Thank you.

Again, good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

My name is Dr.

Ignacio Nunez.

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 Commission regular session to order for February the 18th, 2026.

At this time, I'll ask our administration to read the speaker guidelines and general decorum for tonight's meeting.

We ask that the citizens and other visitors in attendance assist in preserving the order and decorum of this meeting and to provide for attendance at and participation 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 are calculated to disturb the meeting or who become disruptive while addressing the planning and 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 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.

The applicant will then be given five minutes for any rebuttal.

If multiple speakers plan to provide the same or similar comments, those speakers may, if they so desire, 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 other speakers, 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.

A copy of the minutes of our February the 4th, 2026 regular agenda were sent to all commissioners in advance.

Were there any changes or corrections that were needed to the minutes?

Seeing none, do I have a motion to approve?

I do from Commissioner Finley.

And I have a second from Commissioner Blake.

Please cast your vote.

Motion passes nine to nothing.

Next on our agenda, we have three zoning cases.

The first one is PD 25-8.

It's an application for change in zoning from community commercial to plan development for community commercial uses, plus a car wash with a development plan on approximately 1.294 acres.

So my understanding is that this case has been withdrawn, and they are asking excuse me.

They're asking for a continuance, excuse me.

And the date for the next meeting that this will come before us is March the 25th for the record.

And I need a motion to approve the continuance.

I have a motion to approve by Commissioner Sumter.

And I have a second from Commissioner Greer to approve the continuance to a date certain.

Cast your vote.

Motion is approved.

8 to nothing.

8 to 1, excuse me.

For the record.

Next on our agenda is PD 25-23 addressed at 2301 North Collins Street.

This is an application for a change in zoning from community commercial and plan development for billiard parler billiard parlor to a plan development for community commercial uses plus a billiard parlor and a package liquor store on approximately 5.9 acres.

At this time, I'll ask our staff to present its report on PD 25-23.

Good evening, Commissioners.

Alex Van Amberg Planner, Planning and Development Services, presenting PD 25-23.

Addressed at 2301 North Collins Street, and the site is approximately six acres in size.

The request is a plan development for community commercial uses, plus a billiard parlor and a package liquor store.

Here's the location map showing the surrounding uses, commercial to the north and south, a large park to the east, and some more commercial and multifamily to the west.

And here are some images of the shopping center and North Collins Street across the street and to the south.

Also an image and just another image of one of the entrances to the shopping center.

This is the north entrance.

And then more of the middle of the center with the uh liquor store location there where that uh nail and spa suite was some background on the site.

Um in March of 1991, the city council approved a zoning case to include the use of the billiard parlor.

Um in 1991, they decided to do it by meets and bounds and just took a kind of a chunk out of that parcel and zoned that as a PD.

Um with the new request, we are putting a plan development on the entire parcel.

So that will encompass the originally approved billiard parlor, and then the new use they are requesting, which is the liquor store.

So the liquor store is proposed in suite uh 120, which is about 3,000 square feet in size.

Um the billiard parlor is in suite 170, which is about 4,000 square feet.

Here's a site plan showing the location of the two suites, uh billiard parlor in 170 um on the left side of the screen there, and then the red square is where the proposed liquor store would be located.

In discussions with the applicant, they are also planning to add a drive-through restaurant in the future.

Um, I think the pretty near future.

Typically, with planned developments, any new construction on the lot would have to go through as a planned development revision, which would require PNZ and city council review and approval.

Uh however, since restaurants with a drive-thru are a permitted use in community commercial, staff believes that it is appropriate that we just do uh administrative review of the site plan and the building permits.

We will include language in the ordinance stating that administrative approval for the future restaurant use would be allowed.

And here's a site plan, uh, the future restaurant location.

Uh, a proposal now, but like I said, it will go through the site plan review process.

And here's a list of allowed uses in community commercial.

This area does fall within the regional activity center of the 2015 comprehensive plan.

And here's a saturation map of some existing liquor stores within a one-mile buffer of the proposed location.

And the applicant and owner is Assad Kothari, and staff is available.

Oh, uh, we did receive nine letters of support.

We did not get any letters of opposition.

And I'm available for questions.

Commissioners have any questions?

Commissioner?

Um, sorry, I failed to ask this at work session.

Um I'm fine with the administrative approval for the uh restaurant with drive-thru, but is it specifically just for the one time?

Or if there's another one in the future, would that also include administrative approval?

Um, we haven't really written the ordinance.

I think it would just be for this one.

I don't think there are plans.

Um I don't imagine fitting more than one at that site, but I believe it would just be for the one right now.

Any other questions?

Thank you, Alex.

This time I'm going to open the um public hearing and ask for the first speaker.

Uh Assad.

Uh Cathar.

Sir, please state your name and the city that you live in.

Uh name is Asad Kutari.

I live in the city of Arlington, Texas.

Thank you.

Please.

Floor is yours.

Awesome.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to speak tonight.

First of all, I appreciate all y'all's time.

Thank you so much.

Um I wanted to start by introduction of myself just to give you an idea of what I do for how long I'll be living over here.

I've been in Arlington's since 1999.

I've grown up over here, from a school here, gone to UT Arlington for my ambassadors in accounting, ambassadors in finance.

I've got a MBA in corporate finance and be in entrepreneurship as well.

Um live in Arlington's my entire family lives in Arlington.

About 120 some people, roughly.

Not only do I live in Arlington, I'll also do business in Arlington.

So the location 2301 North Collins that we have right now.

I opened a gym there in 2010 under the name of Fitness Nation.

So not only do we live in Arlington, we love the city of Arlington.

We do business in Arlington.

We'd like to continue to do more business in Arlington.

So the idea for tonight is to present a change in the existing PD zoning that we have to allow for a liquor store use uh for an existing site.

Uh we're not doing any changes, not doing any updates, we're not doing new construction, we're not doing any outside changes or anything.

We just want to get the exact suite number 120 and change it over to allow the use of a liquor package store package liquor store.

I'd like to answer your question quickly.

I think you brought up the idea that if there will be future restaurants, I don't plan to.

It's going to be only one time.

I don't think the site can handle more than one as of right now, so it's just going to be one.

So I thought I'd get that out of the way first.

As far as well, I think I do have a clicker.

I think I covered this part already.

So again, just what we're doing is just changing an existing location to a use and allow for a pick like package liquor store.

Not a nightclub, not a late night hangout, no on-sign consumption, none of that.

Just store, they're gonna come by, they're gonna leave, that's it.

Um the idea is to it it complements of what we have in the shopping center.

We've got quite a few diversified group of tenants there, me being one as a fitness center.

We've got a restaurant there, we've got a staffing company there, we've got an HR block, a salon, um, a laundry, um, quite diversified uses.

So it kind of fits.

What we're trying to do is tap into the market of existing customer that's already coming in the shopping center and allowing them another service that we can provide.

Needs-based solution, so to speak, in you know, professional terms.

So when they're coming in, they're looking for any specific item that have an opportunity to be able to purchase liquor along the way.

Um increases foot traffic for other tenants, increases cross shopping, allows for better use of the space that we already have vacant right now.

So those are the primary uses that we're trying to accommodate and accomplish with this.

And again, we're not making any structural changes, just want to emphasize that because that's that's not the use for it.

Um clarify some of these slides I made it a while back.

It says changes from CC zoning to GC.

I was later educated later that it's not a zoning that we're changing, we're just adding in or changing the existing PD to accommodate for a liquor store use.

So uh I just didn't want to confuse anybody with the process that is going on.

All right, what do you have next?

So it'll be a sealed package liquor store, it'll meet all the city of Arlington ordinances, TABC regulations, compliance, um, uh security measures.

I do understand there is a stigma associated with wood liquor store.

I talked to quite a few of you in person and over the phone, so I did get some hesitation.

What I do want to present is uh the measures that we're taking, uh, which is I think very important.

Um, I've got a staff that goes throughout the property all day long.

Uh I personally have a business there, so I have a vested interest in the in the um the way it looks, the way it appears, uh the vibe that we're creating, the kind of traffic we're attracting.

Uh so I do understand that.

So some of the things that we can do is, of course, continue to make sure we have staff on sites doing a thorough visits throughout the day.

Um we have ample lighting in the parking lot.

Uh any of you can drive by and look at it.

Um security measures, we have security cameras on site on premise.

Um, uh no on-site liquor, of course, that would be key.

And then more importantly, I'm there.

If I see something, the idea is what?

Uh to make sure that it's stopped and we make sure that we're making a better use of the facility and not making it ruin what we have going, a good business opportunity.

Compatibility with the area, um, it's a predominantly commercial neighborhood.

Um, it's already has the infrastructure and everything there.

Uh, there's not really a major change that needs to make needs to be made.

We're just fitting in in the existing suite.

We're not changing no construction again, nothing at all whatsoever.

Economic benefits.

Obviously, there has to be some benefits.

Uh, there's a benefit for everybody involved.

It activates a currently underutilized space for us.

It's very, very important for us.

Um, it does increase sales tax revenue, uh, increase creates jobs over here.

I think I mentioned earlier cross traffic.

So if anybody who's coming in the shopping center, they're gonna have the ability to be able to purchase another item from the shopping center, they can uh improves foot traffic for other businesses, and I think it's more of a cross-selling point for everybody, uh, one stop shop to be able to conduct business in the shopping center they're coming in.

Um, I think most important point that I thought was it makes it suffer, it makes it makes it safer, better maintained, and reduces the risk of blight because it's fully occupied, so more eyes are gonna be on site and we're gonna be able to better maintain it.

Uh it will comply with all cities zoning and development codes, TABC guidelines, like I said earlier.

We're we're not trying to run away from any of that.

We want to make sure we're we're doing as good citizens and following all the codes, compliance guidelines that are set forth for everybody.

Why don't the appropriate uh the approval is appropriate?

Um it matches the surrounding area.

Uh commercial corridor fits a bunch of other projects that have had an approval from the commission before.

So I do think it it it does not create any adverse impact.

Um it definitely fits the purpose.

Uh I'll repeat the same things I said earlier.

We are using the utilizing the unoccupied space, it creates cross shopping purchase for other for the guests to come in the shopping center, uh, creates an opportunity for jobs in the shopping center.

Um, just overall the vibe is what we're going for.

And I think it fits all the check marks for us at least.

In closing, um, I want to thank all of you for your time, first of all.

Uh, thank you for the staff of the review.

We've talked to Alice multiple times, and she's been very kind enough to give me all the information she can.

Uh thank you, all of you.

I individually called quite a few of you and had time.

Uh, thank you for your time.

I appreciate it.

Thank you for the remarks and giving me feedback on it.

Uh, I do think in the end it is a low impact project, it'll be fully regulated, economically positive for everybody, and it fits fits the shopping center because we have a very diversified group of tenants, and I think it would be another another added uh item that they can purchase, customers can purchase from the shopping center.

Um happy to take any questions at this point.

Thank you, uh Mr.

Katharik.

Do any of the commissioners have questions for the applicant at this time?

Commissioner Blake.

So looking on the site, you have a I would call it probably a bar, which uh haven't been there, but I wouldn't wouldn't mind going after looking at it over.

But it looks like it closes at like 2 a.m.

Is that correct?

Uh certain days, yeah.

So weekends.

Okay.

Um I'm just really concerned about putting another liquor store in in kind of close proximity with others that also is adjacent.

And we've had a case similar of this come up in front of us that I also was relatively opposed to because it was a liquor store next to a bar.

I just uh can't say that's gonna be a good good combination.

Uh I mean, so I do understand the question.

I I think if done right, uh there's plenty of examples out there.

Um we're looking for is uh go with all the compliance, all the codes.

We haven't had any complaints or violations in the past.

I think that speaks for our uh you know track record.

Um we're looking for an opportunity that presents itself in a way where we can accommodate a bunch of different people who are already coming to the shopping center.

We're not going out to look for more.

I do understand the hesitation and the stigma, like you mentioned.

I I do, I really do.

But I think we've done a great great job and track record to prove that we we have no violations, no issues in past, and if we've done right, it'll be a trendy up, you know, uh shop that'll serve the needs of the local community and the customers who are already coming in the shopping center.

Thank you.

Any other questions?

Um Commissioner uh Wiggles.

So in our discussion upstairs, we talked a little bit about your landscape, and I know you've had some trees removed in different times throughout the property.

You have you owned that property since the 90s, I mean, since you came.

I I haven't owned the property since the original no.

Okay.

Um I opened the gym in 2010.

I uh purchased a property in 2019.

Okay.

Have you um considered or would you consider doing some landscape along the Collins Street corridor there?

Absolutely, no problem.

Um I mean, anything anything to make it better, but I thought we already have at least one, two, three.

I think you meet compliance.

I'm not saying that.

I just think that there's a lot of dead space there that I think can make it look more attractive coming into your center, um, plus provide some screening, um, shelter space property properly.

Um not opposed to your project at all.

Yes, I think it's great that you're offering lots of amenities in one strip center, and I understand you might be getting a Duncan Donuts, which I think is very great for most people.

Um, so but yes, the landscape is key.

You do have good lighting, I have driven by during the day and at night.

You do have a lot of traffic in that shopping center, and um that's important to know that you are maintaining, and I did look up your criminal record, like you don't get a lot of calls to that area, so that's a plus.

Now I'd like to respond.

I think I forgot to location first.

Sorry, yeah.

That did not come all right.

I didn't sniff Mr.

Katharine privately.

My apologies.

Um I do I did look up calls for that general that that zone, that beaten zone, and there's not a lot of calls into that strip center, even with the billiards that's there.

So that's good.

Right.

I mean, I I think I forgot to mention and it probably should have put more impetus on it.

So the shopping center is going to accommodate a Duncan Donuts.

We are in talks.

We submitted a preliminary design and our architects are working on submitted the full full school plan on it.

I do have another stink plan down there.

We're going to have Tesla superchargers to the shopping center as well.

So that's coming up already.

We're working with Encore already.

We've got a date with Encore.

The plans will be submitted to the city in the next week or two.

I just got the final file today.

So one when I say one stop shop, that's what we're going for.

We're looking for things to beautify, solve problems, go green, everything the whole nine yards on this.

Now we have some proposed uh prospect tenants that they're looking for it, and I think it would be really impactful with the diversity group of tenants that we have there to have a liquor store there.

Um who else had a question here?

Commissioner Carter.

Can you tell me again the square footage of the space that would be for the liquor store and what is your vacancy rate in the entire strip?

Did you say a minute ago it's fully occupied?

So the space is going to be 2,988 square feet.

I have a total of three spots that are vacant right now, which is one being that.

Um and I have a spot vacant, which is 5,000 square feet, but it's vacant per uh by choice.

I'm opening myself uh my nephew's graduated from medical, so we're opening up a psychiatry and Durham Clinic over there.

It's already ready to go.

It was the first eye care center before, so that's something in the works as well.

And you so you the reason why I asked is you're comfortable about a liquor store being there that might not that could or could not affect a future tenant, might decline your 5,000 square feet or your other vacancies because there's a liquor store there.

You're you feel comfortable with that chance that it wouldn't happen.

Someone would decline the spot.

Um I I'm fully comfortable because I mean we we've been there for a while, right?

I mean, I've been there for seven years now.

Uh the tenants that we have right now are long-term tenants, stable tenants.

Um the group that we're looking at, or few groups that have asked for a liquor store there, uh, very stable.

Other locations are present.

So we're looking at somebody who has done it before, not a first timer.

That's key for us as well.

Uh we want to bring in uh tenants that are gonna stick around, gonna do the right by the city and by us, of course, in the mean prime in the meantime as well.

So thank you.

I do thank you.

Other questions?

Commissioner Greer.

Um I I'm I'm generally opposed to liquor store, like uh Commissioner Blake.

Um just typically see the the negatives outweighing the positives.

Um in this case though, I think I'm I'm a little persuaded by the fact that you're you're you're based in Arlington, you're invested in Arlington, you own the shopping center.

I I I can see that there's possibly a a need for the community there since it's not you know a high concentration of liquor stores.

So I think uh I think I can get comfortable with it.

Um I would love to see a commitment uh like Commissioner Winkle said to perhaps improve the landscaping on Collins, and then also I was gonna get your uh thoughts on on striking some uses um from the CC zoning since we have that opportunity.

Would you be willing to get rid of pawn shop as a potential using for that?

Not interested in pawn shops at all.

Okay, because that there's a lot of them like right across the street.

They are there in Collins.

So I think we're good on pawn shops there.

So yeah, yeah.

Um but uh yeah, those are my thoughts.

Yeah, no doubt.

I mean, um I don't um I don't like pawn shops personally, so yeah, not interested in that at all.

Uh I think we've got a great group of tenants there.

Uh the the last two spots are gonna be one's gonna be taken by me, myself for the medical clinic that we're opening, and the next spot is this one only.

Uh and then I think I've talked to a few of you, talked to Jacob quite a bit.

Thank you for all the questions that I've had, and he's been able to answer it in numerous occasions.

Do you have another property down the street on Collins as well, across from the Cowboy Stadium?

And we're looking for the exact same thing there.

We're trying to create an environment where uh we can bring in great tenants, great concepts to Arlington, and at the same time be able to go with a green initiative, uh beautifying projects, making sure it's it's uh appealing, physically appealing, um, and visually appealing, uh quite frankly.

So uh these these are the goals that we have, and and we're gonna continue to work on it.

So, Mr.

Kathari, I'm gonna interject here.

So you've been asked now by two commissioners, and so I'm gonna need a yes or a no from you.

Is it okay if we write into the ordinance that will be voted on by city council that you agree that you will improve the landscaping of your property?

Yes.

All right, very good.

Thank you.

Commissioner Ware.

Um I don't have a problem with liquor stores, but we've got three very close together there, one less than a quarter of a mile, it looks like from you.

Um I just don't want to squeeze that many into an area.

I don't think you're gonna have a problem with just my vote, but uh I just want you to know when uh I'm gonna vote no.

I appreciate the feedback, thank you so much.

Uh I I would like to say this though.

Um I can understand there are some liquor stores.

Uh, if you go further south, um you can see that there may be a concentration there.

Um again, what I would say is that what we're going for is a more uptrend and a concept that will justify its need in the area.

Uh, and it will present a solution for people who are already coming uh and who would go elsewhere.

Um like I said, I have a gym there, I talk to a lot of folks all the time.

So based on the feedback that I've gotten from everybody, uh it has swayed my decision to actually go with this.

Thank you.

Commissioner Blake.

Just gonna make sure that it's on the record.

My concern is not necessarily the liquor store itself uh that closes at nine o'clock.

You know, it's it's really the cumulative uh public safety impact that's proximity to a bar that closes at two o'clock in the morning.

Uh as late night activity is associated with increased police calls and crime in adjacent areas.

That's my concern.

I 100% agree.

And and I think Tracy Rinkles Winkle's pointed out earlier.

Uh we we haven't had that many calls.

We've managed it.

So um, and we will continue to work on that.

So the idea is to make sure that we're keeping it clean and uh a place where customers feel comfortable to come any time of the day.

I do understand the hesitation behind it.

I really do.

Uh, but I think we can we can manage it.

If if I didn't think that we could, I would have not going with the plan myself.

And I have one one other question.

Would you also be okay if in the ordinance we restricted the size of the liquor store to more nor to no more than three thousand square feet?

The reason that I asked for that, and we spoke about this in the work session upstairs, is that the way that the ordinance is written now is it's going to a suite number.

That suite number you said has uh about 2,980 square feet today.

And what we don't want to have happen is that you tear down a wall and take another suite, combine the two, but it's still the same original suite number.

Now you have a space that's 3,000 square feet, even larger liquor store.

We don't want that to happen.

So would you be okay with a restriction in the ordinance that limited the size of the liquor store to three to no more than 3,000 square feet?

That's fine.

Excellent.

Thank you.

Any other questions our esteemed attorney?

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh just a couple quick questions.

Uh, one, I I heard that the applicant was okay with the pawn shop use being taken off.

Uh was that the only use that staff needs to write down?

That's the only one I had.

I don't know if others felt differently.

Okay.

Commissioner Commissioner Carter and then Commissioner Commissioner Carter.

Should we clear up the uh landscaping because we just said the word improve it, but should we define what improvement is?

Uh well, definitely staff will will need some a little bit of guidance on what what you all want for improvement.

I mean, are you are you asking for additional shrubs in the area?

Are you asking for trees?

Just something.

Commissioner Sumter.

I might recommend that um the streetscape requirements that are in the current UDC, it just meets that.

So shrubs, trees based on spacing and requirements.

And that would also include irrigation to keep them growing.

Yeah.

We already we already have uh irrigation there right now.

Okay, great.

Okay.

And then one last thing.

Uh I know that this commission often sees uh situations where you have uh one or two suites asking for one use, and I just want to compliment the applicant for being the owner and being here because that makes everyone's job so much easier when you all ask these questions and the decision makers able to answer it directly.

So appreciate you being here.

Thank you so much.

Appreciate it.

Any other uh questions of the applicant at this time?

Thank you, uh Mr.

Cathar, but don't go too far.

Um are there any other speakers in support?

Are there any speakers in opposition?

Uh Mr.

Cathari, I'm just gonna give you an opportunity to make any other comments that you want.

If not, we're through.

I think this is it.

Thank you so much, guys.

Appreciate your time.

Thank you very much.

Uh at this time uh I'm going to close the public hearing and ask any of the commissioners for any questions, comments, or a motion.

Are there any other questions or comments?

Saying none.

We now have a motion to approve by Commissioner Sumter, and a second by uh uh Commissioner Nunez.

Commissioner Semter, would you state your motion, please?

Uh yes, sir.

Uh move to approve PD 25-23 having an address of 2301 North Cullen Street, an application for a change in zoning from community commercial and PD for billiard parlor to plan development for community commercial uses plus a billiard parlor and a package liquor store on approximately 5.9 acres with the following conditions of removing uh pawn shop use, working with staff to have the streetscape or landscape requirements along South Collins meet the current UDC requirement.

What's the last one?

Huh?

Oh, and no more than 3,000 square feet.

And then uh for the package liquor store, it cannot exceed uh more than 3,000 square feet.

Uh and I have a question.

Uh does that include uh the landscaping in the parking lot or just along North Collins?

Just along North Collins.

Okay, thank you.

Uh and I I agree that is also my second.

Please cast your vote motion passes seven to two.

Congratulations, Mr.

Cathari.

Thank you for your family's business and uh your interest in Arlington.

Very much appreciated.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you.

Next, we're going to move on to our final case of the evening.

ZA 26 01, located at approximately 300 West Park Road Drive.

This is an application for a change in zoning from office commercial, a straight zoning change to residential medium RM12 on approximately 0.954 acres.

At this time, I'll call on our staff to present its report on zoning case ZA 2601.

Good evening.

Uh Alex Van Amberg, Planner, Planning and Development Services.

Uh this is case ZA2601.

Address at uh 300 West Park Road Drive, and the site is just under one acre.

They are currently zoned office commercial, and the request is a change in zoning to residential medium density or RM12 zoning district.

Here's a location map uh showing the site and surrounding areas.

There is a single family neighborhood to the north across West Park Road Drive.

Uh to the south, there is a multifamily development.

To the west is a parking lot, and I believe a church property, and then to the east is zone single family, but it is Grace Lutheran Church.

They own that property and also the subject property.

And here are some images showing the surrounding area.

Here are the uses that are permitted in the RM12 zoning district.

Um the applicant's intent is to build eight townhomes on this property.

The comprehensive plan um designates land use goals for this area as established residential.

This property is also in the heart of Arlington Neighborhood Association, and it is within the South Cooper Corridor Strategy, uh, specifically zone one, which is an area around UTA.

Uh the applicant is Yvonne Gonzalez with Place Strategies Inc.

And the owner of the property is Grace Lutheran Church.

Staff did receive two letters of support and no letters of opposition, and I'm available for any questions.

Seeing none, thank you very much, Alex.

This time I'm going to open up the public hearing and ask for the applicant to come forward and speak on their behalf.

I have two cards here.

Who's going to come first?

Donna or Yvonne.

Can we tag team and come?

Sure, come on up.

If you'll both introduce your name and the city that you live in, we don't need your address.

And go ahead and introduce yourself now.

Yvonne Gonzalez for Worth.

All right.

Thank you.

All right, Donna, take it away.

Thank you so much, Commissioners and Staff.

I appreciate the opportunity to see you tonight.

Housing channel, I'm the president.

We're a nonprofit partner with the City of Arlington for over 34 years, helping with mixed income housing and the Arlington Home Buyer Assistance Program, which provides up to $20,000 for low to moderate income households to purchase a home.

We also provide housing counseling and education to help create sustainable homeowners.

Our business model includes development of for sale single family, detached, and attached homes to help revitalize communities and strengthen neighborhoods.

We're unique in that our organization has an in-house property and HOA management team to help ensure our owner occupancy requirements and long-term maintenance of our properties.

Typically for our developments, uh we place a soft second lien on the units for up to 20 years, which helps ensure that the home is exclusively used for owner occupancy.

Leasing and other non-owner uses are prohibited.

And as the community developer, we are in charge of developing the HOA rules and regulations which uh expressly prohibit all forms of rental activity, including short-term rentals.

I'll let Yvonne take over.

So Yvonne Gonzalez, um urban planner and principal of place strategies.

We're a urban planning and architecture firm specializing in urban infill development and walkable neighborhoods.

So first thing that we want to being urban planners, we wanted to take a look at you know what's um what's around what's the neighborhood and then how does it comply or how does it stack up with adopted city policies and um and documents.

So the the request is going from office commercial to residential medium density to allow for the townhomes like staff mentioned.

Um all the units will be for sale for working families, owner-occupied requirements for the townhomes, like Donna said, um, and act as a transition between the multifamily rental and commercial to the west and the church to the east.

Um the park row also on a lot of the adopted documents is the transition from kind of the downtown area down to some of the residential areas.

So it also becomes one of that transition.

So again, being an urban planner, I wanted to take a look.

How does it stack up in the comprehensive plan?

Um and so three things that I just wanted to point out really quickly was promote land use patterns that reflect a mix of integrated community uses, encourage appropriate redevelopment and reinvestment that creates lasting value, and increase the visual appeal within and around residential and commercial developments and along corridors.

Um we've also been following you know the the city on you know redoing that comprehensive plan.

So we were able to take a look at that.

Although it's not adopted, there's a vision framework that also speaks on in-filled developments and and just um trying to reinvest into existing neighborhoods.

Um we think that it fits well within that as well.

Um and like staff mentioned, this is also part of the heart of Arlington Neighborhood Association.

Um so we took a look at that plan too.

Um they have a neighborhood action plan.

Um, and so we wanted to just um briefly look over um how does it fit in within that plan.

Um, and so um you know there is a Cooper Street Park Row Redevelopment Study.

The study envisions a compact development that includes different arrangements of commercial uses, townhomes, apartments, student housing, and senior housing.

Um it um we feel that it it it fits in well with what that neighborhood was envisioning for that area.

Um it also was classified as a high priority redevelopment area within that that area.

And so um, and like I mentioned before, it is the boundary between the downtown university neighborhood and the medium density transition would establish uh with residential area going south.

And so um a lot of mix with the church and and with the multifamily rental um, you know, to just to the south, um, but we feel it's a good transition.

They also had some um representative imagery within that um that action plan.

Um so I just wanted to kind of take a look at that and and and see what they are envisioning at that time.

Again, this has been you know, um since I think 2013, since this plan was in in envisioned, but um variation in facade, prominent landscaping, pedestrian access priority, um architectural features such as stoops and porches, and then a combination of materials.

Um and I'll let um Donna talk a little bit about um kind of how we're envisioning that facade and kind of the the working with the neighborhood to really try to hone in on on what would be appropriate um along that um stretch.

We understand Park Row is a prominent street within that area, and so we want to make sure that this is a a prominent development that that is a a good entryway into um the the neighborhood and and with a focus on again we specialize on infill development in walkable neighborhoods, so making sure that that that presence onto the right-of-way is is appropriate.

We are um again it is straight zoning and one thing I wanted to mention here too that I neglected to mention on our request um at the beginning was um when we looked at this, we looked at you know the the use of townhomes and what is the lease intense zoning district that would allow that by right.

That's how we chose the RM12.

Um again, just best practice for planning.

Um, what is that the least intensity that would allow that use?

Um, making it simple for staff, um, but also you know, trying to um uh streamline that development um and again with the partnership with the city, um, you know, a lot of trust with you know the the partnership and making sure that um you know with the first-time home buyer um program there there's a lot of connections with the city um in trying to develop this.

With that, I'll I'll give it back to Donna to kind of give uh some examples.

So these are some of the photographs of some of our uh projects, and you can see that uh you know one size doesn't fit all.

We try to work with the city and the neighborhoods in every development and every neighborhood that we go into.

Um it helps inform our design materials, our colors that you know fit within the character and the context of the neighborhood.

You might recognise recognize Bel Air on Abram, the the lower photo graph, uh which which was championed by former uh mayor Jeff Williams uh and the unofficial East Arlington mayor Sue Phillips, who with East Arlington Renewal helped us um choose the materials, the colors, landscaping, fencing, and we incorporated a butterfly garden and some uh seating in the common green space.

So a lot of that was informed by several meetings and working with the neighborhood to come up with with that um context for that community.

In the right photo, uh you'll see that easy cake.

That is a live work unit um that we built.

It's a community of live work town homes uh that we developed in partnership with the city of Irving.

Um it was a catalyst to initiate their new uh mixed-use zoning in the heart of the city's heritage district, which is one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city of Irving, and they wanted to revitalize that to create not only rooftops but opportunities for small businesses and entrepreneurs.

And you'll see it's a little bit more of a modern, I guess, urban kind of look to that town home.

And then in the top photo is just actually a couple of blocks down from um the uh right photo is uh an infill townhome development community, and it was surrounded by single family homes.

We built 18 communities, 18 homes, and we gave them more of a traditional townhome look uh and worked with the neighborhood with the colors and the materials for that as well.

So it is our plan to obviously work with Hannah and Councilman Boxall to inform the materials and the colors uh for this project as well.

Any last words or I guess we're done?

Take some questions.

Thank you.

Questions at this time?

Commissioner Blake I don't sound too dumb with this question, but what is a soft lien versus a lien?

There's no payments and no interest.

It just sits on the the property as a soft second lien.

Okay.

So you have your first lane, which is your mortgage, and then the soft second.

So uh you can't make any um adjustments.

You couldn't sell the property without you.

Yeah, sorry.

So let me ask one.

So let's assume um I'll use the example I used upstairs.

Family purchases this qualify.

Contracts are signed, you've got the second lien in place.

And four years go by, and this family has to be has to move to Tyler or someplace.

Who puts a house on the market?

That family who owns a home.

Okay.

And so they sell the home.

Uh are there any restrictions to whom they can sell it to?

Not to whom they could sell it to, no, sorry.

So they could theoretically in five years or two years or three years because I got transferred, sell it to an investor.

I think could, but I doubt an investor would want to buy it because the HOA restricts any rental.

So it has a homeowner occupancy requirement in the HOA docs.

Okay, and that HOA will be enforced for how long?

For forever.

Forever.

So that can never be rented or it can't well can never be rented.

It has to be owned.

Owner occupied.

Owner occupied.

Okay.

Very good.

Commissioner Blake.

So you said that it couldn't be, so it would go on forever for the HOA.

Who is actually running that HOA?

Is it the homeowners or is it your group is going to continue to be that HOA's entity?

It's up to the owners once it's fully stabilized if they want to continue to have us as the what was called a declarant for that HOA.

Right.

But eventually they could all get together and run the HOA themselves.

So therefore, in your bylaws, can you add something in there that it makes it to where they cannot dissolve the HOA even with a full vote of all of the HOA members?

Well, there is a hundred percent in our past HOA documents.

We have required at least a hundred percent.

We don't allow any changes unless all of them agree.

Fair enough.

Thank you.

Any other questions?

Very good.

Do we have any other speakers in support?

Do we have any other speakers in opposition?

Final comments.

Um as I mentioned, I I really look forward to uh working with Hannah and uh the neighborhood to um create something that hopefully will be a catalyst for redevelopment in that area.

We really look forward to that.

I just remembered a question.

In the staff report, it says that the uh church is going to give you the deed.

I've never seen that written in the staff report.

So why was that mentioned in the staff report that the church is going to give a the deed to the housing corporation?

I think it should transfer the deed.

So they're gonna that you're purchasing a property from the church?

Correct, yes.

Okay, and the church was very explicit that they wanted a community development project, so we had to go to them and get their buy-in before we were able to have a contract.

All right, thank you.

That's that answers my question.

Yeah.

Commissioner Ware.

Um I just want to mention that I'm impressed with the design and the materials that you used, and I hope you'll continue to do those in this project.

Definitely, thank you.

Yeah, we like to create products that people are proud of.

Any other comments?

Commissioner Carter.

I want to thank you for the project too, because I'm very familiar with the neighborhood, and it it it will be a really nice addition over there, an improvement, something shiny and new, and it's not taken away uh, you know, it's not taking away uh uh residential zoning, it's adding it.

So that's what I'm so pleased about it with.

So um it'll you know it'll really give an opportunity for uh a young person or any age person that's might not be high income to have um home ownership, and that's the fastest way to acquire wealth is you know they can live there 25 years and wake up and have a really nice uh beautiful paid off piece of property where if they continue to rent they have nothing after 20 years.

So I think it's a really good project.

And so thanks for I'm thinking I'm glad this is uh the the purchase of the property is going well and it's gonna work out for you.

Thank you so much.

I appreciate those comments.

You're welcome.

Any other questions?

Thank you very much for your project and your presentation.

Thank you.

Uh seeing no further speakers at this time, I'll we'll close the public hearing and ask the commissioners if they have any other comments or motion.

Seeing none, we do have a motion to approve by Commissioner Blake, and we have a second by Commissioner Ware.

Commissioner Blake, would you please state your motion?

I would like to make a motion to approve ZA 26-01, 300 West Park Row application to change the zoning from office commercial to residential medium density.

Um Comer Ware is at your second.

Cast your vote.

Motion passes nine to nothing.

Congratulations.

You should I think council will probably feel the same way.

Thank you for your project here in Orlington very much.

With that, there being no further business in front of the commission tonight.

Do we have any additional reports from any boards, commissions?

No, sir.

Any announcements from staff or commissioners?

No announcements.

Therefore, I finally want to remind everyone that our next regular session meeting of planning and zoning will be on Wednesday, March the 4th at 530.

With that, we are adjourned and thank you for all of your due diligence, ladies and gentlemen.

Thank you.