City Council Memorandum Development Services Memo No. 21-020FA
Date:
April 22, 2021
To:
Mayor and Council
Thru:
Joshua H. Wright, Acting City Manager Debra Stapleton, Assistant City Manager Derek D. Horn, Development Services Director
From:
Lauren Schumann, Planning Senior Program Manager
Subject:
PLH20-0052 Serene Estates Final Adoption of Ordinance No. 4967
Request:
Rezoning from Neighborhood Commercial (C-1) district to Planned Area Development (PAD) for single-family residential
Location:
Northwest of the northwest corner of Galveston and Hartford streets
Applicant:
Charles Huellmantel; Huellmantel & Affiliates
Proposed Motion:
Rezoning Move City Council adopt Ordinance No. 4967, approving PLH20-0052 Serene Estates, Rezoning from C-1 to PAD for single-family residential located northwest of the northwest corner of Galveston and Hartford streets, subject to the conditions as recommended by Planning and Zoning Commission.
Background Data:
At the April 5th City Council Study Session, three additional Preliminary Development Plan stipulations were added to further buffer and enhance the development.
Approximately 2.3 net acres and undeveloped
Site zoned C-1, allowing for commercial uses to support the immediate neighborhood
Subject site wraps an existing commercial corner with a laundromat, convenience store, and restaurant
A Use Permit to allow a U-Haul facility on a portion of the subject site was denied in 2012
General Plan designates the site as Neighborhoods and is considered infill
Project consist of 15 lots totaling 6.4 du/ac
Surrounding Land Use Data:
North
Alley then single-family
South
Galveston Street then single-family and two-story apartments
East
Hartford Street then two-story apartments
West
Alley then single-family
General Plan and Area Plan Designations:
Existing
Proposed
General Plan
Neighborhoods
No Change
Proposed Development
Single-family subdivision
# of Lots
15 single-family lots
Density
6.4 dwelling units per acre
Building Setbacks (min.)
Front – 8.6 ft. to livable, 20 ft. to garage from back of sidewalk
Sides – 5 ft. & 5 ft.
Rear - 10 ft., designated lots in exhibit allow for single-story, attached patios to encroach 5 ft. into 10 ft. setback
Lot Size
Lots range from 3,612 sq. ft. to 6,748 sq. ft.
Lot Coverage (max.)
65 percent
Building Height (max.)
All homes two-story; 28 ft. to midpoint of peak
Architecture Theme
Contemporary and Farmhouse
Number of Elevations
6
House Size
1,795 sq. ft. to 2,292 sq. ft.
Number of Floor Plans
3
Parking Spaces
Each lot provides a two-vehicle garage with driveways
On-street parking provided on both sides of street; subdivision is not gated
This ordinance was introduced and tentatively adopted on April 8, 2021.
Review and Recommendation
Planning staff finds the proposal consistent with the General Plan. Due to the infill nature of the site, the lots are smaller than adjacent single-family homes to the west and north. However, a twenty foot alley separates the existing homes and the proposed development. The proposed two-story product is an appropriate transition from the neighborhood commercial to the single-family lots. The proposed single-family subdivision will provide a public local street through the development, which allows for parking on both sides of the street for guest and residents. An amenity is not proposed due to size constraints of providing a public street but a public park (Navarrete Park) and two schools are within walking distance of the proposed development. Due to the infill nature of the site, the Residential Development Standards (RDS) for subdivision layout are not applicable. However, the RDS guidelines remain applicable to the architectural design of the homes. The proposed single-family residential subdivision meets the intent of development standards and residential design guidelines. In order to provide private covered patios for each lot, it is requested eight lots encroach five (5) feet into the rear yard setback to provide an adequate patio cover. Some of these lots have the availability of space to build the private patio in the side yard with the appropriate floor plan. As recommended by Planning staff, all lots are required to provide a covered patio in either the rear or side yard at the time of construction. Staff finds the proposal to be consistent with the goals of the General Plan and Planning and Zoning Commission recommends approval subject to conditions.
Public / Neighborhood Notification
This request was noticed in accordance with the requirements of the Chandler Land Use and Zoning Code.
To comply with CDC social distancing guidelines, the applicant hosted a digital neighborhood meeting on February 10, 2021. Ten (10) households attended the virtual meeting; only two residents asked questions about the proposal. One resident asked about the proposed walls along the alley, construction timelines and cost of homes. The other resident had concerns with two-story adjacent to single-story regarding privacy issues and concerns with having a Homeowner's Association (HOA) for the new subdivision as they thought it meant excluding the proposed subdivision from the City's rules.
Planning staff has received one phone call after the neighborhood meeting from a concerned resident who attended the meeting and asked questions. Staff discussed their concerns regarding the following issues: the proposed architecture of the homes is "too modern" for the surrounding neighborhood; two-story homes adjacent to single-story; and the resident thought the property should develop as a community center or library for the neighborhood children. The resident is opposed to the request and has surveyed adjacent homeowners; four letters are attached. Additionally, a video was made by the resident and emailed to Mayor and Council.
Planning staff has received a letter of support from a resident who attended the neighborhood meeting; their statement of support is attached.
The applicant subsequently agreed to additional stipulations to address neighbors' concerns in the Preliminary Development Plan approved by City Council on April 8, 2021, and are the following:
Perimeter wall height along north and west property lines shall be increased to eight (8) feet.
The developer shall install hedges within rear yards for lots along the north and west property lines.
???????The developer shall work with staff to enhance private driveway surfaces to utilize formed stamped concrete that emulates concrete pavers.
Planning and Zoning Commission Vote Report
Planning and Zoning Commission meeting March 17, 2021 Motion to Approve
In Favor: 5 Opposed: 0 Absent: 2 (Rose, Pekau)
Recommended Conditions of Approval
Rezoning Planning and Zoning Commission recommends the City Council approve of rezoning from C-1 to PAD for single family residential, subject to the following conditions:
Development shall be in substantial conformance with the Development Booklet, entitled, "Serene Estates" and kept on file in the City of Chandler Planning Division, in File No. PLH20-0052, modified by such conditions included at the time the Booklet was approved by the Chandler City Council and/or as thereafter amended, modified or supplemented by Chandler City Council.
Completion of the construction of all required off-site street improvements including but not limited to paving, landscaping, curb, gutter and sidewalks, median improvements and street lighting to achieve conformance with City codes, standard details, and design manuals.
The developer shall be required to install landscaping in the arterial street median(s) adjoining this project. In the event that the landscaping already exists within such median(s) the developer shall be required to upgrade such landscaping to meet current City Standards.
Right-of-way dedications to achieve full half-widths, including turn lanes and deceleration lanes, per the standards of the Chandler Transportation Plan.
Minimum setbacks shall be as provided below and further detailed in the development booklet:
Front yard setbacks
8.6 ft. to livable; 20 ft. to garage from back of sidewalk
Side yard setbacks
5 ft. and 5 ft.
Rear yard setback
10 ft., with those designated lots depicted in "Exhibit B" allowing for a single-story, attached patio to encroach 5 ft. into 10 ft. setback