posted July 3, 2008
Here is the agenda and staff recommendations for the July 14 meeting of the Planning Commission at 1 p.m. at the County Courthouse.
CHATTANOOGA-HAMILTON COUNTY REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION
JULY 14, 2008
AGENDA
Chairman – Opening Comments and Announcements
II. Public Hearing and Action – Subdivision Plats
Old Business
2008-094 – Dennis Neal – Habitat for Humanity – 2300 Block of 19th Street – City of Chattanooga – From M-2 Light Industrial Zone to R-1 Residential Zone (Original request was for RT-1)
2008-103 – Southeast Local Development Corporation, c/o Joe Guthrie – 1100 Blocks of East 10th Street and East 11th Street – City of Chattanooga – From R-1 Residential Zone to R-4 Special Zone
2008-116 – William W. Wise, c/o Ronald Feldman – 120 Market Street – City of Chattanooga – From M-1 Manufacturing Zone & R-4 Special Zone to C-3 Central Business Zone
2008-117 – Marcus Clagg – 9259 Hixson Pike – Hamilton County – From R-1 Single-Family Residential District & R-2 Urban Residential District to C-2 Local Business Commercial District
Public Hearing and Action – Rezonings, Closures, Abandonments and Special Permits (Final action for Special Permits is by the Planning Commission unless appealed to the County Commission)
2008-121 – Corrie Eldred/Betts Engineering – 3000 Block Basham Street & 4 unopened alleys located off the west line of the 2900 Block of Alton Park Boulevard – City of Chattanooga – Mandatory Referral: Abandonment
2008-122 – L. Jason Morris, III – 525 Minneta Lane – Town of Walden – Special Permit to build on lot without publicly accepted access
2008-125 – Jerry & Betty Miller – 400 Block Leggett Road – Hamilton County – Special Permit: Single Wide Manufactured Home
2008-126 – William J. Patterson, Jr. – 200 Block Forest Avenue & 109 Hartman Street – City of Chattanooga – From R-3 Residential Zone & O-1 Office Zone to R-4 Special Zone
2008-127 – Roger B. Riemer – Old Depot Street located between North Bragg Avenue & East Brown Road – Town of Lookout Mountain – Mandatory Referral: Abandonment
2008-128 – Shannon Price – 909 Retro Hughes Road – Hamilton County – Special Permit: Single Wide Manufactured Home
2008-129 – Alma D. Johnson – 317 Reavley Road – Hamilton County – Special Permit: Single Wide Manufactured Home
2008-130 – C & L Rentals, LLC – A portion of the 2400 Block 10th Avenue, the 2500 Block East 24th Street & portion of an unopened alley located off of said block of East 24th Street – City of Chattanooga – Mandatory Referral: Abandonment
2008-131 – Bowman & Associates – 8409 & 8515 East Brainerd Road – City of Chattanooga – From R-1 Residential Zone & R-2 Residential Zone to R-3 Residential Zone
2008-132 – Nancy Landreth – Two properties located in the 10300 Block of East Brainerd Road – Hamilton County – From A-1 Agricultural District to R-1 Single-Family Residential District
2008-133 – Nancy Landreth – Two properties located in the 10300 Block of East Brainerd Road – Hamilton County – Special Exceptions Permit for a Residential PUD
2008-134 – Douglas Rhoades – 6723 Anderson Acres Drive – Hamilton County – Special Permit: Single Wide Manufactured Home
New Business
1. A resolution to amend the Hamilton County Zoning Regulations relating to the National Flood Insurance Program by the inclusion of definitions and references to the current Flood Insurance Study and Rate Maps
VI. Approval of Minutes of June 9, 2008
Staff Reports
VIII. Adjourn
APPLICATION NO: 2008-094 JURISDICTION: Chattanooga Dist. #7
Hamilton County Dist. #6
APPLICANT: Dennis Neal – Habitat for Humanity
DATE OF PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING: May 12, 2008
July 14, 2008 (Referred Back from City Council)
LOCATION: 2300 Block of 19th Street
PRESENT ZONING: M-2 Light Industrial Zone
REQUEST FOR: RT-1 Residential Townhouse Zone (Original Request)
R-1 Residential Zone (Changed Request at City Council)
PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT: Residential Homes
SIZE OF TRACT: .62 Acres
ACCESS TO TRACT: Good
SITE CHARACTERISTICS: Vacant
SURROUNDING DEVELOPMENT: Residential
EXTENSION OF EXISTING ZONE: No
NAME OF COMMUNITY LAND USE PLAN: Oak Grove Neighborhood Plan
CONSISTENT WITH COMMUNITY LAND USE PLAN: Yes
CONSISTENT WITH COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2030: Yes
ADEQUATE SITE PLAN SUBMITTED: Yes
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Approve
REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION:
The Oak Grove Land Use Plan recommends medium-density residential.
The proposed townhomes are consistent with the Plan.
The proposed use is compatible with existing surrounding uses and zones.
This case was referred back to the Planning Commission from City Council to consider his new request for R-1.
APPLICATION NO: 2008-103 JURISDICTION: Chattanooga Dist. #9
Hamilton County Dist. #6
APPLICANT: Southeast Local Development Corporation, c/o Joe Guthrie
DATE OF PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING: May 12, 2008 (Deferred)
July 14, 2008 (Action Taken)
LOCATION: 1100 Blocks of East 10th Street and East 11th Street
PRESENT ZONING: R-1 Residential Zone
REQUEST FOR: R-4 Special Zone
PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT: Fraternity Houses
SIZE OF TRACT: 1.8 Acres
ACCESS TO TRACT: Good
SITE CHARACTERISTICS: Vacant
SURROUNDING DEVELOPMENT: Residential, Industrial, Office & Railroad
EXTENSION OF EXISTING ZONE: No
NAME OF COMMUNITY LAND USE PLAN: Downtown Plan & MLK Plan
CONSISTENT WITH COMMUNITY LAND USE PLAN:
The Downtown Plan does not include a specific recommendation for this site, other than generally encouraging residential infill and mixed use development in the MLK district.
The MLK Plan is underway. Completion is anticipated in the fall of 2008.
CONSISTENT WITH COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2030: N/A
ADEQUATE SITE PLAN SUBMITTED: Yes
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Defer until the MLK Plan is adopted.
REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION:
This area was rezoned from R-3 Residential as part of the 2002 MLK Zoning Study. That study was an effort from the community to re-establish the residential base of the area.
Community planning efforts are underway for this location. A recommendation for this request should reflect those of the land use plan once it is completed.
The MLK Neighborhood Association is not in favor of this proposal.
UTC is not in favor of building fraternity houses in this location. A site closer to the university is preferred.
There is a moratorium on zoning for this area.
APPLICATION NO: 2008-116 JURISDICTION: Chattanooga Dist. #8
Hamilton County Dist. #4
APPLICANT: William W. Wise, c/o Ronald Feldman
DATE OF PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING: June 9, 2008 (Deferred)
July 14, 2008 (Action Taken)
LOCATION: 120 Market Street
PRESENT ZONING: M-1 Manufacturing Zone & R-4 Special Zone
REQUEST FOR: C-3 Central Business Zone
PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT: Family Restaurant
SIZE OF TRACT: .55 Acres +
ACCESS TO TRACT: Good
SITE CHARACTERISTICS: Commercial
SURROUNDING DEVELOPMENT: Mixed Use
EXTENSION OF EXISTING ZONE: Yes
NAME OF COMMUNITY LAND USE PLAN: Downtown Plan
CONSISTENT WITH COMMUNITY LAND USE PLAN: Yes
CONSISTENT WITH COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2030: Yes
ADEQUATE SITE PLAN SUBMITTED: Yes
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Approve, subject to:
1) Building inspection approval required for side setbacks. The site plan may need to be “flipped” to place the driveway on the north side of the proposed building. There is an existing building on the adjacent lot to the north that sits on the property line. Some separation may be required between the proposed and existing buildings for compliance with the fire code
For all new construction and major renovations affecting the building exteriors:
Review:
To promote compliance with the Downtown Plan, to help ensure that new development complements the existing urban fabric, and to promote the preservation of historically or architecturally significant structures, all site plans, landscaping, and building elevations shall be reviewed by the Planning and Design Studio.
Historically or architecturally significant structures should be preserved.
3) Setbacks and street frontage (for commercial buildings):
For commercial buildings a zero building setback is required along the street frontage.
To accommodate outdoor pedestrian activities such as a park, plaza, or outdoor dining, a greater setback may be permitted if an edge delineating the public and private space is provided.
This edge shall have a minimum height of three feet and a maximum height of four feet above grade and shall consist of brick, stucco, or stone walls (concrete block can only be used when faced with said materials), decorative metal fences, cast iron, or composite material. When fences are used, landscaped hedges must also be included to provide a nearly opaque screen. Highway-style guardrails or security fencing (e.g. chain link) shall not be permitted.
4) Building facades and access:
The primary pedestrian entrance shall be provided from the primary street.
Ground floor openings (doors and windows) shall constitute a minimum of 50 percent of the ground floor façade area for commercial buildings.
No security-type roll up metal doors shall be permitted to front streets other than interior block alleys.
The height of new commercial buildings shall be 18 feet minimum and 75 feet maximum.
5) Placement of equipment:
All dumpsters and mechanical equipment shall be placed to the rear of the property and shall be screened from all public rights-of-way.
Access and Parking:
Parking shall be located to the rear of the building.
For corner lots, or for cases where physical constraints such as topography do not allow for rear parking, any parking fronting a public street shall be screened along the public right-of-way as described under “Setbacks and Street Frontage” above.
Additional curb cuts shall not be permitted on the primary streets of the downtown street grid, such as (but not limited to) Broad, Market, 4th Street, Main, McCallie, and M.L. King Boulevard.
Landscaping
To achieve the city’s goal of a 15% tree canopy cover in the downtown, surface parking lots shall be landscaped with a minimum of one tree for every five parking spaces.
For residential buildings:
8) Uses Not Permitted:
Factory manufactured mobile homes constructed as a single self-contained unit and mounted on a single chassis are not permitted in the C-3 Zone.
9) Access and Parking:
Garages shall be located behind the primary building.
Alleys, where they exist, shall be used for vehicular access. In the absence of alleys, secondary streets should be used for vehicular access. Shared drives should be used wherever possible.
Additional curb cuts shall not be permitted on the primary streets of the downtown street grid, such as (but not limited to) Broad, Market, 4th Street, Main, McCallie, and M.L. King Boulevard. (If the site plan is changed to move the proposed driveway to the north side of the parcel, the existing curb cut will need to be closed.)
At least one (1) pedestrian entrance shall front the street;
10) Setbacks:
Residential building setbacks should be consistent with the existing setbacks on the same side of the street.
REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION:
Consistent with nearby zoning and Downtown Plan.
APPLICATION NO: 2008-117 JURISDICTION: Hamilton County Dist. #1
APPLICANT: Marcus Clagg
DATE OF PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING: June 9, 2008 (Deferred)
July 14, 2008 (Action Taken)
LOCATION: 9259 Hixson Pike
PRESENT ZONING: R-1 Single-Family Residential District &
R-2 Urban Residential District
REQUEST FOR: C-2 Local Business Commercial District
PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT: Retail Shops & Portable Building Sales
SIZE OF TRACT: 7.72 Acres +
ACCESS TO TRACT: Good
SITE CHARACTERISTICS: Church
SURROUNDING DEVELOPMENT: Residential
EXTENSION OF EXISTING ZONE: No
NAME OF COMMUNITY LAND USE PLAN: N/A
CONSISTENT WITH COMMUNITY LAND USE PLAN: N/A
CONSISTENT WITH COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2030: No
ADEQUATE SITE PLAN SUBMITTED: Yes
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Deny
REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION:
Although the application states that surrounding uses include “mini-warehouses, retail, restaurant & residential”, the nearest non-residential uses are approximately ¾ mile north and south on Hixson Pike.
The adjacent uses consist of stable single-family neighborhoods.
Although a substantial building is already in place on the site, it is currently used as a church which is much more compatible with residential uses than the commercial uses proposed by the applicant.
This is a spot zone which, if granted could lead to a proliferation of commercial uses on a curvy section of Hixson Pike that remains 2-lanes.
The Comprehensive Plan 2030 recommends that commercial development in “Transitional Sectors” be located primarily at crossroads and other locations containing adequate infrastructure.
APPLICATION NO: 2008-121 JURISDICTION: Chattanooga Dist. #7
Hamilton County Dist. #4
APPLICANT: Corrie Eldred/Betts Engineering
DATE OF PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING: July 14, 2008
LOCATION: 3000 Block Basham Street & 4 unopened alleys located off the west line of the 2900 Block of Alton Park Boulevard
REQUEST FOR: Abandonment
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Approve, subject to approval of City Engineer and all public utilities.
APPLICATION NO: 2008-122 JURISDICTION: Town of Walden
Hamilton County Dist. #2
APPLICANT: L. Jason Morris, III
DATE OF PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING: July 14, 2008
LOCATION: 525 Minneta Lane
PRESENT ZONING: A-1 Agricultural District
REQUEST FOR: Special Permit
PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT: To build on lot without publicly accepted access
SIZE OF TRACT: 2.89 Acres +
ACCESS TO TRACT: Good
SITE CHARACTERISTICS: Vacant
SURROUNDING DEVELOPMENT: Vacant & Residential
EXTENSION OF EXISTING ZONE: N/A
NAME OF COMMUNITY LAND USE PLAN: Special Permit not discussed in Walden’s Ridge Plateau Area Plan
CONSISTENT WITH COMMUNITY LAND USE PLAN: N/A
CONSISTENT WITH COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2030: Yes
ADEQUATE SITE PLAN SUBMITTED: Yes
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Approve
REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION:
Article 3, Section 3.03 of the Walden Zoning Regulations allow residential lots whose only access is by private road or easement with a Special Permit. This property can be accessed from Laurel Avenue which is an unopened right-of-way accessed from Minnetta Lane.
This request seems appropriate based on Walden’s zoning provisions.
APPLICATION NO: 2008-125 JURISDICTION: Hamilton County Dist. #1
APPLICANT: Jerry & Betty Miller
DATE OF PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING: July 14, 2008
LOCATION: 400 Block Leggett Road
PRESENT ZONING: A-1 Agricultural District
REQUEST FOR: Special Permit
PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT: Single Wide Manufactured Home
SIZE OF TRACT: 1.1 Acres
ACCESS TO TRACT: Good
SITE CHARACTERISTICS: Residence
SURROUNDING DEVELOPMENT: Residential – Single-Family and Mobile Homes
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Approve
REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION:
There are similar uses in the area.
APPLICATION NO: 2008-126 JURISDICTION: Chattanooga Dist. #1
Hamilton County Dist. #6
APPLICANT: William J. Patterson, Jr.
DATE OF PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING: July 14, 2008
LOCATION: 200 Block Forest Avenue & 109 Hartman Street
PRESENT ZONING: R-3 Residential Zone & O-1 Office Zone
REQUEST FOR: R-4 Special Zone
PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT: To have all property in one zone and for flexibility in future development.
SIZE OF TRACT: .61 Acres +
ACCESS TO TRACT: Good
SITE CHARACTERISTICS: Residential
SURROUNDING DEVELOPMENT: Residential & Office
EXTENSION OF EXISTING ZONE: Yes
NAME OF COMMUNITY LAND USE PLAN: North Shore Plan 2007
CONSISTENT WITH COMMUNITY LAND USE PLAN: Yes
CONSISTENT WITH COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2030: Yes
ADEQUATE SITE PLAN SUBMITTED: Yes
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Approve, subject to a single-family residential or art gallery use only.
REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION:
The North Shore Plan, adopted in 2007, recommends that this Forest Avenue area south of Kent Street is appropriate for medium-intensity mixed use.
Based on information provided by the applicant, he met with neighbors and he has agreed that the R-4 Special Zone be conditioned to single-family residential or art gallery use only. Staff agrees that this use restriction is acceptable.
R-4 Special Zone with those conditions is more restrictive that the R-3 or O-1 Zone.
R-4 is an extension of an existing zone.
Karen Rennich has a meeting Friday and will get comments to me after that.
APPLICATION NO: 2008-127 JURISDICTION: Town of Lookout Mountain Hamilton County Dist. #2
APPLICANT: Roger B. Riemer
DATE OF PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING: July 14, 2008
LOCATION: Old Depot Street located between North Bragg Avenue & East Brown Road
REQUEST FOR: Abandonment
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Approve, subject to approval of Lookout Mountain Engineer and all public utilities.
REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION:
Right-of-way is no longer needed.
APPLICATION NO: 2008-128 JURISDICTION: Hamilton County Dist. #1
APPLICANT: Shannon Price
DATE OF PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING: July 14, 2008
LOCATION: 909 Retro Hughes Road
PRESENT ZONING: A-1 Agricultural District
REQUEST FOR: Special Permit
PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT: Single Wide Manufactured Home
SIZE OF TRACT: 2.1 Acres
ACCESS TO TRACT: Good
SITE CHARACTERISTICS: Residence
SURROUNDING DEVELOPMENT: Residential – Single-Family & Mobile Homes
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Approve
REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION:
There are similar uses in this area.
APPLICATION NO: 2008-129 JURISDICTION: Hamilton County Dist. #2
APPLICANT: Alma D. Johnson
DATE OF PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING: July 14, 2008
LOCATION: 317 Reavley Road
PRESENT ZONING: R-2A Rural Residential District
REQUEST FOR: Special Permit
PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT: Single Wide Manufactured Home
SIZE OF TRACT: 2 Acres +
ACCESS TO TRACT: Good
SITE CHARACTERISTICS: Vacant
SURROUNDING DEVELOPMENT: Residential
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Approve
REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION:
This would be in keeping with the area.
APPLICATION NO: 2008-130 JURISDICTION: Chattanooga Dist. #8
Hamilton County Dist. #4
APPLICANT: C & L Rentals, LLC
DATE OF PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING: July 14, 2008
LOCATION: A portion of the 2400 Block 10th Avenue, the 2500 Block East 24th Street & portions of an unopened alley located off of said block of East 24th Street
REQUEST FOR: Abandonment
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Deny
REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION:
The area from 24th Street to 28th Street is used for various manufacturing needs, including the Hamilton County School Board, and extensive yards or areas for parking and repair of vehicles. These businesses, as developed have diminished circulation and cut off east-west connections from 8th Avenue to Dodds Avenue. In order to facilitate more efficient use of this area in the future, it is recommended that 10th Avenue and 24th Street remain opened. Also as noted by the Fire Department, the area must also be accessed by emergency vehicles, especially with a chemical plant in place.
The Rossville Boulevard Community Plan notes the circulation problems of the area and it states that “due to the need to utilize Dodds Avenue as a designated local truck route, it is recommended that the road be improved to accommodate wider two-lane traffic with a center turn lane.” Before continued development, a traffic study of this area is needed to study the closed streets and to recommend a new network design that will serve both the industrial and residential needs of the area.
Additionally, it states “Given the large percentage of manufacturing within the study area, it is recommended that any manufacturing use abutting residential properties provide adequate landscape, sight screening, and noise reduction buffers to reduce negative impacts to the surrounding neighborhood.”
APPLICATION NO: 2008-131 JURISDICTION: Chattanooga Dist. #4
Hamilton County Dist. #7
APPLICANT: Bowman & Associates
DATE OF PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING: July 14, 2008
LOCATION: 8509 & 8515 East Brainerd Road
PRESENT ZONING: R-1 Residential Zone & R-2 Residential Zone
REQUEST FOR: R-3 Residential Zone
PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT: Multi-Family Townhome Apartments -
Approximately 20
SIZE OF TRACT: 1.9 Acres +
ACCESS TO TRACT: Good
SITE CHARACTERISTICS: Vacant
SURROUNDING DEVELOPMENT: Single-Family Residences & Offices
EXTENSION OF EXISTING ZONE: No
NAME OF COMMUNITY LAND USE PLAN: East Brainerd Corridor Community Plan
CONSISTENT WITH COMMUNITY LAND USE PLAN: See discussion below.
CONSISTENT WITH COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2030: Yes, although number of units on site plan is greater than number of units requested on application. Applicant stated verbally on 6/24/08 that the proposal is for 22 units.
ADEQUATE SITE PLAN SUBMITTED: Yes
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Approve, subject to:
1) Maximum of 22 units; and
2) Applicant shall attend a City of Chattanooga Pre-submittal Meeting
REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION:
The East Brainerd Corridor Community Plan recommends office uses for the East Brainerd Road frontage at this location. The plan provides recommendations for business uses based in part on intensity of use. For this area, the plan is recommending low intensity uses such as: nursing homes; small, stand-alone offices such as an accountant's office; and small, specialty retail shops such as a gift shop.
In the plan high density residential is identified as multiple-family dwellings or apartments with a density of ten to eighteen dwelling units per acre. The proposal is approximately 11 du/acre (based on 22 units on 1.9 acres). The plan recommends locating multi-family dwellings in the Planned Commerce Center areas served by arterial streets with a minimum of 5 lanes. Multi-family residential uses could be located on upper floors of businesses or otherwise separated from areas of principal commercial activity.
Staff is recommending approval for the proposed use because the intensity of this small apartment development is similar to the Office uses recommended in the plan. Also, this site is near the Planned Commerce Center at Morris Hill Road and East Brainerd Road.
In order for this development to remain compatible with the adjacent single-family residential houses to the west, density should not be higher than proposed.
Due to several concerns identified regarding parking and access, applicant should attend a City of Chattanooga Pre-submittal Meeting.
APPLICATION NO: 2008-132 JURISDICTION: Hamilton County Dist. #9
APPLICANT: Nancy Landreth
DATE OF PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING: July 14, 2008
LOCATION: Two properties located in the 10300 Block of East Brainerd Road
PRESENT ZONING: A-1 Agricultural District
REQUEST FOR: R-1 Single-Family Residential District
PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT: Development of Townhouses
SIZE OF TRACT: 134 Acres +
ACCESS TO TRACT: Good
SITE CHARACTERISTICS: Vacant
SURROUNDING DEVELOPMENT: Single-Family Residences & Vacant
EXTENSION OF EXISTING ZONE: No
NAME OF COMMUNITY LAND USE PLAN: No community plan has been developed for this area.
CONSISTENT WITH COMMUNITY LAND USE PLAN: N/A
CONSISTENT WITH COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2030: Zoning is consistent with the Comp Plan 2030
ADEQUATE SITE PLAN SUBMITTED: Yes
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Approve
REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION:
R-1 is an appropriate zone for residential development in this area.
APPLICATION NO: 2008-133 JURISDICTION: Hamilton County Dist. #9
APPLICANT: Nancy Landreth
DATE OF PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING: July 14, 2008
LOCATION: Two properties located in the 10300 Block East Brainerd Road
PRESENT ZONING: A-1 Agricultural District
(Case 2008-132 is request for R-1 zoning)
REQUEST FOR: Special Exceptions Permit
PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT: Residential PUD – 281 Townhouses – 2.1 du/ac
SIZE OF TRACT: 134 Acres +
ACCESS TO TRACT: Good
SITE CHARACTERISTICS: Vacant
SURROUNDING DEVELOPMENT: Single-Family Residences & Vacant
EXTENSION OF EXISTING ZONE: N/A
NAME OF COMMUNITY LAND USE PLAN: No community plan has been developed for this area.
CONSISTENT WITH COMMUNITY LAND USE PLAN: N/A
CONSISTENT WITH COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2030: No
ADEQUATE SITE PLAN SUBMITTED: Yes
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Deny
REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION:
Townhouse-only development is not compatible with the existing large-lot single family detached residential character of the area.
A mixture of single-family and townhouses (50/50) is preferred for a development of this size within this area.
A-1 or R-1 zoning would still permit the 135 acres to be developed, but with slightly fewer units.
Developable Acreage: 50 acres (The PUD plan shows 100 acres in open space. It may be assumed that those areas are not “developable”?)
50 acres on sewers would yield approximately 200 to 230 lots at 7,500 square feet per lot.
280 townhouse units will significantly increase traffic within existing neighborhood. Moving the entrance may help.
Also, the request for an R1 PUD with all townhouses is no different than a request for an RT-1 Townhouse Zone. The RT-1 Townhouse Zone states the following policy: “any townhouse development of more than 8 units should be located within 500 feet of a major arterial or collector…” The same policy should be applied in this instance. The proposed entrance for Horizons is approximately 2,000 from East Brainerd Road.
One advantage of the PUD is that it does give local government some control over certain specifics the development.
Although the request is for an R-1 PUD, the proposed development is 281 townhomes. RPA staff reviews proposals based on land use. In this case the R-1 PUD designation can be misleading as no single-family homes are proposed.
Townhouses are most appropriate in urban areas but can also be appropriate in or adjacent to commercial, high density residential or transitional areas. Transitional areas are typically located between business districts and residential districts and act as a buffer between uses of different density, intensity or compatibility.
Townhouses are also generally more acceptable and compatible with surrounding detached low-density single-family residential development if they are part of a unified development and sited to the interior of that development. A unified development is a single development consisting mostly of detached single-family residential dwellings with a smaller attached dwelling component. This proposal is essentially a stand-alone development of 281 townhomes.
RPA staff has supported attached dwelling units as the sole development type within an R-1 Planned Unit Development (in a more urban area) previously when the proposal provided a large amount of green space/open space in trade for the clustered units. Staff could support this when the areas of useable preserved open space were comprised of existing mature trees and vegetation. In this situation, a note on the PUD states that “Whereas areas shown as green space are currently clear cut, native hardwoods mixed with evergreens will be utilized to provide year-round buffers. It appears from aerial photographs that over half of this 134 acre site has been clear-cut. In this case, there is much less tradeoff of valuable vegetated open space.
There are additional concerns about the amount of traffic accessing the existing entrance of the Horizons subdivision. The proposal for this townhome development is 560 parking spaces for 281 units. That means that over 300 residences (existing plus proposed) will be accessed from one entrance.
APPLICATION NO: 2008-134 JURISDICTION: Hamilton County Dist. #9
APPLICANT: Douglas Rhoades
DATE OF PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING: July 14, 2008
LOCATION: 6723 Anderson Acres Drive
PRESENT ZONING: A-1 Agricultural District
REQUEST FOR: Special Permit
PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT: Single Wide Manufactured Home
SIZE OF TRACT: 5 Acres +
ACCESS TO TRACT: Good
SITE CHARACTERISTICS: Single Wide Manufactured Home
SURROUNDING DEVELOPMENT: Single-Family & A-1
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Approve
REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION:
There are similar uses in the area.
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