Carrollton, Texas Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting – August 4, 2022

The Planning & Zoning Commission of Carrollton, Texas, held a briefing session at 6:30 p.m. and a regular meeting in Council Chambers at City Hall, 1945 E. Jackson Rd. The regular meeting was called to order at 7:03 p.m. and adjourned at 7:57 p.m. Eight of nine commission members were present; Vice Chair Commissioner Windrow was absent. The commission approved consent items and a church-campus replat, denied a requested special use permit for a smoking lounge, and approved a planned development amendment for multifamily housing.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the July 7, 2022 meeting minutes.
• Approved Replat of Carrollton Commerce Center Phase 3, Lot 1R, Block A (PLRP 2022-100), an approximately 1.3-acre tract south of West Trinity Mills Road, about 400 feet west of the intersection of West Trinity Mills Road and Old Denton Road, amending and adding easements, with staff stipulations.
• Approved Replat of Graham Addition Lots 2R, 3 & 4, Block 1 (PLRP 2022-105), an approximately 4.124-acre tract at the northwest corner of Josey Lane and Parker Road (FM 544), to abandon and dedicate easements and dedicate right-of-way, with the statement that it is proportional to what is being done.
• The consent agenda motion by First Vice Chair Powell was seconded by Commissioner Yarborough and passed unanimously, 8-0.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public speakers appeared for any public hearing item.
• For the SH-121 Multi-Family item, one comment card from YSD LLC was filed in opposition, stating the site should be retail, hotel, or office.

Discussion Items

Item 4 – First Baptist Church of Carrollton Replat

• Case PLRP 2022-102. The applicant requested approval to resubdivide an approximately 11.2-acre tract at the northeast corner of North Josey Lane and Sunridge Road, creating six lots of legal record out of one.
• Staff Coordinator Molly Coryell recommended approval with a stipulation to add the address 2400 North Josey Lane to the face of the plat. The applicant had already amended the plat to address the stipulation.
• Robert Hallman of Glenn Engineering, representing the applicant, requested approval and stated full agreement with staff comments.
• Motion by Commissioner Yarborough, seconded by Commissioner Foster; approved unanimously, 8-0.

Item 5 – Rogersnap Industrial District Addition Tract 6 Replat (Lone Star Villas)

• Case PLRP 2022-104 was withdrawn by the applicant and was not discussed.

Item 6 – Special Use Permit: Thrill Immersive Digital Art Lounge

• Case PLSUP 2022-088. The applicant sought a special use permit for a smoking lounge on an approximately 5.1-acre tract zoned PD-45 for the LR-2 Local Retail District, located at 1130 Trinity Mills Road, approximately 375 feet west of Carter Drive.
• Staff Coordinator Lauren Shapiro noted that the City Council amended the zoning ordinance on April 5, 2022 to regulate smoking establishments, including hookah and cigar lounges. The proposal included a 5,365-square-foot suite with immersive digital art displays, 10 to 15 employees, controlled entry, and BYOB service.
• Staff recommended denial due to shared hallway and public restroom access with adjoining suites, a place of worship and school on the same property, nearby multifamily uses and planned multifamily to the west, emergency-services capacity concerns, and recent criminal incidents at late-night smoking lounges.
• Commander Vick Humphrey of the Carrollton Police Department described an unprecedented spike in violent crime, including murder, sexual assault, and assaults, at existing smoking establishments in the city over the past two years, with late-night smoking establishments as the common denominator.
• Applicant representative Sky Thibodeau of Master Plan argued the lounge would be different from traditional hookah clubs, citing a $50 entry fee, screened and verified memberships with background checks, a business casual dress code, and a focus on business networking and immersive art. He also said the applicant agreed with staff stipulations, including closing off the main entry into common areas.
• No public speakers appeared. Commissioner Denholm moved to approve with staff stipulations; Commissioner Martin seconded. The motion failed unanimously, 8-0. The Chair stated he voted against because the use was not right for the land and the special use permit would stay with the land. The applicant was advised of a 10-day window to make a written appeal to the City Council.

Item 7 – SH-121 Multi-Family PD Amendment

• Case PLZ 2022-89. The applicant requested amending Planned Development District 197, Tract 3, for an approximately 2.7-acre tract at 4050 State Highway 121, zoned PD-197 for the LR-2 Local Retail District, to allow MF-18 Multi-Family Residential with modified development standards.
• Staff Coordinator Mike McCauley reported the proposal is a three-story, approximately 87,000-square-foot, 62-unit development under 50 feet tall, with 119 parking spaces, which is 10 spaces over the minimum. The plan includes a 15-foot landscape buffer along the SH 121 service road, an 87-foot front setback, a density of 23 dwelling units per acre, four-sided architecture, a clubhouse, an outdoor pool, a courtyard, and a picnic area.
• Staff recommended approval with the listed stipulations and an additional stipulation to add more variation to the roofline and modify the small gables above windows to better align with the planned development’s multifamily elevations.
• Staff responded that emergency vehicle access is sufficient, a traffic impact analysis was not required, and access is provided through Hebron Road and cross-access easements rather than direct access from SH 121.
• One public comment card from YSD LLC opposed the amendment, stating the site should be retail, hotel, or office. Staff noted the site had not developed since 2007 and that direct frontage access would benefit retail, but the multifamily proposal improves sustainability.
• Applicant representative Fahim Khan of FK+ Architect requested approval, stating the project had been developed with the city over six to seven years and exceeds requirements for landscaping, parking, and setbacks.
• Motion by Commissioner Foster, seconded by First Vice Chair Powell; approved unanimously, 8-0. The case will be forwarded to the City Council on September 13, 2022.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the consent agenda, including the July 7, 2022 minutes and two replats, unanimously.
• Approved the First Baptist Church of Carrollton replat unanimously.
• Denied the Thrill Immersive Digital Art Lounge special use permit; the motion to approve failed unanimously, and the applicant may appeal within 10 days.
• Approved the SH-121 Multi-Family planned development amendment unanimously, with a forward to the City Council on September 13, 2022.
• Item 5 was withdrawn by the applicant.
• Staff reported City Council actions from August 2, 2022: the Graham Addition rezoning was approved; the Frankford Shopping Center case was denied with prejudice and would have required a supermajority vote due to over 20% opposition from property owner notices; Texas Car One was approved; and the Lowe’s contractor pickup area was approved.