Carrollton Planning & Zoning Commission Briefing and Regular Meeting – March 3, 2022

The Planning & Zoning Commission held a briefing session at 5:30 p.m. and a regular meeting at 7:00 p.m. on March 3, 2022, in Council Chambers at Carrollton City Hall, 1945 E. Jackson Road. Eight of nine commissioners were present; Willadine Martin was absent. The commission unanimously approved the consent agenda, held public hearings on 11 zoning and special-use-permit cases, and acted on a staff-initiated package of zoning text amendments. The meeting adjourned at 9:31 p.m.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the January 6, 2022 meeting minutes.
• Approved, with staff stipulations, the replat of Carrollton Self Storage Addition (PLRP 2022-05), the replat of Garages of Texas Tarpley Addition (PLRP 2022-012), the replat of Standridge Stadium (PLRP 2021-11), and the technical site plan for Seven Brew Drive-Thru Coffee (PLTSP 2021-265). For Standridge Stadium, the commission expressly found the right-of-way dedication necessary and proportional to the proposed development.

Public Hearings

6. Beltline Event Hall – PLSUP 2021-257

• Staff recommended denial of a special use permit for an event center at 1510 East Beltline Road (0.907 acre, PD-169/LR-2), but listed suggested stipulations if the commission chose to approve it.
• Applicant Megan Talhall spoke in favor, saying the event space occupies roughly 1,200 square feet in her Farmers Insurance building, has a maximum of about 60 people, and helps her pay building taxes and give back to the community. She stated she had held about 60 events in six months, received 11 noise complaints, and had since prohibited outdoor music and tested indoor sound levels.
• Opponents Dr. Robert Putnam (1513 Francis Street), Jerry Statz (1514 Francis Street), and Dylan Branton (1505 Francis Street) spoke in opposition, citing loud music, late hours, invasion of privacy, and concern that the SUP would run with the land. Scott Davis (1515 Francis Street), although initially marked as in favor, spoke in opposition, describing bright lights and noise that reached his backyard.
• A motion to approve with staff stipulations failed, with only Commissioner Foster voting in favor; the applicant was advised of the 10-day written appeal right to the City Council.

7. Champion Billiard – PLSUP 2021-263

• Staff recommended denial of a 2,040-square-foot billiard hall/amusement use at 1060 West Frankford Road, Suite 216 (PD-130/LR-1), because of its location directly adjacent to single-family residential uses.
• Applicant Jay Wu spoke in favor, describing the business as a sports-oriented billiard club rather than a bar-style pool hall, with proposed restrictions including no alcohol, patrons 18 or older, and hours from noon to 10 p.m.
• Neighbors Kelly Bailey (3107 Regency), Douglas Collins (3102 Regency), and Shannon Stigler (3120 Regency) opposed, citing property appearance, trash, noise, proximity to Creekview High School, after-school student hangouts, property values, and a September 26, 2021 shooting near a hookah lounge farther west on Frankford.
• A motion to approve with staff stipulations failed; the chair advised the applicant of the 10-day appeal right.

8. Lionheart Children’s Academy at Bent Tree Bible – PLSUP 2021-261

• Staff supported amending SUP 472 to raise the maximum number of children at the daycare center at 4141 International Parkway (24.3 acres, PD-148/HC) from 77 to 184 after the applicant completed a required traffic impact analysis (TIA).
• Applicant Jeff Jacobson said the church’s startup had gone smoothly. Transportation engineering staff said the site could support either 184 or 188 children. Staff noted the applicant had originally clarified 184, but the commission adjusted the permit to 188 consistent with the TIA.
• No oral public testimony was offered; one written comment in support was submitted.
• The commission unanimously approved the SUP amendment with staff stipulations, adjusting stipulation C to allow 188 children, and forwarded the case to the City Council for April 5, 2022.

9. RaceTrac Belt Line & Luna – PLSUP 2021-264

• Staff recommended denial of a gasoline-station SUP on an undeveloped 4.5-acre Light Industrial site at the southeast corner of West Belt Line Road and Luna Road, citing potential visual impacts of large-truck fueling along a city gateway; staff nonetheless provided stipulations if the commission approved it.
• Applicant representatives Laura Hoffman and Brendan Sexton described a new RaceTrac concept with an approximately 8,100-square-foot convenience store, two fueling canopies, no truck parking, landscaping to screen trucks, and about 25 to 30 corporate jobs. Sexton noted RaceTrac has been in Carrollton for over 20 years and has three local stores; six of the new-format stores are open, and this would be the second proposed in Texas.
• No public testimony was offered.
• The commission approved the SUP with staff stipulations on a 7-1 vote, with Commissioner Carpenter voting against and Commissioner Martin absent. The case was forwarded to the City Council for April 5, 2022.

10. Gas Station @ Trinity Mills and Kelly – PLSUP 2021-167

• Staff recommended approval for a gasoline station on a 1.45-acre Light Commercial site at the northeast corner of eastbound Trinity Mills Road and Kelly Boulevard, with amended stipulations including no raised median in the proposed driveway on Trinity Mills Road.
• Applicant Parvez Malik said the design incorporated staff and fire recommendations and added architectural features similar to the building front.
• No public testimony was offered.
• The commission unanimously approved the SUP with amended staff stipulations and forwarded it to the City Council for April 5, 2022.

11. Medical Office Rezone – PLZ 2022-006

• Staff recommended approval to amend Planned Development 214 and rezone approximately 2.5 acres of an 8.6-acre tract from personal storage/garage condominium to O-2 Office, allowing a proposed 17,600-square-foot single-story medical office building on the west side of Tarpley Road/east side of Marsh Lane with a 50-foot landscape buffer and two access points.
• John Mahallock, CEO of Metrocrest Hospital Authority, said the hospital authority wanted to purchase the property for a future health clinic.
• No public testimony was offered.
• The commission unanimously approved the rezoning with staff stipulations and forwarded it to the City Council for April 5, 2022.

12. NS District Removal and LR-1 Land Use Amendments – PLZT 2021-250

• Staff proposed eliminating the Neighborhood Service (NS) zoning district, rezoning affected NS properties to LR-1, and removing theaters, beverage manufacturing, jewelry and silver manufacturing, and sign manufacturing from allowed LR-1 uses.
• Staff asked the commission to take no action and keep the public hearing open until the April 7, 2022 P&Z meeting to allow additional public input.
• No public testimony was offered.
• The commission unanimously voted to continue the case to April 7, 2022.

13. 2000 Old Denton Road – PLZ 2022-017

• This staff-initiated rezoning would change an approximately 0.686-acre property from NS to LR-1 as part of the NS district removal package.
• Staff said there are no current redevelopment plans and the change would allow more uses without requiring any change to the property.
• No public testimony was offered.
• The commission unanimously continued the public hearing to April 7, 2022.

14. NE Corner of Frankford and Standridge – PLZ 2022-022

• This case would amend PD-63 to change the base zoning of the approximately 1.37-acre tract from NS to LR-1.
• No public testimony was offered.
• Commissioner Windrow initially misstated the case number in the motion; the motion was corrected to PLZ 2022-022. The commission unanimously continued the case to April 7, 2022.

15. PD 122 Amendment – PLZ 2022-023

• This case would amend PD-122 at the southwest corner of North Josey Lane and King Arthur Boulevard (approximately 23.24 acres) to change the base zoning of Tracts 2 and 3 from O-4/NS to O-4/LR-1.
• No public testimony was offered.
• The commission unanimously continued the public hearing to April 7, 2022.

16. CZO Text Amendments for Smoking Establishments – PLZT 2021-161

• Staff recommended approval of a comprehensive zoning text amendment to separate smoke shop retailers from smoking lounges, add definitions for smoke shop retailer, smoking lounge, and accessory smoking lounge, require special use permits for smoking lounges and accessory lounges, limit an accessory lounge to 15% or 1,000 square feet of a restaurant, and update all other amusement and recreation industries to all other amusement and recreation uses and activities.
• During discussion, Commissioner Denholm expressed a preference for requiring SUPs for smoke shop retailers as well; staff explained the proposed by-right approach for retail sales with SUP requirements only in transit center districts.
• No public testimony was offered.
• The commission unanimously approved the ordinance text amendment and forwarded it to the City Council for April 5, 2022.

Key Outcomes

• Consent agenda approved unanimously.
• Beltline Event Hall (PLSUP 2021-257) and Champion Billiard (PLSUP 2021-263) did not receive commission approval; applicants were advised of their 10-day written appeal rights.
• Lionheart Children’s Academy (PLSUP 2021-261), RaceTrac Belt Line & Luna (PLSUP 2021-264), Gas Station @ Trinity Mills & Kelly (PLSUP 2021-167), Medical Office Rezone (PLZ 2022-006), and CZO Smoking Establishment Amendments (PLZT 2021-161) were recommended for City Council action on April 5, 2022.
• The NS district removal and related rezoning cases (PLZT 2021-250, PLZ 2022-017, PLZ 2022-022, and PLZ 2022-023) were continued to the April 7, 2022 P&Z meeting with public hearings open.
• Staff reported that a remnant Freeway District zoning along Monetary Lane was rezoned to LI by the City Council in early February 2022.
• Meeting adjourned at 9:31 p.m.