Arlington P&Z Commission Meeting Summary - April 17, 2024
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Arlington Planning and Zoning Commission Regular Session Summary - April 17, 2024
The Arlington Planning and Zoning Commission held a regular session on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, starting at 5:52 p.m. in the Council Chamber at City Hall, 101 West Abram Street. All eight commissioners were present: Chairperson Gibson, Commissioners Talambas, Finley, Nunez, Payne, Greer, Carter, and Maddox. The meeting addressed two zoning cases: an assisted living facility (PD24-1) and a restaurant with drive-through (PD24-6). The commission approved the minutes of the April 3 regular session and approved the restaurant zoning with stipulations, while continuing the assisted living case to May 15, 2024.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Minutes: The commission unanimously approved the minutes of the April 3, 2024 regular session meeting (8-0). Motion by Commissioner Payne, seconded by Commissioner Greer.
Public Comments & Testimony
- PD24-1 (498 Debbie Lane):
- Applicant Imran Rajvani (HR Capital Investments LLC) spoke in support, presenting the need for assisted living and memory care in the 10-mile primary market area. He cited statistics: by 2028, assisted living and memory care absorption would be 237 units, while the project provides only 96; memory care need would be 163, with only 64 provided. He described the project as 10 small villas with 16 beds each, totaling 128 units, built on approximately 10.730 acres. He emphasized the project is a $20 million investment and will not burden infrastructure or schools.
- Commissioner Finley expressed that the applicant did not meet with neighbors or her (district representative), which she found disappointing. She also criticized the renderings, stating they "don't wow me" and look like "a bunch of sheds," and she felt the project is not a fit for the area.
- Commissioner Talambas suggested continuing the case to allow the applicant time to meet with neighbors and Commissioner Finley. The applicant agreed to do so.
- PD24-6 (4901 South Cooper Street):
- Hank Hopkins, franchisee operator of Small Sliders, spoke in support, describing the concept as a single-product cheeseburger slider restaurant with drive-through. He noted 12 existing locations in Louisiana and Mississippi, with over 200 in development, and this would be the first in Texas.
- Samuel Snyder (KFM Engineering) addressed site planning concerns, confirming that all asphalt would be replaced with concrete to match adjacent restaurants. He noted the site's mid-block location would help manage drive-through stacking.
- Matt Abrams (Abrams Architecture) addressed design and safety concerns, agreeing to add a railing and defined walkway between the parking lot and patio, and to add windows or doors to the facade.
- Commissioner Maddox raised a concern about the proposed 20% pre-finished metal panels, which are not on the city's approved material list. The applicant agreed to work with staff to find an acceptable material.
Discussion Items
- Zoning Case PD24-1 (498 Debbie Lane): Staff (Kevin Charles, Principal Planner) presented the request for a change from Community Commercial (CC) and Residential Estates (RE) to Planned Development (PD) for Residential Multi-family 22 (RMF-22) and Community Commercial (CC) for an assisted living facility. The site is approximately 10.730 acres. Staff noted deviations from UDC standards: parking (carports cover 72%, exceeding the 20% enclosed parking requirement), roof pitch (proposed 4/12 vs. required 6/12), and buffer yard insufficiency along the southern and eastern property lines (8 trees provided vs. 13 required, and buffer width of 5-20 feet vs. required 10 feet). Staff recommended conditions: increase roof pitch to 6/12, enhance amenities, and provide more operational details. The applicant agreed to add a board-on-board fence on the eastern boundary to address commissioner concerns about security.
- The applicant and architect indicated they would meet with neighbors and Commissioner Finley before the next hearing.
- Zoning Case PD24-6 (4901 South Cooper Street): Staff presented the request for a change from Community Commercial (CC) to Planned Development (PD) for CC uses for a restaurant with drive-through on approximately 0.611 acres. The proposal involves a franchise architecture with a containerized look, using painted vertical fiber cement (80%) and pre-finished metal panels (20%). Deviations from UDC standards included: no front facade facing the street (no interior seating), no parapets, potential 100% single material on front elevation, use of unapproved metal panels, orange color (prohibited by UDC), and no street-facing windows or doors (0% vs. required 25%). Staff noted the use is consistent with adjacent uses. The applicant agreed to add windows/doors, wrap columns in brick or stone, provide a railing and defined walkway, screen rooftop equipment, and work with staff on an acceptable material for the metal panels.
Key Outcomes
- Approval of Minutes: Approved unanimously (8-0).
- Zoning Case PD24-1 (498 Debbie Lane): Motion to continue the case to May 15, 2024, passed unanimously (8-0). The applicant agreed to meet with neighbors and Commissioner Finley before that date.
- Zoning Case PD24-6 (4901 South Cooper Street): Motion to approve with stipulations passed unanimously (8-0). Stipulations included: add faux windows or doors on the front facade meeting 25% of wall area, wrap columns in brick or stone, provide a railing and defined walkway for pedestrian safety, screen rooftop equipment, and work with staff to find an acceptable material for the metal panels.
- The next regular meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 1, 2024, at 5:30 p.m.
Meeting Transcript
My name is Linda Gibson and I serve as the chair of Planning and Zoning Commission for the City of Arlington. I hereby call this regularly noticed meeting of the City of Arlington's Planning and Zoning Commission regular session to order for April 17th, 2024. You were all sent copies of our April 3rd regular session agenda minutes. Uh in advance. Were there any changes or corrections? All right. I need a motion to approve the minutes and a second. I have a motion to approve from Commissioner Payne and a motion to second from Cor Commissioner Greer. Please cast your votes. Motion passes 80. Next on the agenda, we have two zoning cases. Zoning case PD 24-1 addressed at 498 Debbie Lane. This is a public hearing, so first staff will present its report and then I will open the public hearing and we'll hear from any speakers on the case, including the applicant. Speakers in support will go first, followed by speakers in opposition. If the applicant wishes, he or she may have a final opportunity to address any concerns raised by the commission or members of the public. Then the public hearing will be closed, and the commission will consider a motion on the request. At this time, we'll call for Mr. Charles to present the report on zoning case PD 24-1. Good evening, Commissioners. For the record, Kevin Charles, Principal Planner, Planning and Development Services. This evening we will be looking at Ford 98 Debbie Lane, also known as PD 24-1. The site is approximately 10 acres in size. Addressed as 494 98 Debbie Lane. The current zoning on the property is community commercial and residential estate. And the applicant is seeking a planned development for residential multifamily and community commercial uses for an assisted living facility. Here staff has provided the steps or things that you should take into account for in reference to making a decision upon this particular case. Here provide an a definition of assisted living facility from the unified development code. An assisted living facility is considered to be an establishment licensed by the state of Texas that furnishes furnishes furnishes and one or more uh facility, food, shelter for or for four or more persons who are unrelated to the proprietor of the establishment and provides personal care services as defined by the state of Texas. As you can see highlighted in yellow here, this is a location map showing the current configure configuration of the light as well as the split zoning that is on the property. As you look at this particular site, you'll notice that the property to the north across Debbie Lane is on planned development for residential single family and is currently developed as a single family single family detached community, as well as the property adjacent to it being uh zoned currently as a planned development for residential multifamily 22 units uh per acre, RMF 22. That site is currently under development at this time. The property to the east of the site is on planned development for uh RS for residential single family with a minimum lot size of 7500 square feet, and it is fully developed as a detached single family community. Uh a portion of that property line is is also uh zone community commercial and developed with office uses as well as a a portion of the property line being adjacent to the city of Mansfield. Uh the properties to the south and the west are both within the city limits of the city of Mansfield, Texas. The proposed zoning layout for the site, uh, as we mentioned before, is that the uh site will be reoriented in this manner. The site currently has a split zoning of RE and community commercial that is being uh uh addressed through this particular request. The community the community commercial zoning is being pushed to the west of the site at uh at the future signalized intersection of Tabasco Trail and Debbie Lane. There are no plans currently for the for the future community commercial portion of the property. A courtesy notice was sent by staff to the City of Mansfield's planning department in reference to the project for any feedback that they may have in reference to the gate, in reference to the case as the site shares a property line with the city of Mansfield. These are photo photographs of the site as it is in this current situation as well as the adjacent properties. If we start in the top left-hand corner and we go clockwise, this is a view of the subject site as seen from Debbie Lane. The next photograph is a view of the multifamily site that is currently under development on the other side of Debbie Lane. That view is north. That is the City of Mansfield City limit line where it uh connects or contacts this property in question. Okay. This is a photograph of the site plan overlaid over the tree survey. As you can see, there are two points of access. So the pri the site is proposing two points of access from Debbie Lane. The site shall be comprised of eight buildings containing 16 units each, totaling 128 units. Two future structures are also identified on the face of the plan.
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