three hundred feet (300’) of the subject site. A public hearing notice sign was posted on the site.
Staff has not received any written feedback in response to this request.
Planning and Zoning Commission Recommendation:
At the December 10, 2024, Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, Commissioners unanimously recommended approval of the PD Amendment with a request that the Applicant clarify the language in the “Garage Sizes and Limitations” section of their proposal.
Summary:
Section 8.02 (D.1.e) of the UDC states that when considering a zoning change request, which includes a request for a PD amendment, the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council shall consider the following factors:
1) Whether the uses permitted by the proposed change will be appropriate in the immediate area concerned and their relationship to the general area and the City as a whole, and in compliance with the Future Land Use Plan.
2) Whether the proposed change is in accord with any existing or proposed plans for providing streets, water supply, sanitary sewers, and other utilities to the area, and shall note the findings.
3) The amount of vacant land currently classified for similar development in the vicinity and elsewhere in the City, and any special circumstances which may make a substantial part of such vacant land unavailable for development.
4) The recent rate at which land is being developed in the same zoning classification as the request, particularly in the vicinity of the proposed change.
5) How other areas designated for similar development will be, or are unlikely to be, affected if the proposed amendment is approved.
6) Any other factors which will substantially affect the health, safety, morals, or general welfare.
Alternatives:
The City Council has the following options when considering a Planned Development Amendment application:
- Approve as submitted.
- Approve with modified or additional condition(s).
- Table the agenda item to a specific date with clarification of intent and purpose.
- Deny.