REQUEST |
Approval of 1) a Specific Use Provision and 2) a Detail Plan for a Commercial Building with Restaurant, Retail, and Restaurant, Drive-Through [Take-out Window] Uses on a property zoned Planned Development (PD) District 19-18 for Community Retail (CR) Uses (Town Center Styled Regional Shopping Mall and Complementary Peripheral Development).
LOCATION
270 Town Center Boulevard |
OWNER |
Firewheel Master Partnership, Ltd |
PLAN COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION |
On June 8, 2020 the Plan Commission, by a vote of nine (9) to zero (0), recommended approval of 1) a Specific Use Provision and 2) a Detail Plan for a Commercial Building with Restaurant, Retail, and Restaurant, Drive-Through [Take-out Window] Uses on a property zoned Planned Development (PD) District 19-18 for Community Retail (CR) Uses (Town Center Styled Regional Shopping Mall and Complementary Peripheral Development). |
STAFF RECOMMENDATION |
Approval of 1) a Specific Use Provision and 2) a Detail Plan for a Commercial Building with Restaurant, Retail, and Restaurant, Drive-Through [Take-out Window] Uses on a property zoned Planned Development (PD) District 19-18 for Community Retail (CR) Uses (Town Center Styled Regional Shopping Mall and Complementary Peripheral Development). |
BACKGROUND |
The applicant is requesting approval to allow an 11,500 square-foot building for retail, restaurant, and restaurant with a drive-up take-out window use on a portion of Tract C.
In 2003 City Council approved Planned Development (PD) 02-25 with a Concept Plan for the development of a mixed use town center regional shopping mall and complementary peripheral development. Consecutively, in 2003, City Council approved Planned Development (PD) 03-53 District which carried forward the Concept Plan elements in a Detail Plan. With these PD approvals, the town center site was assigned individual development tracts.
The development design intent of the overall zoned property is to create a unified development with linked vehicular and landscaped pedestrian pathways that connect throughout, including a unified architectural themed development in respect to massing, façade details, materials, roof details, and similar features. The zoning includes specific regulations for building design, landscaping, and signage.
The core tract of the Planned Development has been constructed with an urban style, outdoor-oriented shopping mall. Tract D which is located northwest of this site and on the north side of Town Center Drive, east of Lavon Drive, has developed with in-line shops, restaurant, and retail uses. The area north of the core development, along Firewheel Parkway, has been developed with multi-family use and townhouses. Tract 2, located east of the core development and east of Firewheel Parkway was recently approved for multi-family use, townhouses, and retail uses. Tract C, which is the subject of this application, has been partially developed with two drive-through restaurants. |
SITE DATA |
The subject property has an area of 2.007 acres with 247 lineal feet of frontage along Town Center Boulevard. |
USE OF PROPERTY UNDER CURRENT ZONING |
The subject property is zoned Planned Development (PD) District 19-18 which allows Community Retail (CR) District uses. The CR District is intended to accommodate a variety of retail, service, and business establishments that may or may not be designed in a shopping center configuration. The district may be used as a transition district between lower intensity retail or office uses and more intense uses. A CR District is generally appropriate along major transportation corridors but is generally not appropriate in proximity to low density residential districts without significant buffering and screening features. An example of allowed use in a CR District is a retail shopping area that may be large in scale with very limited or no outside storage. Traffic generated by uses in a CR District must be focused onto the major thoroughfare network. Development in a CR District may not be designed in a manner that increases traffic through residential areas. |
CONSIDERATIONS |
Detail Plan
- This proposal intends to develop an additional site within the Firewheel Town Center, by adding two restaurants and a retail use in a proposed 11,500 square-foot building. One restaurant would be located on the west side of the building while the other, which will include a drive-up take-out window without a menu board, would be located on the east side of the building. The retail space would be in the middle portion of the building.
- The development provides parking in conformance with the site’s zoning requirements. Specifically, PD conditions require retail use parking at one space per 250 square feet of gross floor area (6,000 square feet retail proposed whereas twenty-four (24) parking spaces are required and provided). The restaurant parking is controlled by the Garland Development Code where the PD conditions do not specify an alternative ratio. The controlling PD for this site does not specify restaurant parking ratio; therefore, the GDC parking ratio of one parking space per 100 gross square feet is applied and results in fifty-five (55) parking spaces required and provided. The site satisfies its parking needs.
- The site is part of the Firewheel Town Center development, which includes requirements to enhance and create a higher quality of experience and community. The application includes installation of landscaping throughout the site and along Town Center Boulevard; pedestrian lighting; and pedestrian path connections. Additionally, benches are shown along the frontage sidewalk of Town Center Boulevard and a patio is designated on the plan for one of the restaurants. The Town Center development encourages pedestrian activity and areas that are comfortable for pedestrians including tree-lined sidewalks.
- The design of the building (Exhibit E) is consistent with the Town Center Planned Development (PD) District’s intent and complies with its regulations. Additionally, the proposed building height is thirty-two (32) feet to the highest decorative feature and consistent with the PD’s maximum thirty-six (36) foot height requirements.
- The applicant has not requested any deviations regarding attached/wall signage; therefore, wall signage will comply the site’s requirements for signage.
- The applicant requests a time period of twenty (20) years for the Specific Use Provision.
- While the Restaurant, Drive-Through use is required to obtain a Specific Use Provision, the proposal is not a traditional drive-through. The proposal includes a drive-up take-out window and does not include a menu board. The required total of two (2) stacking spaces are also less than a typical traditional drive-through lane. Given evolving restaurant industry operations, a proposed GDC amendment is forthcoming to differentiate traditional drive-through and take-out windows such as that being requested.
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COMPREHENSIVE PLAN |
The Envision Garland Plan designates the subject property as Regional Centers, which are areas with a higher concentration of activity that serve as a destination for residents and visitors. Uses within this development type provide a mix of retail, services, entertainment, and employment and may include residential uses. Regional Centers may be found along major highways and turnpikes, and at significant bus or rail stations.
Regional Centers generally cover an area greater than thirty (30) acres and consist of one or more buildings with more than 450,000 square feet of gross leasable area. This development type typically serves a five to fifteen-mile radius trade area, within a 20 minute drive time, and serves a minimum population of 150,000.
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COMPATIBILITY OF REQUEST WITH SURROUNDING ZONING AND LAND USES |
The land use pattern within the area surrounding the subject property has a mixture of retail, restaurants, restaurant, drive-through, and a future hotel development. The property to the south is zoned Planned Development (PD) District 19-19 for an approved Hotel development and further west are properties zoned and improved with restaurants. The properties to the north and east are part of the Firewheel Town Center Regional shopping mall and associated uses. The proposed use is complementary and compatible with the surrounding area and will provide more local restaurant and retail opportunities. |
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