Arlington Planning & Zoning Commission Regular Session – August 7, 2024
STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE
Arlington Planning & Zoning Commission Regular Session – August 7, 2024
The Arlington Planning and Zoning Commission held a regular session on Wednesday, August 7, 2024, at 5:39 PM in the City Hall Council Chamber. The meeting covered three zoning cases and was adjourned at approximately 8:00 PM. Key actions included approval of a dog daycare with outdoor run (6-1), continuation of a 25.5-acre residential development, and approval of a limited office conversion at a former student religious center (7-0).
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Minutes (July 17, 2024): Commissioner Blake moved, Commissioner Payne seconded. Approved 7-0.
Public Comments & Testimony
Zoning Case PD24-16 (500 & 600 South Davis Drive)
- Applicant (Brian Cotter, Paco Southwest Realty): Representing property owners; requested rezoning from a very restrictive PD (student religious center) to PD-LO plus general personal services, massage therapy, general retail, and fraternal organization. After discussion, agreed to drop fraternal organization and high-traffic retail (e.g., convenience stores). Originally proposed 10-minute presentation.
- Supporter (Tom Cravens, property owner): Emphasized long-term local roots and desire for a low-impact commercial use.
- Supporter (Jack Upchurch, neighbor): Supported professional office uses but opposed retail; noted the previous LDS group left due to COVID.
- Opponent (Carol Ross, neighbor on 2nd Street): Opposed retail and personal services, stating it would erode residential character; preferred residential reuse or very limited appointment-only uses.
- Opponent (Sherry Harvey): Echoed Carol Ross’s concerns about traffic and compatibility.
- Opponent (Ronnie White, neighbor): Raised concerns about cut-through traffic and road deterioration.
Zoning Case PD24-7 (7300 Grindstone Court & 7204 Mitchell Parkway)
- Applicant (Federico Canoda, designer): Presented a 81-lot single-family development on 25.5 acres, with two deviations (wood fence near cement plant and along floodplain). Admitted no neighborhood meeting had been held and that key questions (e.g., Encore easement, lot removal near cement plant, street improvements) could not be fully answered. He requested a continuance after Chair Nunez warned a vote would fail.
- Opponent (Omar Rocha, neighbor): Expressed concerns about existing road flooding, safety for children, and traffic; asked for road improvements and speed bumps.
- Opponent (Matthew Rodriguez, neighbor): Emphasized lack of neighborhood outreach and flooding issues.
Zoning Case PD24-14 (107 West Randol Mill Road)
- Applicant (Preston Nicks, Dallas Dog Daycare and Boarding): Proposed a dog daycare/boarding with outdoor run in a vacant office building. Presented letters of support from adjacent businesses (Safe Haven). Emphasized a different business model (kennel-based) vs. existing Pixie Paws (open-play).
- Supporters (applicant’s team): Brian Cotter and Preston Nicks answered questions about yard leveling, waste management, and name choice.
- Opponents (numerous):
- Kimberly Spencer (Pixie Paws customer): Opposed competition; praised Pixie Paws.
- Mike Sherman (Grand Prairie): Opposed direct competition; described differences as “car dealership vs. truck dealership.”
- Tracy Holmes (neighbor): Raised noise concerns from two nearby dog daycares; questioned impact on medical facilities.
- Nicole Emory (Pixie Paws employee): Defended her employer; argued same services offered; opposed Dallas-based business.
- Catherine Brown (former Arlington resident): Supported Pixie Paws; cited market saturation.
- Gayla Turley (co-owner of Pixie Paws): Expressed pride in local business and community investment; opposed competition 100 feet away.
- Cecilia Gonzalez (co-owner): Raised traffic and character concerns; asked for competition elsewhere.
Discussion Items
Zoning Case PD24-16 (500 & 600 South Davis Drive)
- Commissioners discussed allowable uses. Commissioner Ware expressed concern about general retail; applicant agreed to drop fraternal organization and high-traffic retail. Commissioner Blake initially opposed all personal services but later accepted after Payne argued they would be low-traffic. Final motion: approve PD-LO plus general personal services and massage therapy, excluding retail and fraternal organization. Approved 7-0.
Zoning Case PD24-7 (7300 Grindstone Court & 7204 Mitchell Parkway)
- Staff presented the 81-lot development plan with two deviations (wood fence at cement plant and floodplain edge). Staff recommended (1) amenity area, (2) trail connection to Bowman Branch Linear Park, (3) removal of 4 lots adjacent to cement plant with masonry wall, and (4) street improvements. Commissioners noted the cul-de-sac exceeded 800-foot maximum. Applicant (designer) could not answer financial feasibility of lot removal, had not obtained written Encore agreement, and had not met neighbors. Chair Nunez advised continuance to avoid denial. Applicant requested continuance to September 18, 2024. Motion to continue granted 7-0.
Zoning Case PD24-14 (107 West Randol Mill Road)
- Staff presented the request for PD-OC (office commercial) plus kennel commercial and outdoor dog run. Deviations included landscaping placement and landscape island spacing. Commissioners debated highest and best use. Chair Nunez emphasized not picking winners/losers. Commissioner Finley noted market demand and compatibility (400,000+ residents, tourists). Commissioner Greer (retired physician) noted vacancy of medical offices in area. Commissioner Blake supported approval with condition to level dog run. Commissioner Ware voted no, unconvinced of highest and best use. Motion to approve with condition (level dog run) passed 6-1 (Ware dissenting).
Key Outcomes
- PD24-16 (500-600 S. Davis Dr.): Approved 7-0. Rezoning from PD-Student Religious Center to PD-LO plus general personal services and massage therapy; retail and fraternal organization excluded.
- PD24-7 (7300 Grindstone Ct. & 7204 Mitchell Pkwy.): Continued to September 18, 2024 (7-0). Applicant required to address: neighborhood meeting, removal of 4 lots adjacent to cement plant, written Encore agreement, street widening, cul-de-sac length compliance, and trail connection.
- PD24-14 (107 W. Randol Mill Rd.): Approved 6-1 (Commissioner Ware dissenting). Rezoning from OC to PD-OC plus kennel commercial and outdoor dog run; condition to properly level and maintain the dog run area.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Dr. Ignacio Nunez, and I serve as chair of the Planning and Zoning Commission of the City of Arlington. I hereby call this regularly noticed meeting of the City of Arlington's Planning and Zoning Commissioner regular session to order for August the 7th, 2024. At this time, I'll ask our administrator to read the speaker guidelines and general decorum. Cameron. The City of Arlington fully embraces the values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility where people of all identities and experiences are understood, appreciated, and fully included in the community, and where equitable treatment and outcomes prevail. We ask the citizens and other visitors in attendance, assist in preserving the order and decorum of this meeting, and to provide for attendance at and participating in the meeting without fear of intimidation, threats, or hostility. Any person making personal profane, hostile, slanderous or threatening remarks, who uses vulgar or obscene language, who engages in any other actions that disturb or calculated to disturb the meeting, or who becomes disruptive while addressing the planning zoning commissioners, or while attending the planning and zoning meeting may be removed from the council chambers. All speakers shall address the commissioners and not the audience or city staff and shall not call out individually named members of city staff or the public. For speakers tonight, when your name is called, please come to the microphone at the podium and state your name and the city of residence for the record. The applicant will be asked to speak first and will be given 10 minutes to make a presentation. Speakers in support or opposition of the item will be given five minutes each to make their statements. If there are many speakers for an item, each speaker will be given three minutes to make their statements. If multiple speakers plan to provide the same or similar comments, those speakers may, if so desired, designate one or more individuals to provide public comment on behalf of the group. A bell will signal the end of each speaker's time in consideration of each speaker's. Please conclude your comments promptly when you hear the bell. We ask that you address your comments to the planning and zoning commissioners. Thank you very much. First item of business is approval of the minutes of July 17th, 2024. A copy of the minutes of our July 17th, 2024 regular session agenda were sent to all commissioners in advance. Were there any changes or corrections needed to the minutes? Hearing no comments, I have a motion to approve by Commissioner Blake. I have a second by Commissioner Payne. Please cast your votes. Motion passes seven to nothing. We're going to move directly to zoning case PD 24-16, addressed at 500 and 600 South Davis Drive. An application for a zoning change from Plan Development for Student Religious Center, PDB 97-04. That's what it's is today. To plan development for limited office uses, plus general personal services, large or fraternal organizations, massage therapy, general retail other than listed uses within an existing structure on lot measuring approximately 0.462 acres. At this time, I will call on staff to present its report on the zoning case. Thank you. Good evening, Commissioners. For the record, Saeem Ur is Senior Planner, Planning and Development Services here to present the zoning case PD 2416. The subject properties are approximately 0.462 acres and 0.243 acres. Address as 500 South Davies Drive and 600 South Davis Drive, respectively. It is located north of West 2nd Street and west of South Davis Drive. The property is currently zoned plan development for student religious center. The applicant request approval for zoning change to plan development for all limited office uses plus massage therapy, general personal services other than listed uses, general retail store other than listed uses, and large or fraternal organizations within the existing structures on the site. This is the location and view of the subject site. Property to the north across Sunset Court is zoned conservation district residential single family 7.2 and developed with single family residential use. Property to the south across West 2nd Street is zoned conservation district residential single family 7.2 and developed with single family residential use. Properties to the east across South Davis Drive is zoned residential single family 7.2 and University of Texas at Arlington. The properties are developed with religious assembly and institutional uses respectively. Properties to the west are zoned residential single family 7.2 and conservation district residential single family 7.2. Both the properties are developed with single family residential uses. The surrounding area and the subject site were developed between 1940 and 2000 and continue to develop substantially with mixed uses, including residential uses and public and institutional uses. The aerial images provide an overview of how the area evolved to present. The site has one access point from South Davis Drive and Undivided Two-way Major Collector. Currently, there are two vacant existing buildings on the site.
openpublica.com