MINUTES
PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION
WYLIE MUNICIPAL COMPLEX
2000 Highway 78 North, Wylie, Texas 75098

Special Work Session

October 29, 2001
7:00 pm

Notice was posted in the time and manner required by law and quorum was present.
    

Chairman George called the work session to order at 7:02 p.m.

Eight persons representing the applicant were in attendance, as were a number of property owners within the immediate vicinity of the subject request. Chairman George reminded the audience that this was not a public hearing but was rather a work session between the applicant and Commission in order to consider concerns raised at the October 16, 2001 Public Hearing. The Public Hearing has been continued until the next meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission on Tuesday, November 6, 2001, at which time citizen comments will be received.

1. Consider a recommendation to the City Council regarding a change in zoning from Agriculture (A) to Planned Development (PD) for Single-Family Residential and Village Center Mixed Uses, for a 470.00 acre tract of land, being part of those certain tracts conveyed to Joanne Venderweele, Successor Independent Administratrix, as described in Executor’s Deed as recorded in the Collin County Clerk’s File No. 95-0005773 and being part of those certain tracts described in the 

deed to George S. Richards as recorded in Volume 775, Page 55, of the Deed Records of Collin County, Texas, and being all of a called 1.00 acre tract described in the deed to F.D. Feagin et ux, of record in Volume 914, Page 697, of said Deed Records, and also being all of Tract 2 and part of Tracts 1 and 4 described in the deed to Jimmie Jane Feagin recorded in Volume 775, Page 58, of said Deed Records, and being part of a called 2.10 acre tract described in the deed to F.D. Feagin et ux recorded in Volume 757, Paage 824 of said Deed Records, and being all of that certain tract described in the deed to Edwin Collins Cook as recorded in the Collin County Clerk’s File No. 93-0039237, and being all of that called 69.25 acre tract described in the Quickclaim Deed to Silas M. Hart and Charlene H. Hart described in the Collin County Clerk’s File No. 96-0091287, and being situated in the J.G. Jouett Survey, Abstract No. 475, the Allen Atterberry Survey, Abstract No. 23, and the Aaron West Survey, Abstract No. 979, City of Wylie, Collin County, Texas. (Zoning Case No. 01-13)

Thompson stated that this work session was intended to address certain issues of the subject proposal raised at the October 16, 2001 meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission, in preparation for the reconsideration of the request on November 6. He mentioned that the Planning Report as well as proposed Concept Plan and Conditions of the Planned Development District provided to Commissioners is the same as that provided for the October 16 meeting. Commissioners and individual representatives of the applicant and Commission were introduced, and Thompson turned the meeting over to the applicant Greg Rich to present the proposal and suggested modifications in response to the Commission’s comments of October 16.

Greg Rich, 5001 LBJ Freeway, Suite 830, Dallas, Texas, represented the applicants, Siepiela Development Corporation and the Reality Development Trust. He summarized the applicant’s opinion of the major issues raised by the P&Z at the 10/16/01 meeting as including the following as a basis for tonight’s discussion:

• Minimum average lot size
• House size
• Preservation of tree buffer along east and south property lines
• Density of multi-family apartments
• Perimeter street improvements
• Other apparently minor deviations/variances from the requirements of the ZO

He asked if Commissioners had additional issues which they wished discussed.

Commissioner Snider responded that the image or theme of the overall development needs to be better documented and established, and then it needs to be illustrated how the PD’s special development conditions, especially variances such as lot and house sizes and mixed uses, are supported or dictated by this image/theme. He wants the site’s constraints and assets better documented, and more clearly related to unique aspects of the design which requires a PD and variance from the standard code requirements.

Commissioner Porter requested justification for the complete waiver of alleys throughout the development.

Commissioner George requested more information on improvements to Stone and Troy Roads.

Commissioner Phillips requested justification for the variance of building facade materials, from exclusively unit masonry to include synthetic cementacious siding.

Mr. Rich reviewed the characteristics of the property and the overall Concept Plan. The applicant is experienced in master-planned community development and compiled the subject 470-acre property from four separate ownerships. The property surrounds the confluence of two major streams and tributaries as well as an impoundment and contains significant floodplain which is not available for development. The property is traversed by major gas transmission and electrical power transmission corridors, in wide easements which are not developable. The ownership/flow line of Lake Ray Hubbard abuts the southern boundary of the property, providing potential lake access. The varied topography offers both lake views and solar orientation for many of the residences, and previous sound stewardship has left the land attractive to residential development.

He pointed out that the configuration of the overall property, resulting from the streams, utility and ownership patterns, dictates the form of the plan into several clusters of development and fits the Village Center concept of the Comprehensive Plan very well. The "coving" concept earlier presented to the Commission was intended to achieve acceptable average densities by combining smaller lots with the undevelopeable open spaces, and the current submittal offers a more traditional urban layout designed to achieve the same average density goal. The centralized retail complex directs traffic inwardly, and the natural open space provides a skeletal circulation guide. This Village Center could accommodate the community park and recreation center recommended by the Park and Recreation Plan, and the applicants have discussed the potential of providing a site of a YMCA. The internal street and lot layout enhances public access to open spaces. The development will finance much of the improvements to perimeter roadways including Troy, Stone and Beaver Creek Roads, as recommended by approved Comprehensive Land Use and Thoroughfare Plans.

In response to concern about lot and house sizes, Rich offered that not less than 80% of the houses within any single development phase will be 1,700 square feet or larger. He is willing to adjust the earlier proposed mix of lot sizes to require 30% be at least 8,500 square feet (rather than 20%), 35% be 7,200 sq. ft., and 35% be 6,00 sq. ft., recognizing that the lot layout will result in a significant number of lots of much larger size than these minimums. The PD limits the number of single-family housing units to 1,350 (or 1,395 if the MF units are replaced with SF) as well as provides for shopping and open space opportunities, when approximately 1,735 lots could be accommodated by straight SF-8.5 zoning.

Motion was made by Commissioner Phillips, seconded by Commissioner Snider, to adjourn. Motion passed 4-0, and the meeting was adjourned at 10:08 p.m.