To: Mark Hafner, City Manager
From: David Hawkins, Planning Manager
Subject:
Title
Consider a resolution approving a Site Plan with variances to the City of Keller Unified Development Code for Keller Fire Station No. 2, a proposed 4,978 square-foot additional building, on an approximately 4.5-acre property, located on the east side of Keller Smithfield Road, approximately 1,200 feet north of Johnson Road, at 737 Keller Smithfield Road, being Lot 1, Block 1, Cedar Creek Addition, and zoned SF-36 (Single Family Residential-36,000 square-foot minimum). City of Keller, owner/applicant. Teague Nall and Perkins, engineer. (SP-17-0013)
Action Requested:
Consider a resolution approving a Site Plan with variances for Keller Fire Station No. 2, an expansion to the current station by adding a 4,978 square-foot building.
Zoning:
SF-36 (Single Family Residential-36,000 square-foot minimum)
Background:
The plat was approved on April 22, 1985. The property was acquired by the City in 1992. The fire station opened in 1994.
The remote building will allow for increase capacity. It will be used to house reserve fire apparatus. This will provide enough space at Fire Station No. 2 to house a future ambulance. In addition, the space will free the current storage building at 541 Keller Parkway for other uses.
Analysis:
The applicant has submitted a site plan for a remote building at Fire Station 2 with one (1) variance request:
1. To waive the masonry screening wall adjacent to residential property required by Section 8.13 of the UDC.
Site Layout:
The new remote building is located behind the existing firehouse, nearly three hundred feet (300’) from the front property line. It is a minimum of thirty feet (30’) from the side property line. The proposed location meets all UDC setback requirements.
Architecture:
The building exterior meets the UDC standard regarding material and façade articulation. Portions of EIFS (Exterior Insulated Finishing Systems) on the current structure will be removed and replaced with fiber-cement board. The new building is designed to match the existing building as closely as possible.
Lighting:
A photometric Plan has been providing showing no more than 0.2 foot-candles at residential property lines. This meets UDC requirements.
Landscaping:
The City will be adding several trees to the property. Four (4) canopy trees are proposed along the north property line to provide a landscape buffer for the remote building. One canopy (1) tree is proposed on the south property line to augment the screening provided by existing trees. Two (2) canopy trees and four (4) understory trees will be added to the front to provide required street buffer landscaping along Keller Smithfield Road. Five (5) canopy trees will be added to the parking areas.
The Fire Station does not currently have an irrigation system. All trees and plants selected are native or adaptive and drought tolerant. Temporary irrigation will be provided for the first two (2) years until plants are established.
Screening:
Section 8.13 of the UDC states, “Screening walls are required between multi-family and non-residential uses or zoning districts. The construction responsibility is with the non-residential use.”
Variance Request:
1. The applicant is requesting to not construct the masonry screening wall adjacent to residential property required by Section 8.13 of the UDC.
The existing fire station does not have a screening wall. To the east are residential homes. The distance between the proposed building and closest residence is over seven hundred feet (700’). This area is predominantly floodplain and heavily wooded. To the north is a thirteen (13) acre undeveloped property zoned SF-36. There are significant portions of floodplain along the property line. To the south are the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) structure and several large single-family lots. The nearest adjacent residence is over eight hundred feet (800’) from the property line. The character of the area is larger open lots with natural views.
Tree Preservation:
No trees are anticipated to be removed.
Sidewalks and Trails:
No sidewalks or trails are required for the remote building.
Parking:
There are no minimum parking ratios in the UDC for a fire station. There are currently fourteen (14) parking spaces. With this plan, ten (10) new parking spaces will be added. This brings the parking total to twenty-four (24) spaces and one (1) handicap accessible space.
Trip Generation:
No significant changes are proposed to trip generation. The structure will be used for storage and reserve fire apparatus.
Existing Roadway Access:
Keller Smithfield Road, a planned four-lane thoroughfare to the west.
Drainage & Utilities:
Utilities will be extended to the new structure. Drainage is provided for the new structure,
Surrounding Zoning & Land Uses:
North: Undeveloped acreage and single family homes, zoned SF-36 (Single Family Residential-36,000 square-foot minimum)
South: FAA facility and single family residences, zoned SF-36 (Single Family Residential-36,000 square-foot minimum)
East: Rocky Top Ranch (Future Birch Tennis Club) and single family homes, zoned PD-SF-36 (Planned Development-Single Family Residential-36,000 square-foot minimum) and SF-36 (Single Family Residential-36,000 square-foot minimum)
West: Country Place Estates residential subdivision, zoned SF-36 (Single Family Residential-36,000 square-foot minimum)
Variances Requested:
The applicant is requesting one (1) variance with this application:
1. The variance request to not construct the masonry screening wall adjacent to residential property required by Section 8.13 of the UDC.
Summary:
The applicant is proposing to construct an approximately 4,978 square-foot additional building on an approximately 4.5-acre property. A variance is being requested for the masonry screening wall. If approved, the next step for the applicant is to submit the civil and architectural plans with the building permit.
Section 2.07(A.2) of the UDC, lists criteria for approval of a variance. Staff’s comments are added in bold italics.
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.
Drainage through the property is a concern with regard to screening walls. The floodplain begins just to the rear of the proposed building. Screening walls could not be put in the floodplain area, please see the map in the “Staff Attachment”. There is no hardship outside of the floodplain areas.
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.
The granting of the variance requested should not impact the public health, safety or welfare or injure other properties. A masonry screening wall would likely have a larger negative impact by closing in the open character of 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.
The granting of these variances should have no impact on orderly subdivision of adjacent lands.
d. That the granting of the variance will not constitute a violation of any other valid ordinance of the City of Keller.
The variance requested is to a specific section of the Unified Development Code. No other valid ordinance of the City of Keller will be violated.
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.
Allowing only living screening to be used will soften the appearance of the building without creating a wall that would interrupt the open and rural character of the area. To the east and south, the existing foliage and distances should provide adequate screening. The existing foliage is being augmented with new trees along the south buffer. The property to the north is currently undeveloped and the setback of the new remote building is farther from this property line. In addition, trees will be added to the north buffer area for screening. Similar variances for masonry screening walls have been granted in the SF-36 zoning district in order to better preserve an open and vegetated aesthetic.
Citizen Input:
A Site Plan 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. There has been no response from the public to this application. The public will have an opportunity to speak on this agenda item at the “Persons To Be Heard”.
Professional Opinion:
It is the professional opinion of Staff to support the Site Plan with the requested variance:
1. The variance request to not construct the masonry screening wall adjacent to residential property required by Section 8.13 of the UDC to be considered.
Board Review:
The Planning and Zoning Commission considered this Item at their August 28, 2017 regular meeting. They voted 7-0 to recommend approval as submitted with the requested variance.
Alternatives:
The City Council has the following options when considering a Site Plan with variances:
- Approve as submitted (with requested variance)
- Approve with modified or additional condition(s)
- Table the agenda item to a specific date with clarification of intent and purpose
- Deny