Yes, 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 March the 4th, 2026.

At this time, I'll ask our administrator 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 in any other actions that disturb or are calculated to disturb the meeting, or who becomes disruptive while addressing the planning and zoning commissioners, or while attending the planning and zoning meeting may be removed from the 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 ten minutes to make a presentation.

Speakers in support or opposition of the item will be given five minutes each to make their statements.

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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.

First order of business is the minutes of our last meeting, a copy of these minutes for February the 18th, 2026 regular agenda meeting were sent to all of the commissioners in advance.

Were there any changes or corrections needed to the minutes?

Seeing none, do I have a motion to approve the minutes?

I do from Commissioner Winkles, and I have a second by Commissioner Sumter.

Please cast your vote.

Motion passes A to nothing.

This time we're going to have a public hearing for our UDC or Unified Development Code amendments.

I'm going to ask staff to present its report on the Unified Development Code amendment related to the addition of form-based coding.

So staff, who's going to come up to the microphone and do this.

Let me preface this for the members of the audience.

Our staff, City Council, and Planning and Zoning have been working for over a year, in some cases, over two years.

This process started a long, long time ago.

Hopefully, after this presentation, you'll understand a little bit of what we're doing, but the why behind it I don't think has been uh addressed yet.

And I'm just going to briefly comment that the why behind this is we've had a significant difficulty in getting downtown Arlington to be able to be to have an environment for redevelopment in downtown Arlington because it's just been very difficult to do that.

This whole process that you're about to hear is creating a process by which a developer or a builder knows in advance exactly what they can do and what they cannot do.

Right now they come through the process and it changes as every week and every month goes by.

With this, when they come and they want to do something in downtown Arlington, they're going to know from the get-go, from A to Z exactly the rules they have to follow.

And it's going to shorten the process and make it, I think, perhaps more attractive for builders and developers to do things in our downtown business district.

So with that, the floor is yours.

Good evening, Commissioners, and good evening to everyone present here today for the record.

Tarani Devi Palma, the principal planner in the long-range planning team.

I'm also the project manager for the forum-based code.

Tonight we have the final adoption public hearing for the forum-based code, unified development code amendment, and zoning map amendment.

Before I begin the presentation, I would like to address one of the main concerns that we have been hearing from the public regarding eminent domain.

Um, I want to mention that this is not an eminent domain case.

Form based code is a set of regulations that is adopted into our code for future development or redevelopment.

And again, this is not an eminent domain case.

This is the agenda that we will be seeing today, which we will explain what is form-based code and why we are bringing this to the public hearing today and all the regulations that are related to it.

And also we'll see an example of if you have a property in downtown, what is the step-by-step guide of how to use the regulations on a real in the real world?

Why form-based code and where did it all begin?

In 2018, the city of Arlington adopted a downtown master plan with the vision to attract more people downtown and foster a diversity of housing options and also to provide a safe, walkable, vibrant, and livable community.

The form based code regulations is a tool to implement those vision and standards that is mentioned in the downtown master plan.

A couple of goals I would like to point out from this slide is to encourage the restoration and adaptive reuse of existing buildings to facilitate new businesses and creative activity.

For example, think of division street.

Um, for redevelopment, that is a prime street and adaptive reuse of existing buildings would be allowed, and there's a set of regulations that would be followed with the form-based code, and also improving connectivity and walkability of downtown so that the residents and visitors can easily explore multiple areas.

Forum-based code will help achieve these goals and the vision.

And what is form-based code and how is it different from the conventional zoning standards that we currently have in our unified development code?

Current zoning in downtown is use-based.

For example, a property could be zoned residential, commercial, or industrial, meaning they're separated by uses, land uses.

But form-based code is also a type of zoning, but that does not focus on the uses.

It focuses less on the uses and more on how the buildings and the streetscape look.

So the regulations are not written just for the private property, but also writing regulations for the private realm, that is the streetscape standards and the street themselves.

For sidewalk, for landscaping, and for street lighting.

So this is an illustration of an example of a property that's developed with the form-based code regulations.

Here you can see that the building is closer to the street, right here, with the minimum transparency requirements, and also control placement of parking in the back, and also the streetscape elements is added right here.

What are the benefits of forum-based code?

It creates a predictable neighborhood character.

The future development is more consistent with the community vision.

It encourages walkable, vibrant areas.

By placing building closer to sidewalks and supporting a mix of uses, especially in the downtown area in appropriate places, it helps activate streets that are safer and more pedestrian friendly.

Imagine our Abram Street.

And the transition provides appropriate transition and prevents incompatible uses near the neighborhoods.

Uses clear visual standards.

Form-based code is more visual because we want to write regulations to say how the buildings would look like.

So this code includes diagrams and design standards so property owners and residents can easily understand.

Objectives, these are the main objectives, and we've split it into for residents, for property owners are developers, or for businesses.

For residents living in the area, this code helps to protect single family neighborhoods by providing appropriate transitions, land uses, and height maximums.

The regulations will be consistent with the community character.

We met with the North Central Historic Neighborhood and also the neighborhood that resides on the west of Meadowbrook community and included standards in the FBC after consulting with them, as they had requested to maintain their community character.

And also it creates walkable, safe experiences close to home and it removes the potential of incompatible development next door.

For property owners and developers, it removes the barriers and reduce the need for planned developments.

Right now, if you want to develop or redevelop planned developments is the most the tool that's used and it has to go through a public hearing process.

With this form-based code, we're trying to streamline the development standards, and we are making sure that if the development meets all the standards, then mostly it could be administratively approved.

And it also creates a flexible master plan for an area that is like our chair mentioned.

We have written a code in the beginning, and as long as it meets the code, the property, the development plan would be approved.

It also meets to ensure quality development, it's predictable.

Allows the city to focus on coordinated investments in the public realm in conjunction with the redevelopment.

So we are not focusing just on the private property, but as a street as a whole in the whole context.

For businesses, it allows incremental property investments and improvements for legally conforming businesses and more uses of permitted by right and on more on more properties.

Improved street activation and experiences for customers.

How did it all begin?

And how long have we been working?

The conversation began when city council asked staff to provide examples of form-based code in 2022.

A list of 10 potential areas was initially considered and was narrowed down to three pilot potential areas.

And in 2024, the city council approved a contract with the Livable Plants and Codes LLC to study the three areas and recommend one for consideration.

I want to show you the three areas that was initially considered.

The first area was from Abram Street from Collins to 360, and the second one was Cooper Street from Cooper Street, Matlock, and Pioneer Parkway intersection, and the third one was Division Street from Cooper to Collins.

On January 7, 2025, downtown area was confirmed as a forum-based code pilot area by the city council.

Since then, you could see the series of planning and zoning commission meetings and city council meetings were held to discuss the components of the code and the regulating plan, which we call it as a zoning map.

At the same time, the staff also held various stakeholder meetings.

We met with individuals, residents, developers, neighborhood groups, business owners, UTA, Downtown Arlington management team, auto dealers, the North Central Historic Neighborhood, the West of Meadowbrook Park neighborhood, church, churches, Arlington Board of Relators, Mission Arlington, Walkable Arlington, and several others to gather input and feedback on the code and the vision process.

The two open meetings that I would like to highlight are key milestones in our engagement process.

The first one was the design character we held in March, where community members helped shape the vision and framework for the code.

The second one was in December.

It was an open house where we presented the draft code and offered a station for residents to view both the current and the proposed zoning for individual properties, and we received positive feedback at both events and the community's input has been instrumental in guiding this effort.

According to the state law, by mid-February, several notifications were mailed out to property owners and tenants.

You can see the numbers here.

We received a total of nine support letters and four opposition letters.

We have also been receiving some right now.

We also received several phone calls and emails and support and answer several questions for neighbors and residents and the property owners living in the area about this forum-based code.

These are some of the frequently asked questions that we've been hearing, so we wanted to address them.

So what is zoning and what is the unified development code?

Zoning is the city's tool for regulating land, how a land can be used, such as allowed uses, building height, setbacks, parking, and landscaping.

Zoning regulations, they reside within the unified development code in the code of ordinances of the city and guides development to align the city's comprehensive plan and other long-range plan.

The forum-based code will only be applicable when you're developing or for future development or when you're redeveloping a site.

What is the impact on properties and businesses?

FBC will only apply when a property owner chooses to make significant changes to a building, use or site, or develop a vacant property as I mentioned before.

Will my short-term rental be affected by the foreign-based code?

This is also one that we have been hearing the most.

No.

If you are currently having a valid short-term rental permit issued by the city, you may complete operating to do so.

And if you live within the zone, you can still get for a permit.

Will my property be taken through eminent domain because the forum based code?

No.

The adoption of the forum based code does not authorize the city to take private property.

Forum based code regulates how property may be developed in the future.

It does not involve taking ownership of property.

With this, um, let me hand it over to Jay Naraina, our consultant who has been helping with our development of foreign based code.

Thank you, Tarani.

Uh Jay Naraina with the Livable Plants and Codes principal working on the farm based code.

I do have many of my other team members here.

Uh have Ivan Gonzalez and Wes also with West Prout with the Kimli Horn.

Uh he may be outside helping answer some of the questions as well.

Um so thank you again.

Uh I would like to reiterate that this has been a long process, and it's been a really collaborative effort, and really thankful for the staff in terms of really uh working and doing the uh day-to-day work on uh speaking to the stakeholders, property owners, and really um uh reaching out to everyone who wants to meet with the staff and talk about the code, and really want to reiterate that this is um not the city going to redevelop anyone's property or taking anyone's property, it's really about providing options for property owners.

It's really trying to allow people to have the best opportunity for this to take advantage of the city's uh ability to reinvest in the city's uh infrastructure, the streets, and the public spaces and take advantage of that.

So the way the farm based code will reside in the UDC is going to be this new article 13 that's going to be created.

And uh remember we did talk about the city's ability to create farm based codes in other locations, and we want to make sure that the city had that flexibility that it's not just in downtown but in other locations as the city looked at kind of looking at um redevelopment at other locations.

Is there a potential for this tool to be utilized elsewhere?

So we created this article that could be also tailored in other locations.

It's similar to a PD, but it's almost like creating its own um separate um set of rules.

So 13.1 really creates this general standards that would be applicable to all farm-based districts in the city, and then 13.2 would really be uh the downtown farm-based district, which really would also um uh add 13.1 and 13.2 together to form uh the standards that would be applicable to downtown.

And when you create a new district, then that would be added as 13.3, so it would be an easy uh process as a city kind of created future form-based districts.

So this is the existing zoning map, and you can kind of see that this is just the base zoning district.

You do also have the underlying um uh the overlay district as well.

So if you ended up looking at the uh downtown um neighborhood overlay, you ended up you could have a lot of different permutations and combinations of you know over the downtown overlay with a bunch of different uh underlying districts as well.

So you can kind of see this is the uh the the D and O overlay with uh the RM12 and then the RM22 and you know and so on and so forth.

And then you have the entertainment district overlay with a bunch of other um underlying uh districts as well.

So what we are trying to do is clean up uh the overlay and the underlying districts and really create one zoning map for downtown.

So you'd only really have these five different subdistricts uh from now on and really the um neighborhood the um overlay would go away with this uh act.

And you have uh the traditional neighborhood, uh which is the one that would apply to the neighborhood to the north and the southeast.

Uh the building heights would be limited to two and a half stories uh in the downtown uh farm-based district.

Uh the front porches and stoops would be would be required to activate the streetscape.

Parking would be uh allowed in the side of the rare of the property and the streetscape elements, the sidewalks and the street trees would would also be required.

And the streetscape elements, the sidewalks and the street trees would also be required.

The urban neighborhood would be the next intense neighborhood.

The heights would be from three to five stories.

It would depend on where it's actually located.

The facade design, you can kind of see that it's a little more intense than the neighborhood.

The buildings are a little closer, you have a little wider sidewalks.

Buildings have a little more hardscape in front of them.

So you can kind of see that it's meant for more townhomes, smaller apartment buildings.

The next is the corridor mixed use, which is meant for your wider roadways such as Collins, Cooper, etc.

So you can kind of see that you'd allow one story, five story, six-story buildings.

You could see some side parking because you may see a lot more auto-oriented uses in the in the short term since you do have some major arterial roadways.

We understand that some of these corridors may remain auto-oriented for a while.

We recognize that some of these areas, the markets going to take a while for them to be more urban.

And the core would be where you'd have the original downtown business DB district where we'd have the most intense walkable areas where you'd have the widest sidewalks, the more active sidewalk cafes, and uses.

So the other thing that the code really addresses is building design standards.

There are some standards that apply to all buildings.

Really, you want to make sure that you have enough doors and windows, activation for ground floors, shade, shade is really an important element, especially when you're talking about summer in Texas.

So that's an important thing.

We want to make sure ground floors, you know, some of the corridors will have some ground floor residential, especially when you have a wider roadway.

You want to make sure that that's treated in a in a way that it makes it pleasant when you have ground floor residential.

And then residential building types, uh, there are standards that go beyond just density in terms of compatibility.

Uh it you want to make sure that the type of residential development, the design in terms of building width, and um is also addressed in terms of where the garage is placed, architectural elements like porches, windows, roof forms, um, how the dwelling unit entries are designed, uh, exterior finish materials, whether you have alleys and alley access, etc.

So all these uh elements are the design uh details are really important when it comes to compatibility.

Uh ADUs, we want to make sure we addressed uh the standards for ADUs in the code.

Um we uh want to make sure that we reduce the burden and the the barriers uh for adding ADUs uh to existing lots where you have a primary dwelling unit.

Um so anything 800 square feet or under is considered an ADU.

You'd only be required one parking space, and you can have it within the main structure or detached, it can be either cottage court.

Um this is again an interesting idea.

We've seen really creative ways that cottage courts uh have been developed in other communities, and we are taking inspiration from that and kind of uh created some uh standards that uh we're hoping can be utilized here.

And this is only allowed in the UN district.

We have other uh standards for one-story commercial.

We know a lot of the corridor may have one-story commercial that has to be addressed uh slightly differently.

Uh multi-story buildings, uh, you have the facade articulation, but we do have some flexibility in how that's addressed.

So there's some creativity allowed for architects gonna bring their uh creative creativity to the design of facades.

And then parking garages and auto-oriented side elements, uh, the design of drive-throughs and you know gas stations, these are all things that you know a lot of times the details are really important, especially you know, we all may think yes, we want to be in a walkable area, we don't want drive-throughs, we don't want gas stations, but that's a reality you're dealing with because you do have a lot of arterial corridors.

That's a reality that you may see in a lot of areas that yes, we do still drive, we still have gas stations.

We like our drive-throughs, you know, especially after COVID, we want to drive-throughs.

So uh that's we just want to be realistic about some of that, and there is a way to design them in a way that doesn't kill the pedestrian environment.

So we want to kind of uh create that uh uh design standard in the code.

Um then there are standards for streets and sidewalks, and again, um some of the stuff we show in the code doesn't necessarily mean that the city is necessarily going to go and develop those streets or blocks.

These are just ideas that are in there that when development ever happens, this may never actually happen because if the property owner decides to never develop, it's it may never happen, but this at least provides the information that as people uh buy or decide to develop, they have that available for them, right?

That's what a thoroughfare plan is for.

That you know when you when you buy the property, what the um what the city's vision for that property is, right?

So that's that's the intent of of the regulating plan is to provide that information.

So the block standards would be either as shown in the regulating plan or there is a requirement for 13 uh hundred square feet of perimeter.

The alternative is you know, project circulate uh circulation plan.

So there is flexibility in the code that people can do something creative.

Um sidewalks are an important element because we know that you know it's difficult to control what's happening in in the driving lane uh between the curbs, but what happens behind the curb is something that's really critical in terms of walkability, so we want to address that.

So sidewalks on existing streets is something you want to address because uh as we said, the form-based code is really about addressing what happens on the street sidewalk with what happens on on uh private property.

Um so um parking is another thing where we did reduce the parking requirement across the board.

Uh, right now, if you're in downtown, if you change from an office use to a retail use, you most probably have to provide more parking, which is difficult in a downtown context.

Where are you gonna go find more parking?

And what we are uh gonna do is reduce the parking across the board and say that for all non-residential users, you just provide one ratio.

So it's one per 400 square feet, and once you build it to that ratio, you can change to any use allowed in the code, and the city is not going to micromanage you.

So that's that's really the point.

And the first 2,000 uh square feet, we are not we are gonna just exempt that.

So across the board, the whole point of downtown is going to be this shared parking concept that we want to uh allow people to change uses and reduce the barrier for uh this mixed use idea that you want to allow people to convert uh their property to the highest and best use possible.

Open space, um I think right now you have a graduated open space requirement.

It goes from five to eight percent uh depending on the unit size you propose.

Uh but we are reducing that to a five percent uh for all development over 20,000 square feet.

Um of that 5%, at least 60% has to be common open space, but the remainder of it can really be flexible.

You can have it private or you know, um common open space.

Uh so that could be you know your balconies, could be a rooftop terraces or your clubhouse, etc.

So it's really providing you with that flexibility, but 60% of it has to be some kind of you know publicly accessible open space.

But it can't be the required sidewalk along a street, public street.

Signage, it's really you do have um uh Article 7, which has a lot of standards that we really are trying to use, the existing standards that work well in the context of downtown.

Um and this uh concept of the density bonus, we want to make sure that we address this because right now, given the constraints of SP 840, there is a um limit of the 36 dwelling units per acre across the board in the city, and the only way to get around that is the PD process, and we know that in downtown uh there is um a need for additional density just because you have the regional destinations with the entertainment district, the university, there is infrastructure, there's the it's a regional destination and it's a regional center, um, and downtown is the one place you know there is um there's a capacity for that additional density, um, right.

So that's one of the reasons we we know that um uh downtown is the right place for that, and a tiered approach to that additional density uh makes sense.

So the first tier is between 36 dwelling units and 60 dwelling units, um, and then the parking strategy would allow you to um have that 80% of that required parking to be provided either in the combination of a parking structure or surface parking, shared parking, um, street parking, and some kind of improved uh street parking, whether it's on street or you know, some kind of streetscape improvements, etc.

This is very similar to the Balford Lofts that was recently approved.

Um, but the idea is that this would all be by right.

This is not through any additional uh legislative approvals, this would all be by right.

And the next tier would be the 36 beyond the 60 units per acre would go to 60 to 100 units per acre, then 80% would be um of the required parking would be in a parking structure because at that density you would have to go vertical on your parking anyway, and then 50% of your A furnages would have to have commercial ready ground floors.

Again, um this is a departure from the current practice where you would have to actually build commercial ground floors, that means you would have to have retail uses on the ground floor, but we are not really requiring that you just sort of build the ground floor to retail ready standards, and when the market is ready, then those can be accommodated.

You're not forcing the market on day one.

Um at least the ground floors, uh the uh floor to floor heights will be there, the ADA um standards will be met, so there's less of a um structural barrier for uh commercial users to be accommodated when the market's ready.

So um that was a compromise on the A frontages, and we know that the densities then will be there for commercial users to make sense.

Um then um the other incentive is also that the on-street parking could also be credited because you want to make sure that as these kind of redevelopments happen, then they also invest in the street infrastructure because you know that the city is not going to be able to redo all the street infrastructure with the on-street parking and the street trees, etc.

So you'd want um to get some credit for that as well.

Anything over the 100 units per acre, then would go through a major modification.

Again, this is one of the things that is critical for the success of uh downtown form-based zoning because this would be a buy-right density bonus that currently doesn't exist in downtown.

So the uh supplemental regulations then that would apply to downtown because the general standards really don't have the height standards, and then the supplemental standard 13.2 establishes the height standards where the traditional neighborhood has the 2.5 story limit, the UN3 has the three-story limit, um, and UN5 is five, the downtown core is 12 stories, uh, CMU4 is four, CMU 6 is six, the um downtown gateway is 18 stories.

Uh, in terms of applicability and uh redevelopment, and this is really critical, it's a little um of an issue simply because we know that in downtown you're going to have a lot of existing structures that and sites that will be made non-conforming because there are a lot of buildings that are auto-oriented that are on the fringe of your downtown, um, especially along division, collins, Cooper, um, that will not meet your phone-based code.

And we know that the market may not be there for a lot of years for them to scrape and rebuild.

So we want to make sure that the code is sensitive for to people who want to use their existing properties and make modest reinvestment and make sure that the market is driving those reinvestments.

And so there is a tiered approach to that as well.

That we just focus on as people reinvest in the properties, we're really focusing on the A frontages and make sure that those are the ones that we want to spend a lot of money and reinvestment on.

And there is a process that they can go to and ask for waivers on the standards through the major modification process to council when they cannot meet those standards, um, and say, hey, city council, there are certain things that we just can't meet the standards for X, Y, or Z, and there is an escape valve written into the code for those purposes because we know that uh the market's gonna drive some of that, and we want to be sensitive to that as well.

So, with that, um, we just kind of want to walk you through a step-by-step guide as to how um uh someone would use the code.

Um, it's really a theoretical project, it's um a property uh that's currently vacant, uh, which I think is city owned, but um, this is what you would do.

Uh, there is actually in the code a way that you would actually apply the code.

First, you'd actually locate the property on the farm-based code regulating plan.

That's the first step.

And on the regulating plan, there are different things that you had to look at.

Uh, first thing is you know what is the subdistrict of the property, and then this case the property is on Abram Street that it is um in the downtown core subdistrict, that's the blue.

And the frontage designation uh is uh on Abrams Street, it's an A designation, that's the green, and then on Main Street is also an A designation.

Is there a recommended uh future street?

No.

Is there an access way?

Yes, there is one.

Um there is uh recommended pedestrian connection through the middle of that uh uh property, yes.

Um are there any other requirements like ground floor commercial ready?

There are some blocks there down on Abram, but not on this block.

And the next thing you would do is look at the um use table to see what uses.

I mean, if you are a property owner and you know what you want to do, you'd actually look for the use that you want to put on the property and say, okay, can I put uh um cafe or a restaurant on this property, and you'd go to that listing on this use table and and decide whether you can do it or not.

Next thing you do is go to the um uh table that told you what the development standards are, which is this stable 13.1.

Oh, it's always fun to read out these table numbers after a while.

Um it's a C core sub-district uh standards.

Um the type A and B frontage uh setbacks are zero is the minimum and 12 is the maximum, and then uh the build building frontage standards are 70% on the A frontage.

Uh the maximum building is actually in 13.2, which is 12 stories.

The parking permitted is in the rare, and then um parking setback is 25.

So you kind of have to apply those standards on the actual um site plan, so you can kind of see that's what you get when you put all those.

The the blue is the the parking setback, the red is the building setbacks, and then once you actually figure out what your building frontage has to be, that is, you know, there is has to be uh a minimum of 70% of the lot frontage that has to have a building on it.

So your building on Abram has to be at least 187 feet long, and then your building on uh main street has to be at least 48 feet long, so that's what you end up getting.

Um then your parking kind of uh the configuration in terms of where you put your parking on the property and how much you need.

So you can kind of look at the calculation of parking.

Um the first 2,000 square feet doesn't count.

So you have you need about 35 parking spaces.

So this is kind of the plan that you get from um uh from that uh easy calculation.

This is again a back of the envelope sketch based on our initial you know um drawing of what the plan would result in.

Obviously, this doesn't take into account what you'd buy the property for and you know what rents you would actually get for this um this building, etc.

So this doesn't take any of that into account.

The next you'd have to look at is the actual design standards that you would have to apply for the actual facade of the building.

Then you'd have to look at uh the sidewalks that would be required, and this is where the administrator would decide whether what's there um now uh meets the code or not.

Main street, of course, doesn't have any sidewalks.

This is where again uh this would require new sidewalks, but again, whether this would happen with this development or whether the city would decide they would do it at a different time would be a uh decision the administrator would make.

Again, the sidewalk that we required is in the code.

What's required would be a 10 foot clear sidewalk at least, uh 10 foot wide clear um width of sidewalk.

So and then um there is this requirement for this pedestrian connection in the middle.

And this is where you could really have a breezeway between these two buildings with some of the entrances to those um tenant spaces, kind of like your Abram Alley uh situation uh between those two and the minimum width there would be um uh also required about um uh I think uh it's about 20 feet would be the uh um access easement, and then the actual clear sidewalk would be eight feet.

Um the process again, um, as we said before is if it meets the code and uh or if it needs some minor modifications within what's uh specified in the code, it would be um approved by the zoning administrator or designee.

So the idea is that 80 percent of the applications um at least would uh be approved administratively, and then if there are uh major modifications, those would be uh uh reviewed um by the administrator, but also uh would go to city council.

May uh it may add uh a few more weeks to the process.

Um so I think this is where we want to make sure that there is a streamlined process, but we are also very clear that in the code there are very specific um requirements for how these minor modifications would even work.

So it's not a free-for-all, uh and there are very specific things that the administrator could even uh modify uh beyond which the um uh city council does have a little more uh leeway in terms of modifications.

Um of course there are things like changing things on the regulating plan itself would be a rezoning, so those would go through the formal rezoning process, like changing the boundary of a sub-district or uh you know um a frontage designation, uh those are kind of things that would be uh a change to the regulating plan, that would be a zoning change.

Uh so with that um I'd be happy to answer any questions.

That's a lot to go through.

Thank you very much.

Do any of the commissioners at this time have any questions of the speaker?

I would like to inform the public that we started our meeting upstairs at 3:30, and we've been talking about this for quite some time, and we've been talking about this for months.

But do the commissioners have any questions at this moment?

Thank you very much.

I just wanted to go back to the regulating plan, so at least we'd have that.

Right.

So this time I'm gonna call for speakers in support and in opposition, and we're gonna begin with speakers in support.

Many of you have filled out a card uh in advance, and I'm going to invite you to the podium.

When you come up, please state your name.

In the city of residence, we do not need your address as we have in the past.

All we want is your name in the city that you you're from.

First card in support is Liam Crowley.

Liam, the floor is yours.

Hello.

My name is Liam Crowley.

I live here in downtown Arlington.

I'm very excited by this form based code I've been a part of this progress going through all the public meetings.

Very excited about the streetscape improvements and the sidewalks that are being proposed here.

I think it'll be a great addition to the character of downtown.

I'm excited for the future of the development.

I'm in support, sorry.

Yeah, you're in support, but what what's your organization that you're part of?

Oh, I'm the president from walkable Arlington.

Thank you very much, sir.

Thank you.

Okay, that was short.

Good.

Uh Olga Torres.

I know.

Olga Torres, uh, you're in support.

But would you please come forward?

Olga.

Okay.

Good evening.

Your name and the city that you're from.

Okay.

My name is Olga Torres, and I live in here in Arlington.

Good.

I'm a I'm uh I have a concern because um I live in uh 415 Northeast Street.

Is there's a mobile home park?

Uh so uh I was think I was like I don't know what is gonna going on with this.

I'm sorry, my English.

Um people thought they we have to move they're going to remove us to another place, or we have to sell our mobile homes or that's that's what I'm here today to know what is gonna happen with uh property and for 15.

I'm gonna uh we're gonna answer your question.

Would you please come forward and answer that for her, please?

Olga, don't go, don't go away.

Just stay close.

Oh, okay.

This forum-based code regulation.

Uh we are not asking uh the mobile home park, uh, your home to be relocated anywhere.

This is just let's say in 15, 20 years from now or 30 years from now, if the mobile home park was to be redeveloped, these regulations would be applicable.

So you can stay there as long as the mobile home park exists.

Oh, okay.

Yeah, okay.

I hope it's for better.

It is for better.

There are streets, lights, and stuff.

It's bad in there.

So I hope it will be for good.

Good.

All right, thank you so much.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh I have another uh card in support.

I'm sorry, I'm having a hard time reading this.

You need to, yes.

And your last name is Vidam.

Um do you know the only one?

You and me.

Yeah, handwriting like a doctor.

I was going to be a doctor, but I decided not to, but one of my son is gonna be a doctor.

Okay.

Good evening, everybody, commissioner.

My name is Juliel Vidana, and I'm I'm a resident of Fort Worth.

I'm here today today to express my support from my strong support for the implementation of the base forum-based code, traditional zoning.

Two often insulates different uh parts of the city.

But forum-based code focus on actually makes a neighborhood tribe, the physical character of the buildings and how to they connect to the streets and the people working on it.

But replacing design scale and walkability over street, landhouse separation, this code will help us with vibrant, cohesive and accessible neighborhoods without sacrificing our city and unique identified.

I personally wish for the zoning change to be approved as I want to build a duplex on my unappropriate lot located in 508 Indiana Street.

Currently, my properties uh sorry.

Sorry, guys.

Take your time.

Okay.

Currently, my property is currently sun community commercials.

And I feel that it's a highest it's uh highest and best use for an improved lot is to improve housing rather than a commercial building on a street with very limited traffic.

Thank you for your time and service at the Arlington Community.

Thank you very much.

You're welcome.

I have another uh card in support.

Uh speaker Sera Carrillo.

Marcasta Aki Carrillas hablar mente.

Oh, no quieres hablar.

Okay, what she saw I'll translate.

She only speaks Spanish, and I I informed her that she really needs to put it on the record in English so that the most of the public can understand her.

But you are you are in support.

Do eras do you know I've never I've never dealt with this.

So if a Spanish speaker wanted to speak in Spanish, could they?

Yeah.

Okay.

All right, thank you.

Uh Sarah Caria, gracias.

Gracias.

Okay.

I have uh also uh speaker in support, Martha Orage.

Mente.

Come on up.

Okay, when I started, my name is Marta Olage.

Okay.

All right.

So she is Marta, and she lives in Oakaven.

Okay.

So why don't you you're gonna translate for it?

Okay, so she can go ahead and speak, and you just do the best you can.

Okay.

All right.

Go ahead.

And the microphone can be adjusted if you need it.

Okay.

Go ahead.

So there was a bit of controversy because the letters were sent in English.

And her you know daughter was reading it and you know, she read a you know how like she read it so que nos digeron is que nos van a reubicar a nuestras trailas.

So the her daughter was saying that they were gonna move us, so you know, as a community we came together, and you know, so like we want to know what will happen.

Okay.

So let me let me s in uh interrupt and interject something.

That will not happen.

Please tell her.

Okay.

So I almost commercial like how we are, you know, thinking that would that they're gonna move us also some business owners think that they're also gonna be like moved.

Because there's not enough information.

So Aurita Kegamosuhoven.

When we came, uh young man told us cambious idea.

Okay, and that's why you're now in support.

Yeah, now we're not.

Yeah, so she was thinking, you know, to say no, that she was gonna go against the I against it, but now that they told us now we're supporting.

And by the way, for the rest of the audience, if you have some minor questions or short questions, there are people out in the lobby that can answer those questions for you.

That was all you want to say.

All right, very good.

Thank you very much.

Well, that was a new experience for us.

Thank you very much.

Next, I have uh in support uh Asia Mendoza as a non-speaker Asia you're are you here, Asia.

I don't see Asian Jay Patel, a non-speaker in support.

Mr.

Patel, are you here?

Okay.

Uh now I have cards in opposition.

Okay.

I now have cards in opposition.

Uh it says here K and M Monte LLC or Karam Hawan.

Uh you're a non-speaker in opposition.

Are you present?

Okay, moving on.

I also have an opposition another non-speaker Ali Abu Aid.

Ali, are you here?

Also in opposition, I have uh non-speaker Jay Gion.

And also non-speaker, but it doesn't say whether you're in support or opposition.

Andrew Patterson, is there uh are you here?

Um in support or opposition?

Uh in support.

All right, thank you very much.

We'll put that in the in-support file.

With that, I'll ask the um applicant to come forward and with any final remarks.

That's you.

Well, thank you, everyone.

Um, I know there are a lot of concerns regarding eminent domain.

There are a lot of concerns regarding non-conforming uses, nonconforming buildings.

Um, I want to also mention that with regarding to nonconformity, the uses can stay as long as they do not um move.

If the this if they are discontinued for more than six months, then um that use will no longer be allowed.

So the businesses who are who receive the non-conforming notice, they can stay as long as they operate without discontinuity.

And with regarding to the eminent domain, the city's not taking, or the city is not sending anybody away, they're not we are not relocating anybody.

This is just a tool, it's a set of regulations that is written in the code in case if you want to develop or redevelop a property in the future.

And we are going to be adopting this map, and this is called a zoning map, and also the set of regulations that comes with it in the unified development code.

And also, like you saw, there's two public hearings after this.

This is the planning and zoning public hearing, and the recommendations from the planning and zoning commission will be provided to the city council.

And the dates are just want to mention that.

So if you would like to come and make your remarks at the city council meeting, please welcome to do so.

And the dates are it's at the very end.

There.

April 7th, 2026.

That will be the first public hearing, and the second public hearing is April 21, 2026.

And if you all have any questions, what is my property currently zoned and what is it going to be zoned after this adoption?

We do have staff up front in the lobby helping, and we can look through your property and we can answer questions with regards to your property.

May it be uh residents, may it be businesses, may it be uh from the mobile home park.

We will be happy to answer questions.

Thank you.

I just received a card uh from a Daniel uh Kamosel.

Comash, sir.

Please state your name in the city that you live in.

And uh my name is Daniel Kamash.

Um my family has developed many projects throughout the uh city of Arlington, and as a developer, I have a few questions to ask.

Um, with these changes, there it seems to me with just you know, with a little bit of time that I've spent looking at it, that there could be added expenses, and I'm all for while walkable Arlington as a walk as a native Orlington resident.

But they have to be feasible for the developer to actually develop it, number one.

And I don't know, are they gonna address like the improvements on the streetways?

Because a lot of these are areas that are not very well um maintained.

So really the city needs to put some infrastructure in.

Is that something they're willing to do?

So let me let me let me begin by uh I'm a physician, but I've been around a long time here in the city.

So let me start with an answer, and then I'm gonna give Commissioner Sumter a heads up because I'm gonna ask him to weigh in on this as well.

Um it's in the part of the reason we're doing this.

This there's a lot of reasons, but one of them is that if you're a developer and you wanted to do something in downtown Arlington, you had to go through a planned development process.

That costs a lot of money.

By going through this process, you're not gonna have to do a PD.

You're gonna save on uh a significant amount of money on a large project by going through form-based coding, because if you have a project in your head, you're gonna open up this book.

That's why they put that example up there, and you're gonna go.

Well, this is the property I'm interested in, and according to the the rules and the guidelines and everything that's written, it's uh it's a big thick thing that we're we're voting on tonight.

Then you're gonna know, well, I can do this and I can do this, and you're gonna be able to pencil out and figure out your cost up front, and all you're gonna have to do is go downtown and apply, and you're not gonna have to go through the PDE process, and you're not gonna have to come before planning and zoning, and you're not gonna have to go before city council.

And that's gonna save you a lot of time and a lot of money.

So, Commissioner Sumter, do you want to weigh in on that?

And give them your background, please.

Uh yes, Chair.

Um, I don't know specifically where your properties are located, but I can tell you that form-based code is in the best interest of property owners, developers, and the city as a whole.

For one, as this body and city staff, there's an understanding of what we're what our expectations will be in the future.

There's no question about that.

When it comes to costs, there's always a cost associated with development, and you understand that.

Um I think might be well for you to visit staff out front just to get an understanding of where your property falls.

Can't give you uh specifics because there's different standards for where you are within that regulating plan.

Um, but again, the idea with this form-based code was to streamline the process, make it easier for developers to develop and provide as much flexibility in there so you don't have to worry about land uses, whether it being commercial, like a gentleman just said, I got commercial property, but it makes more sense to be residential.

Um I think flexibility is the biggest thing for you, and I think it's a a very good thing.

So I hope you actually read it and understand it.

Just to be clear, I'm not for against it.

I'm just asking these because I didn't see that anybody has a uh address that I didn't see any other developers um you know stand up and asking these questions.

Some of the biggest challenges we have, and like I said, we've been developing in Arlington and surrounding areas since the 90s, my family.

We own properties, yes, but we also buy properties to redevelop.

And some of the biggest challenges are the infrastructure, the existing infrastructure, and the willingness or the ability of the city to improve some of that structure in the projects with us, more so than it is getting through planning and zoning, because if it's a good project and y'all like it, it's gonna go through planning and zoning.

That's not really the problem.

So let me uh add to my let me add to my comment.

We know that uh Arlington is landlocked.

We know that we have very little uh what we call green space or undeveloped undeveloped land.

We also know that we're gonna have to tear down and build up in order.

That's all we're gonna be able to do in Arlington going forward.

When you're built out, you're built out.

So what do you do?

Something gets old, you tear it down and you replace it with something new.

In order to do that, the economic uh development uh corporation the uh as well as uh there's our what's the other part there's this two yeah, yeah.

There's uh there's tax incremental reclamation zones, and there's also money available from a quarter cent sales tax that goes to the economic development corporation.

And so if you're gonna do something in downtown Arlington or you own property in downtown Arlington and you want some help with the infrastructure, then there is money for that, but you just have to apply for it.

But we know that if we hadn't done those things in the past, most developers would look at downtown Lawrington and go, man, too expensive, not gonna do it here.

And they left and they went everywhere else.

Now we're trying to make it so that uh we can do things to really change the appearance and the livability and the walkability and the beauty of downtown Arlington.

So if I can make one more suggestion, some of the I mean you guys see who are the developers predominantly that are developing Arlington.

Perhaps invite some of those to have to a meeting.

Well, we we did that.

Okay, we've done we weren't we weren't involved with that.

And I'm sorry that you weren't, but we have had lots of developers that have had input into this.

So it's that it wasn't just you know urban planners.

We had real developers involved in this.

So that'll that should give you some reassurance.

But those are really good questions.

Right.

I appreciate it.

And the only other thing I wanted to address for the for the um Hispanic speakers, I don't know if they own the properties or not, but we're saying that it's not going to affect their properties, but in reality, even if the property is adjacent to these developed areas as they developed, we all know that the taxes go up.

So ultimately it may not directly affect them, but indirectly over time it could affect their taxes, which could affect the livability of the of the space.

Sure, value goes up.

Yeah, so all right, thank you.

Very good, sir.

Uh are there any other speakers that have not had an opportunity to speak regarding this uh particular topic?

Now there are gonna be two votes tonight.

This first vote uh has to do with the uh amendment to the UDC regarding form-based coding.

Therefore, is there a motion to approve the UDC amendment regarding form-based coding?

Commissioner Blake.

You have a motion to approve, and I have seconded your motion.

Would you please state your motion, Commissioner Blake?

I'd like to make a motion to approve the unified development code amendment related to the addition of form-based zoning.

Thank you.

With the uh memorandum that you were presented this afternoon, there were changes made.

Uh so you're adopting the draft that was presented to you this afternoon with changes.

Right.

With and that is my second as well to accept the amendment for the form-based coding along with the memorandum that was received by the commissioners that we discussed upstairs.

Uh and that is my second.

Cast your vote.

Motion passes eight to nothing.

Thank you.

Next, we have uh on our agenda part two of this, and that is the uh it is zoning case DN F B Z D 26-01, and the FBZD stands for Downtown Form Based Zoning District.

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

Staff will present.

You want to put the map up there?

Yeah.

And just for the record, uh ladies and gentlemen, the uh UDC uh amendments have been uh have been recommended for approval to go to PNZ.

The next item to be voted on is the uh the actual zoning map, which will implement uh the UDC changes.

You mean recommended go to council, right?

Okay.

So this map is the actual new uh zoning map, and it is part two of what we're voting on tonight.

And this creates the uh zoning district.

Uh and this particular map will regulate what goes where and how.

Do I have a motion to approve?

I do by Commissioner Sumter, and I have a second by Commissioner Blake.

Commissioner Sumter, would you please state your motion?

I'm sorry, just for the record, uh the the you did have two items on your agenda.

I don't we just want to confirm whether any cards that were submitted for the second public hearing.

They were, and uh included all of them in the first section.

Okay.

So every everyone that did fill out a card has spoken.

Yes.

Okay, thank you.

Commissioner Sumter, your uh your motion?

Yes, I move to approve um the new regulating plan for the form-based um just zoning district in downtown Orlington as presented.

Commissioner Blake, is that your second?

It is.

Thank you.

Cast your vote.

Motion passes eight to nothing.

Thank you very much.

And thank all of you who have uh come to speak tonight and thank you for participating in the process.

We're gonna move on.

We're now going to uh an application for consideration to amend a specific use permit to establish a drilling zone on the existing well site and to reduce the current acreage of 7.479 to 6.412 acres of land zone community commercial.

This is entitled SUP08-2R1, addressed approximately at 8380 Glen Day Drive.

At this time, I'll call on staff to present us a report on this case.

Good evening, Commissioners.

This evening I'm presenting to you SUP 08-2R1.

It's the day drill site at 8380 Glendale Drive.

Currently, the site stands on 7.479 acres of track land.

It is zone community commercial with the SUP for gas drilling.

The request is to amend the SUP to establish a drilling zone and reduce the current SUP boundary from 7.479 to 6.412 acres.

The site is currently located south of Debbie Lane, west of Glenday Drive, and north of Raglin Road.

It's it is within two miles of one existing gas well site.

The site was approved for gas drilling in May of 2006.

City Council approves seven wells, which all have been drilled.

There currently are seven separators, three storage tanks, and is enclosed by eight-foot chain link fence.

The nearest protected use from the proposed drill zone is 596 feet.

The nearest protected use from an existing well head is 594 feet.

Currently, the landscape is a tier one, and the revised plan is to incorporate with the nest with the new SUP boundary, 162 three-inch caliper trees along the perimeter of the site outside of the of the fence.

The site property is currently owned by GM Day Estates.

And during the work session, it was asked if the operator would be willing to add additional trees in the southeast corner of their proposed SUP boundary.

Exit Ragland Road to Debbie Lane, right on Debbie Lane, left on Glenday Drive to the Pad Entrance.

When they exit the pad, they will go left on Glendale Drive, right on Debbie Lane to State Highway 360 interchange.

There is a dust mitigation plan in place in order to take any measures to mitigate any dust.

Notices to surface owners within 600 feet of the current SUP boundary were sent out, and it was also posted on next door.

As of today, 10 petitions have been submitted, seven in opposition with six within the quarter mile and one outside the quarter mile.

Three in support with two within the quarter mile and one outside the quarter mile.

And that's that's all I have.

If there are any questions, I can answer for you.

Thank you very much.

Do any of the commissioners at this time have any questions of our staff?

Saying none, thank you.

Thank you.

At this time, I'm going to open up the uh public uh public session.

Are there any uh speakers in support?

If you'll please step forward.

And the applicant.

Please state your name and the city that you live in.

Good evening, commissioners.

My name is Leslie Garvis.

I'm with uh representative of Total Energies in Fort Worth, Texas.

Floor is yours.

We do have several members of our staff here if there are any additional questions that commission will have.

So staff has gone through the location of this and a little bit of history.

I do want to uh reiterate that we do not own this land.

Um the SUP boundary that we currently have.

We have reclaimed the frac pond that was there, and that is why we're asking for a reduction in the SUP that was at landowner request.

This would be our first um exercise on this property as the wells in existence were in existence and drilled prior to us taking ownership of this in 2016.

This is the view from the east, west, north, and south of the existing location.

And as you can see, the blue dotted outline is the current SUP, and then the purple magenta color, that is our SUP amendment that we're requesting, as well as the drill zone.

The existing wells you'll see mostly along the left of the drill zone.

There is one to the far right, and then the three new wells would be just south of that far right existing.

As staff mentioned, the drill zone is 593 feet from the nearest residence, and the closest existing well is 596.6 feet from the closest residence to the south.

I've listed the locations of the nearest park, school, church, and daycare.

And then our proposed wells are all within the ordinance of 600 feet plus from the closest protected use.

As staff mentioned on the landscaping plan, we were asked if we would be willing to um plant outside the southeast corner.

Um right along there's a transmission line that runs right along there, a utility line.

And we agree we will we have no problem planting additional there.

It would be outside the SUP, and uh my understanding is the amendment would mention that we would be responsible for taking care of those, even though it's outside of our SUP, and we're in agreement with that.

Just to give you an example, um, this location does not have a masonry wall.

So with this action, if approved, we would be installing a masonry wall around all four sides.

Landscaping would be on three sides.

We cannot landscape on the east side due to the um electrical.

Um sorry, I can't think of the word tonight.

The utility the utility easement.

Thank you.

That's what I was looking for.

Um, and we have a total of 146 trees currently in the plan.

Um we're willing to add the additional ones that staff is asking for and you guys are familiar.

This is our our standard masonry wall that we'll be putting up and an example of the type of trees that would be going in place.

We would be doing road upgrade on this location.

And then during drilling, we would have dust control um as well as sound abatement.

Because of the fact that we have reclaimed the frack pond during drilling, we would have temporary above ground tanks within the SUP boundary, only during the time of the drilling, and that would hold fresh water.

And you guys have all seen our safety and our training before.

Just want to reiterate that as with all of our other sites, we follow all of the same safety guidelines and training guidelines and safety.

This would also be electric drilled.

And these are some of our admission reduction initiatives that we have taken.

If there's any mineral interest owners, this is the phone number that they could contact if they have any questions on their mineral interest.

And at the front of the location, there's a sign that has our 24-7 operations center that if there are any residential concerns, they can call at any time.

And I will tell you at this location and the time we've been there, we have no had no resident complaints or concerns on this location.

And then that just shows our upcoming dates.

And we're available for any questions.

Are there any questions of commissioners at this time of the applicant?

Thank you very much.

I'm gonna read from the list of uh speakers or cards in support.

Uh Dusty Anderson, non-speaker in support.

You're here.

Good.

Todd Grayson, uh, non-speaker in support.

Brad Opfer in support.

Brian Shaw.

Thank you, sir.

And Cliff McCoskey in support.

Cliff, good evening, sir.

Uh are there any speakers in opposition.

Is there anyone who wanted to speak who has not yet received an opportunity or filled out a card?

Seeing none, I'll ask the applicant.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Yeah, come on up.

You can, but you can do it afterwards.

Just state your name in your city and go ahead and say what you need to say.

I'm Bradley Niles.

I'm from Pentigo.

Uh I live in Pentigo.

I probably have, I don't know, 250 pieces of property for minerals in Tarrant County, and I probably get paid on around 60 or 70 of those.

So this would be a filing with Texas Rural Commission for a MIPA, a mineral interest pooling act.

Is that correct?

Yes.

Um I'm uh I'm definitely for it.

I think uh in the area, there is definitely going to be oil.

I've always been told my entire life that the oil and gas industry, the uh byproduct is uh the oil is down there.

We just don't have the technology to get it.

This this gas is fuming from the oil, and uh I'm for it.

I'm I'm excited about it.

Um I I guess my my concern is that we've had people in the area that will actually send out letters to try to purchase the minerals through the mineral interest pooling act, and in Texas, from what I can understand, that's illegal, and some of these attorneys are from Oklahoma or different states, and they tried to use tactics to technically steal or take the uh these mineral rights from the landowners, which would be a concern of mine.

I've stopped or actually gotten paid on a few because of it, and uh I have seen them being taken from individuals, so that's the only thing I've I would be concerned about.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Any other speakers?

Uh summarize or say any final words.

Want to say anything else?

You're done?

Okay, very good.

Um here with that.

I will uh close the public hearing.

I have a motion to approve by Commissioner Winkles and uh a second by Commissioner Blake.

Commissioner Winkles, would you please state your motion?

Yes, I make a motion that we approve SUP08-2R1 identified as 8380 Glendade Drive, the application for a special specific use permit to establish drilling zone on the existing well site and to reduce the current acreage of 7.479 to 6.412 acre track of land zoned, currently community commercial.

And that they will indeed plant those trees in that.

Yes, there is an amendment.

You have to do some landscaping in the southeast corner of that property.

And they will maintain that outside of your zone and maintain it.

Very good.

Thank you.

Commissioner Blake, is that your second?

That is cast your vote, please.

Motion passes seven to nothing.

Very good.

Next on our agenda tonight.

PD 20-22R1 addressed at 109 West Rogers Street.

The applicant requests to revise an approved development plan on approximately 0.23 acres of land addressed at 109 West Roger Street.

Generally located west of North Center Street and north of West Rogers Street.

This time I'll call on staff to make its report.

Good evening, Commissioners.

Virginia Venthidia for Planning and Development Services.

Before I present my case tonight, I'd like to make a correction to the staff report.

There was a mention that this property is located in the short-term rental zone, and I'm here to correct it that it is not.

This is a location map.

Um it is marked in the yellow.

It is surrounded by the um to the north, it is um entertainment district RMF 22 with multifamily apartments.

To the east, they are EDORS 7 with detached single family homes.

To the west, there is also a multifamily residential with an apartment complex, and to the south, it is RM12 developed with a duplex.

Um attached is a um site plan showing all of the current active short-term rentals in the area.

The small um item in the middle is the current um subject property.

And as mentioned in the um work session, I did um provide a map of what is currently short-term rental zones.

So everything marked in blue is in the short-term rental zone.

Currently, the highlighted portion is the subject property.

Here are um visual depictions of the property.

Ummediately adjacent, there are single family homes and encompass with a mix of detached and attached single family, multifamily, and duplicate.

This is in um coordination with our comprehensive plan of 2015 to encourage the development of housing choices to meet the ends, meet the needs of current and emerging populations, including singles, couples, smalls, and large families, empty nesters and seniors.

The applicant and the owner is Kevin Karamy.

Staff is available for questions, and the applicant also is here and has a presentation of their own.

Thank you.

I'll now open the public hearing and ask for the applicant to come forward.

Please state your name in the city that you live in.

Good evening, Chair and Commissioners.

Thank you for hearing me.

I'm here regarding an amendment to PD 2022 for a property in 109 West Rogers.

Our request tonight is very simple and narrow for asking to remove the STR restriction on the PD.

With no other changes to be made for the PD.

The property itself is a two-unit duplex, four bedroom, three and a half bath with about 10 total parking spaces available for of those with the garage.

Why we believe the STR restriction should be removed is three main points.

Main one being the entertainment district and 10.

This is within the EDO.

And being a part of the EDO, we think uh SCR would be fit within the vision.

Um specifically, uh the city itself created the entertainment district to be vibrant, mixed use neighborhood to support tourism, entertainment, um, visitor serving service uh uses, which we believe STRs would fit.

Um our second point is the neighborhood has already transitioned quite a bit since the original PD restriction was put into place.

Um I'll be showing a little bit of analysis I did in a subject area that shows of roughly the amount of investor rental properties to owner occupied is about 70 30.

Uh lastly is that this particular property will have pretty much no adverse effect in the area, as largely the main issues is generally parking.

Um we would obviously have to be complying with all other regulations uh to get an STR permit.

Um my next slide will show the actual map, but this is the high level because it's a bunch of dots.

Uh so about it's a 70-30 mix on investor properties versus owner occupied.

And to clarify how I, you know, uh made that calculation, I went through TAD and looked at every property to see which one had a homestead exemption as a good proxy.

Oh, and thank you for doing that.

Yeah, it was uh not an easy process, and I hope there's some way to do it easier in the future for other people.

Um, but uh without any other ways, there's a lot of different factors that can determine.

Hopefully, the city can one day figure out what is a rental or investor property.

Um there are 72 within uh the area I looked at, which was about half mile uh area, and uh which represent about 14% of the overall property.

Um not missing anything on that.

Uh okay.

Yeah, so key takeaway is that you know seven out of ten are investor owned or uh rentals.

So yeah, this is a lot of dots here.

Um your blue dots are owner-occupied properties, um, orange dots are investor or rental properties.

So these are the ones that don't have any kind of homestead um exemption on them.

And then the red dots are your active SCR uh permits.

This also I'm sure there are properties that have uh are listed on Airbnb or Verbo.

Those aren't reflected here.

Um and as city staff looked at if you expand the area a little bit wider, it's about 140, I believe, STRs and a one-mile rate uh radius.

And the overall count was 521 properties.

Um STR context here.

So the property was built um back in 2021.

Um, and with the way it was designed, it would work quite well, I think, for an STR property.

Um we have two car garages, and then the driveway itself is about 170 feet long with spaces in front of each garage that you can put additional vehicles and spaces in the back.

Um in addition, I like to call out called out on the last slide, so I will.

And in addition, I like to call out call the out on the last slide, so I will.

If you look carefully next to the green dot, that's the subject property, you'll notice that both the properties to the left and the right are investor properties.

We used to have a owner-occupied property next to us, but they literally just sold to investor.

I'm requesting the commission uh recommend approval to amend ordinance uh uh PD 20 uh 22 by removing the short-term rental uh restriction and leaving all other PD conditions in place based on the fact that the entertainment district wants these kind of properties, and over the past six years or so it has changed quite significantly to match that vision, and that this specific property would have minimal impact to the neighborhood or any other owner occupiers that are nearby.

And uh take any questions.

So I have a couple of questions, but first I want to go on record and say thank you for doing your research and putting that together.

Yeah, because I know Dr.

Nunas and myself would love for the city of Arlington to be able to track what our rental properties are.

That's something we keep asking.

Maybe we'll get it.

Um but in addition to that, I have two questions.

One, your property that you have since 2021, have you have you had it have have you had it leased?

We have it's been a long-term rental time.

Um vacancy.

Um to be a little frank, I didn't want to really make that my main point, but as a long-term rental, it hasn't done as well as we were hoping.

Um I think a lot of that is due to the fact that or what we've heard from our tenants and prior tenants were you know, during busy weekends, it's not necessarily the greatest area for kids or traveling around.

Um and so there's nothing we can do about that.

Um then um the second question that I was gonna ask is that is have you had any um and and this really probably isn't a question I should ask.

I'll hold on to that one.

Sorry, I had to think about that one a little bit.

Um but thank you.

I like your project.

And as far as I'm concerned, I'm okay with removing the SUP.

Thank you.

Well, first of all, you know I'm for this, so I'll apologize if if I didn't prepare you for this question.

But I think it's pretty simple.

Yeah.

If you're leasing it now and you're wanting to do short-term rentals with it, do you plan on making it currently vacant and playing making paying more taxes?

Oh, yeah, we're okay with doing so because I mean that's part of the reality is like we think this will perform better, and we hope we want the uh the freedom to try.

Uh maybe the reality is it doesn't work as well.

The competition is worse.

But we would like the chance to compete and try it.

Well, I think you'll have a good opportunity.

Thank you.

Are there any other questions?

Commissioner Greer.

There was a staff consideration about taking down that tree out front and planting something else.

Are you okay with that?

Um I did not notice that.

Um They said it was dead or it looked dead.

I don't know, is it well?

If we have a dead tree, we should probably remove it.

Um in the end, we want whatever the property to look based uh great from a front-facing streetwise view.

So if there's something that doesn't look good, and we also try to remove it.

You'd be okay if we put that as a condition.

Um I need to clarify which tree exactly.

So I not at this moment, um, but I'm happy to speak to city staff if they can tell me which I I because I we have a tree in the back.

There's a large tree right at the west corner that appears to be dead.

Like right where the power line is.

I think that's I think that's my neighbor's property.

Okay.

Yeah, yeah.

There's I don't think there we don't actually have a tree in the front.

We have a tree in the back.

Um sorry, commissioners.

It's literally right there up front.

Yeah, see that that's not our property.

Oh, okay.

Yeah, because it's onto yours.

It may be maybe straddles both, but and maybe that's why it's in that condition because we don't know whose tree it is, but um it's I think you're referring to the one that's right behind that power line utility.

But yeah.

Uh uh Yes, this one right here.

Yeah, I don't think that's on our property, but um I like to before I commit to trying to remove something that I don't know if if it's mine.

Um if it is determined that it's yours, will you commit to removing it?

An ornamental tree that wouldn't affect the power lines.

That's our recommendation.

Uh uh an ornamental tree.

An ornamental tree that won't interfere with the overhead power lines.

I what is considered uh ornamental tree?

Sorry, these are questions I should have figures.

Like uh Craight Myrtle.

Not very expensive.

Not tall.

Oh, yeah.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Okay.

You don't want to put it in the middle.

I don't know if we can find a tree that tall.

No, no, no.

Yeah, okay.

Yeah, yes.

Okay.

Okay, very good.

Any other questions?

Uh thank you, sir.

I have another card in support from uh Vita Karmi.

Did you want to say anything?

Okay, very good.

All right.

Is there anyone that here that wants to speak in opposition?

Saying no one.

Uh, did you want to summarize anything or are you finished?

Very good.

I just want to thank everyone for their opinions and city staff.

Thank you very much.

With that, I'm gonna close the public uh hearing and uh ask for a motion.

Quick question.

Sure.

So I was out there and looked at it.

I believe if I recall, and I didn't I looked at my phone and didn't take a picture of it.

I believe that tree is dead center of the fence line.

So how can we help him work with his neighbor to maybe help that out?

That's a really good question.

Um staff want to take it uh or does the attorney want to take a stab at answering when a dead tree is half on your property and half on your neighbors?

If it if it is a dead tree, uh my advice would be for him to cut it in half there.

Right?

No liability there.

Commissioner Finlay.

I might make a suggestion to contact public works.

I've closed the public hearing, so you you need to go ahead and sit down.

Go ahead.

Sometimes uh they will come out and take care of a tree that's like in an easement or something like that.

And if you're just not sure, I I definitely would check to see you know if it is like half and half.

Uh, and then check with the public works department and explain the situation and see if maybe they would come out and help you out.

All great suggestions.

You might check your survey in case your survey showed the tree on the property or not.

Okay.

It may be the if we determine it to the other property owners, we will contact them and let them know it because it is a hazard.

Okay, very good.

Any other questions about I mean any other comments by the commissioners?

That's our ragweed's killing all of us.

Um, uh I know we're like I know it's like we're digressing, but you know what I noticed uh the trees that we're gonna put up around that that oil well.

Mountain cedars, and I went, oh god.

And with that, uh Commissioner Sumter, would you please state your motion?

Yes, I move to approve PD 20-22R1 address at 109 West Roger Street.

Um with the condition of evaluating if the tree between the property, subject property, and the property to the west um can be removed.

Commissioner Winkle and replaced.

And replaced with an ornamental tree.

Right, good.

Commissioner Winkles, is that your motion?

Is it your second?

Yes, sir, it is.

Very good.

Cast your vote.

Motion passes 8 to nothing.

Thank you very much.

Congratulations.

Uh next case, ZA 26-2 addressed at 2401 West Green Oaks Boulevard.

This is an application for a change in zoning from uh a PD veteran clinic to a neighborhood commercial on approximately 0.37 acres.

So this is a straight zoning change.

At this time, I'll call on staff to present its report on CA26-20.

Good evening, Commissioners.

For the record, Disha Baitzande, Planner, Planning and Development Services.

You're to present zoning case DA 26-2.

The subject site is approximately 0.37 acres and addressed as 2401 West Green Oaks Boulevard.

The property is currently zoned as planned development for veteranic clinic.

The applicant requests an approval for neighborhood commercial zoning.

Outlined in yellow is the subject property.

It is located south of Tapier Drive and east of West Green Oaks Boulevard.

Properties to North are zoned plan development for office and residential single family 7.2.

Properties to south are zoned residential single 7.2, and properties to the west are zoned residential single family 7.2 with utilities.

The applicant seeks the neighborhood commercial zone designation so that it opens up for more opportunities for the vacant building to get up occupied.

If approved, the future development will have to comply with UDC standards.

These are the itemized allowable uses for neighborhood commercial zoning.

In the comprehensive plan, this area is designated as established residential.

It covers the largest portion of the city and appropriate land uses would include residential, neighborhood convenient uses and small-scale offices.

The subject site is developed and has an existing building which is currently vacant.

The structure and handscaping has been well maintained over the use.

The applicant is affordable attractive reality management LC, and the owner is Texas Home Masters.

Staff has received two letter of oppositions.

Staff is available for questions.

Are there any questions at this time?

Saying none, thank you.

Thank you.

Travis, I see.

Yes, sir.

All right, please state your name in the city that you live in.

Uh Travis Niles, Arlington, Texas.

Floor is yours, sir.

Or Pantia, sorry.

I'm in Pantillo.

Pantiago, okay.

Good.

Um, so it just goes.

Okay.

Uh good evening.

My name is Travis Niles.

Uh my family and I are the property owners for 2401 West Green Oaks Boulevard.

Um I'm here today to request approval to rezone the property from a plan development district to neighborhood commercial in order to support viable uh neighborhood serving uh uses along the West Green Oaks corridor.

Uh the current plan development limits the property to a single veterinarian use, which significantly narrows its viability and does not reflect the broader commercial character of the corridor.

Um the neighborhood commercial district is specifically intended for low-intensity service-oriented business businesses that uh serve surrounding neighborhoods, including medical and professional uses.

The building was designed for clinical occupancy and is uh well suited for medical or professional uses.

Uh no expansion or intensification of the site is being proposed.

This rezoning allows small-scale uh neighborhood serving uses that provide convenient access to medical and personal services while maintaining compatibility and encouraging continued reinvestment.

Allowing broader neighborhood commercial uses reduce the risk of long-term vacancy and supports corridor stability.

Adaptive reuses of an existing building strengthens long-term tax productivity without increasing intensity.

The scale of the site remains unchanged.

No expansion is proposed, and no higher intensity commercial uses are being introduced.

For these reasons, we respectfully request to approve the rezoning to neighborhood commercial to support continued viability, compatibility, and reinvestment along the West Green Oaks corridor.

Thank you very much, Travis.

Do the commissioners have any questions of the applicant at this time.

No, pretty good.

Commissioner Blake.

So did you all own it whenever it was the Dr.

Rapture's office?

No, we didn't.

Okay.

So you all bought it after.

Yeah, I passed.

It was a great guy, it's my years.

Yeah.

Commissioner Finley.

Thank you.

Um, on the letter of opposition that we received, would you be open to replacing the fence between the parking lot and the homes behind there?

Um, so we are going through and we're replacing some pickets.

The some of them did fall off.

Um the fit how many how many did you have to replace?

There's only three or four.

Oh, okay.

There was a couple, there was a water leak between the parking lot and um the person's house that uh and I think they some of those fell off, and so we put those back on.

Um, and then there was a couple more up on the um the west side of the property, but the rest of the fence is it's probably on the last 15-20 percent of its life, so at some point it will need to be replaced.

Um we have reinvested a a decent amount into the property, or our the fence is not in fantastic shape.

It is still looks okay, but it does need to be replaced soon.

Um we're hoping to release it and then be able to um so my question again is um would you be willing to make this part of if if we were to um approve this, would you be willing to make that part of your um your approval that you would be willing to replace the fence between the parking lot and the houses?

So before you say anything, I'm gonna ask staff a question.

Staff, where are you?

My question is how's the timing of that work?

Could he do it in eight months?

Could he do it in a year?

I mean, what is what's the time limit on a request like that?

We could probably tie it to a CO.

That's what we're CO on the property.

So just keep in mind this this is not a I I thought that's what we were referred to.

This is not a planned development.

So it's not.

I mean, the only way you could make this happen is literally asking to go build the fence tonight, and then when he gets to city council, he has the fence built.

So I I hope he's he's working with his neighbors, but the if it's not a planned development, we can't add a condition.

That's right.

Thank you for reminding us of that.

Yes, sir.

Go ahead.

I'm sorry.

Thank you.

What kind of water leak?

Uh what kind of water leak?

It was spring, a sprinkler head.

Okay.

I would think that it would have to be pretty significant.

Yes, sir.

I think whenever the plumber was over there working on it, I think they were taking a couple of them off so that whenever they were digging it up.

Um I don't know exactly what took those two fence pickets off.

Um I just know that they were there, and then at some point they weren't, and there was a water leak in that area.

I don't think our person took them off.

I don't know if and then they they weren't laying there, so I don't exactly sure what happened with them, but they're getting replaced.

Any other questions?

Comments?

Anyone else?

Galen already said what I was gonna say, so thank you.

Thank you.

Since uh since we're not gonna be putting any conditions, uh any other questions?

Yes, sir.

Commissioner Blake.

Do you own other properties in Arlington?

We do.

So here's the condition.

If you don't do the fence, yes, sir.

It'll be real hard to get things passed through him.

Rush.

Yeah, that's okay.

I won't I won't be his criminal lawyer.

So are there any speakers in opposition?

Seeing none, and there are no cards in opposition.

I'm gonna close the public hearing.

Thank you, sir.

I have a motion to approve by Commissioner Winkles and a second by Commissioner Greer.

Commissioner Winkles, please state your motion.

Yes, I'd like to make a motion that we approve zoning K ZA26-2 located in 2401 West Greenx Boulevard to change the zoning from a planned development veterinarian clinic plan development to neighborhood commercial on approximately 0.37 acres.

Commissioner Greer, is that your second?

Yes, that is my second.

Cast your vote.

Motion passes eight to nothing.

Thank you, sir, for your business here in Arlington.

Thank you for being patient.

It's been a long evening.

Thank you.

With that, do we have any other reports from any boards or liaisons?

No, sir.

Um do we have any announcements from staff or do the commissioners have any announcements?

With that, I want to remind everyone that our next uh regular session uh meeting of the planning zone commission will be on Wednesday, March the 25th at 5 30 p.m.

With that, thank you for all of your hard work, ladies and gentlemen.

We are adjourned.