To: Planning and Zoning Commission
From: Julie Smith, Community Development Director
Subject:
Title
PUBLIC HEARING: Consider an ordinance approving 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, and approving a rezone from Old Town Keller (OTK) to Old Town Keller - Sign Overlay District, of 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; authorizing publication; providing for penalties; and establishing an effective date. City of Keller, applicant. (UDC-22-0012 and Z-22-0004)
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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 (MS) Overlay District 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, though the Commission did generally support the goals of the MS Overlay District, the Commission adopted staff’s recommendation to limit it to the Main Street Subdistrict of OTK north of Keller Parkway. This area includes businesses fronting Main Street or that could in the future front Keller Parkway - a car-centric, busy thoroughfare. The smaller streets to the east in the Neighborhood Services Subdistrict face the same tight-built environment found south of Keller Parkway and may not as easily lend themselves to accommodating monument signs. 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:
- The 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 MS 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.
Notices were published in the November 11, 2022 and December 2, 2022 editions of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram for the respective Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council public hearings. 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.
Staff received one letter from 420 Charles Street in opposition to the both the zoning and the sign overlay district. This property does have a small western sliver within the 200-foot buffer. However, it is located outside the OTK zoning district and would not be impacted by the proposed change.
Alternatives:
The City Council has the following options when considering an amendment to the text of the UDC:
- Approve as submitted.
- Approve with modifications or additional amendment(s).
- Table the agenda item to a specific date with clarification of intent and purpose.
- Deny.
Planning and Zoning Action:
The Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously recommended approval of the MS Overlay District for the Main Street Subdistrict of OTK north of Keller Parkway. No one spoke at the public hearing.
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)
- Opposition Letter