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GARLAND PLANNING REPORT
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Agenda Item 7.a. |
City Council Regular Session |
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REQUEST |
Consider amending various Sections of Chapter 1, “General Provisions,” Chapter 2, “Zoning Regulations,” Chapter 3, “Subdivision Regulations,” Chapter 4, “Site Development,” Chapter 5, “Relief Procedures & Enforcement,” and Chapter 7, “Downtown (DT) District” of the Garland Development Code of the City of Garland, Texas. |
PLAN COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION |
Approval to amend various Sections of Chapter 1, “General Provisions,” Chapter 2, “Zoning Regulations,” Chapter 3, “Subdivision Regulations,” Chapter 4. “Site Development,” Chapter 5, “Relief Procedures & Enforcement,” and Chapter 7, “Downtown (DT) District” of the Garland Development Code of the City of Garland, Texas. In addition, the Commission suggested removing Section 2.05(f)(9) to allow the Plan Commission and City Council to postpone cases, and to amend Section 2.11 (B) regarding Concept Plans to add verbiage related to "scale" and "scope". |
STAFF RECOMMENDATION |
Approval to amend various Sections of Chapter 1, “General Provisions,” Chapter 2, “Zoning Regulations,” Chapter 3, “Subdivision Regulations,” Chapter 4. “Site Development,” Chapter 5, “Relief Procedures & Enforcement,” and Chapter 7, “Downtown (DT) District” of the Garland Development Code of the City of Garland, Texas. |
BACKGROUND |
The City of Garland currently requires Detail Plans and other detailed site plans with Planned Development and Specific Use Provision applications. In 2023, following interviews with developers and presenting findings to the Development Services Committee, it was recommended by the Committee to reduce the “front-loaded” nature of Garland’s zoning application requirements. The City Council has directed staff to bring forward an ordinance that amends the zoning process requirements in Garland as it pertains to Planned Developments and Specific Use Provisions. It is proposed to require Concept Plans instead, thus reducing the level of details and engineering-level documents required prior to zoning entitlements. |
CONSIDERATIONS |
- It is proposed to eliminate the Detail Plan and detailed site plan requirements with Planned Developments and Specific Use Provisions, and instead require Concept Plans. This will reduce significant costs, and most likely time, for developers and development professionals during the zoning stage of the development process, where initial land use entitlements are being sought. The intent of the change is to establish a more development-friendly process for the City of Garland. Such detailed requirements will continue to be required during the permitting stage of the process, following zoning approval.
- In addition to establishing a more development-friendly process competitive with other cities in the region, the proposed changes offer an opportunity to utilize Planned Developments in a manner that establishes unique standards, conditions and “tradeoffs” for flexibilities sought by developers, with the intent of creating quality development in Garland.
- The purpose of a Concept Plan is to provide a general layout of the proposed development. The City’s approval of a Concept Plan will allow the applicant to determine whether the City is generally in agreement with the land usage and development proposed, and will provide the City with an overall impression of the development proposed. A Concept Plan shall be construed to be an illustration of the layout and development concepts only and not an exact engineered representation of the specific development proposed.
- In the draft ordinance, the fee section in Chapter 1 is proposed to be amended to reflect Concept Plans, as well as eliminating the “30-day shot clock” fees which no longer apply due to recent State law changes. These changes are anticipated to be minimal in terms of revenue impact.
- This item was directed by the City Council during their December 4, 2023 Work Session. The Plan Commission was briefed on this item during the January 8, 2024 meeting and recommended the item during the March 25, 2024 meeting.
- The draft ordinance as drafted by the City Attorney’s Office is attached for the City Council's review.
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