Item #1: City Zone Change 949 – 2300 Block of Gleneagles Blvd – A zone change request from Residential 6,000-Restricted (R-60-R) and Residential 9,600 (R-96) to Residential 5,000 (R-50) on Lots 1-4, Block 18, Lots 3 & 4, Block 19, and Lot 11, Block 16 of Lake Hills Subdivision, 15^th Filing; and Lots 4 & 5, Block 5 of Lake Hills Subdivision 33^rd Filing, a total area of 3.52 acres of land. A pre-application neighborhood meeting was held at the subject property on August 10, 2016. Presented by Nicole Cromwell, Zoning Coordinator.

Planning staff recommends approval and adoption of the findings of the 10 criteria.

OWNER: Trent Parks
AGENT: None
LEGAL DESCRIPTION: Lots 1-4, Block 18, Lots 3 & 4, Block 19, and Lot 11, Block 16 of Lake Hills Subdivision, 15th Filing, and Lots 4 & 5, Block 5 of Lake Hills Subdivision, 33rd Filing
ADDRESS: 2300 Block of Gleneagles Blvd
CURRENT ZONING: R-60-R and R-96
EXISTING LAND USE: Vacant subdivision lots
PROPOSED USE: Townhomes
SIZE OF PARCEL: 3.52 acres

None.

Subject Property: In 2011, these lots along with others owned by Ron Hill were the subject of Zone Change 875. The lots north of the intersection with Cherry Hills Drive were zoned Community Commercial (CC) and the lot on the south
east corner was zoned RMF. The zone change placed all of the lots north of Cherry Hills Drive in the R-60-R zoning district and the single lot south of the intersection in the R-96 zone.

Similar Property: In 2005 and 2007, two similar subdivisions applied for zone changes to the R-50 zoning district to allow a wider choice of housing types. In 2005, the Twin Oaks subdivision received a zone change from R-70 to R-50. This subdivision is in the Billings Heights south of the Lake Hills Subdivision. In 2007, the Grand Peaks Subdivision on Billings west end requested R-50 for the east half on the subdivision north of Grand Avenue. This subdivision has a mixture of townhomes as either single family homes, two-family or multi-family dwellings. The development also offers single family dwellings on separate lots.

NORTH:	Zoning: R-70-R Land Use: Marisela Subdivision - vacant lots
SOUTH:	Zoning: R-96, RMF Land Use: Vacant subdivision lots
EAST:	Zoning: R-60-R, CC and R-96 Land Use: Developing and vacant subdivision lots
WEST:	Zoning: R-70-R Land Use: Un-platted Dover Ranch - to be part of High Sierra Subdivision

The applicant is requesting a zone change to facilitate the development of townhomes - attached and detached - on lots in the Lake Hills Subdivision. The current zoning of R-60-R and R-96 only allows detached dwellings on larger lots than the proposed zoning. The proposed zoning allows 1 detached dwelling on a lot of 5,000 square feet or 2 attached or detached dwellings on a lot of 8,000 square feet. If the lots are aggregated on each side of Gleneagles Blvd, additional townhome units could be developed by sharing the common area between the structures. The proposed zoning allows a 40% lot coverage, so single level dwellings can be constructed without sacrificing living area. The applicant intends to market these new units to those buyers desiring single level living space.  

These lots have been platted since the original Lake Hills Subdivision in 1957, but have not yet been developed. Infrastructure is slowly extending to the north and west of the golf course. The original intent of these lots was to create another commercial node similar to the developed area south and west of the golf course at West Wicks Lane and Gleneagles Blvd. The size of the commercial area and the lots platted, does not lend itself to a Community Commercial development. In addition, the CC zone allows some uses by special review that may not be desirable in the area. In 2011, the owner changed the zoning from CC and RMF to R-60-R and R-96, due to changing market demand. The new owner desires a slightly higher density. The current zoning would allow up to 7 units per acre and the proposed zoning would allow up to 10 units per acre. The surrounding zoning is mixed and includes R-96, R-70-R, R-60-R, RMF and CC zones. The proposed zoning is compatible with this area and the surrounding zoning and development.

There is very little traffic in the area since it is under development at this time. As street connections are made and homes constructed, traffic will increase on adjacent collector and arterial streets. Gleneagles Blvd is a designated principal arterial street and Annandale Road is a minor arterial street. Lake Hills Drive is also a collector street. No regular traffic counts have been established in this area north of Wicks Lane. The traffic on Wicks Lane at the intersection with Gleneagles Blvd was last measured at about 7,300 vehicle trips per day. Traffic counts are taken when public schools are not in session so results are not skewed. Wicks Lane is a principal arterial street and this is not an unexpected traffic volume. Principal arterials normally handle this volume of traffic. The proposed zoning should not have a measurable effect on expected traffic volumes on Gleneagles Blvd or any of the adjoining streets.

The applicant conducted a pre-application meeting and 2 persons attended and provided comment. The original proposal was to change the zoning to R-60. After the neighborhood meeting, the applicant proposed the zoning of R-50 in response to comment from the attendees. The Planning staff did not receive any public comment on the proposed zone change.

The Planning staff is recommending approval based on the proposed findings of the 10 criteria. The proposed zoning will meet the intent of the City's Infill Policy by developing vacant lots within the City where infrastructure is close by and the land is already annexed. The proposed zoning meets several of the growth guidelines adopted in the 2016 Growth Policy update including allowing a variety of housing choices, extension of infrastructure adjacent to existing infrastructure, an infill development that will be cost effective, and ensuring a connected, walkable street network. The proposed zoning will not be detrimental to the surrounding development either planned or existing, and it will not measurably increase the planned traffic for the surrounding street network.
 

Planning staff recommends approval and adoption of the findings of the 10 criteria for Zone Change 949.