Carrollton Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting - July 6, 2023

The Carrollton Planning & Zoning Commission held a briefing at 6:15 p.m. and its regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. on July 6, 2023, in Council Chambers, City Hall, 1945 E. Jackson Road. Chairman Scott Windrow was absent; eight commission members were present. The commission approved meeting minutes, conducted public hearings on one daycare special use permit, one food-manufacturing special use permit, a requested continuance for a senior-living planned development, and three high school athletic field lighting cases, and received staff reports. The meeting adjourned at 8:18 p.m.

Consent Calendar

• The commission approved the June 1, 2023 meeting minutes by unanimous vote of all eight members present. No public comments were made on the consent agenda.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Case PLSUP 2023-043 (New Song Day Care): Ten appearance cards were submitted in opposition; Sung Chul Wu spoke, representing My Sprouts Academy, located about 1,000 feet from the church. He argued the zoning change would reduce the general welfare of nearby small businesses, worsen already crowded traffic on Hebron Parkway and SH 121, raised moral and religious objections, and said the church has about 2,000 members with parking already insufficient. He also said his own daycare has 18 children and parents already struggle with traffic. The remaining opposition cardholders chose not to speak, and their names were read into the record.
• Case PLSUP 2023-049 (Dodla Dairy): Applicant Ramesh Bavaretti spoke in favor, requesting the special use permit for dairy manufacturing; no public opposition was received.
• Case PLZPD 2023-051 (Parkway Senior Living): Caprice Gardner, a neighbor and Quell Creek HOA board member, spoke in opposition. She said she lived about 25 feet from the proposed site, raised concerns about the small lot, one-way ingress and egress, and the earlier daycare proposal, and asked whether multifamily zoning could later allow uses other than senior living. She also questioned the late continuance request and the 200-foot notification area.
• Case PLZPD 2023-037 (R. L. Turner High School Athletic Fields): Aurelio Martinez Jr. spoke on behalf of his father, who lives on Cox Street, asking whether the project would affect or displace nearby homes; staff clarified the planned development boundary does not include homes. Maria Moreno, also on Cox Street, raised parking and traffic safety concerns, including existing congestion around the elementary school and narrow streets.
• Case PLZPD 2023-034 (Creekview High School Athletic Fields): Emily Lavanos spoke in favor, saying the district needs lights for subvarsity home games and community benefits. Written comments from Brian and Carmen Giles, David Park, Doug Cruz, Freddie George, Calvin and Jean Tucker, and Robert and Diane Houston were a mix of support and opposition.
• Case PLZPD 2023-036 (Newman Smith High School Lighted Athletic Field): Emily Lavanos spoke again in favor, mentioning busing costs and the need for lights at Newman Smith. Two comment cards from Matt Levine and Nora Smith were received, one in favor and one opposed.

Discussion Items

• New Song Day Care (PLSUP 2023-043): Staff reported the 14.88-acre property at 4220 Fairway Drive contains an existing church building of about 67,000 square feet; the daycare would occupy about 11 percent of the building, serve a maximum of 75 children, make no exterior changes, and operate from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Staff said a traffic impact analysis was not required because enrollment is below 75, and the parking lot provides more than double the queuing storage needed; a designated pickup and drop-off area is on the west side. Applicant Duncan Kim, an architect, said New Song Korean Baptist Church has a 48-year history and wants to help young couples remain in the church, not threaten neighboring businesses. The commission closed the public hearing and approved the case 7-1, with Commissioner Martin dissenting.
• Dodla Dairy (PLSUP 2023-049): Staff reviewed the 1.54-acre site at 1408 Vinylex Drive in the Heavy Commercial district and recommended approval with stipulations, noting dairy and food manufacturing require a special use permit. Commissioner Foster asked whether other food manufacturers are nearby; staff said they do not review the type of product. Staff also noted overhead loading docks and existing manufacturing uses make the site suitable. The applicant requested the permit. The commission closed the public hearing and approved the case 7-1, with Commissioner Foster dissenting.
• Parkway Senior Living (PLZPD 2023-051): Staff said the applicant requested a continuance to the August 3 Planning and Zoning Commission meeting to revise plans for the 1.233-acre site at 4108 Medical Parkway, zoned O-2, proposed for a planned development to allow multifamily residential. No applicant representative appeared. Commissioners discussed fairness to the public, notification requirements, transparency, and the risk of repeated continuances. A motion to keep the public hearing open and continue the case failed 5-3; a later motion to close the public hearing and continue the case to August 3 passed 8-0, which required new notices to property owners within 200 feet.
• R. L. Turner High School Athletic Fields (PLZPD 2023-037): Staff presented the 15.02-acre site at Cox Street and School Road, proposing to repeal and reestablish PD 221 to add a lighted athletic field with 70-foot-tall lights, one canopy tree per 50 feet for screening, and a photometric plan meeting glare standards. Mike Romares, assistant athletic director for Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD, said the fields would host subvarsity football, JV football, and soccer, with the 9 p.m. time tied to lightning-delay practices and game durations. Commissioner Powell questioned whether the stipulation allowed events starting just before 9 p.m. to run late. The commission closed the public hearing and approved the case 7-1.
• Creekview High School Lighted Athletic Fields (PLZPD 2023-034): Staff reviewed the 69.5-acre site at 3201 Old Denton Road and said PD-142 was created in 1996 and amended in 2006 to allow existing 60-foot softball and 80-foot baseball field lights. The proposal would repeal and reestablish PD-142 to add 70-foot football and track lighting that complies with the glare ordinance; the nearest residence is about 500 feet from the lights, and written commenters lived between 600 and 950 feet away. The commission closed the public hearing and approved the case 8-0.
• Newman Smith High School Lighted Athletic Field (PLZPD 2023-036): Staff presented the 68.75-acre site at 2335 N. Josey Lane, currently zoned SF-12/20, and said the request establishes a new planned development for one 70-foot lighted athletic field. The proposed lights are about 30 to 35 feet from the alley and residential zoning to the west, but existing mature trees provide additional screening. Robert Boone, Newman Smith athletic campus coordinator and head football coach, spoke in favor, saying it is unfair for subvarsity athletes to play home games at middle schools. The commission closed the public hearing and approved the case 8-0.
• Staff Reports: Staff reported City Council actions from the previous month, including approval of The Enclave subdivision; approval of the Integrity Branding special use permit; repeal of two special use permits at the Trinity Mills Transit Center; approval of a CZO text amendment reducing the minimum building height from six stories to five; and repeal of PD 159, which had reduced a gas station setback.

Key Outcomes

• Consent agenda approved unanimously.
• PLSUP 2023-043 approved 7-1; forwarded to City Council for August 1, 2023.
• PLSUP 2023-049 approved 7-1; forwarded to City Council for August 1, 2023.
• PLZPD 2023-051 continued to the August 3, 2023 Planning and Zoning Commission meeting with the public hearing closed, by an 8-0 vote.
• PLZPD 2023-037 approved 7-1; forwarded to City Council for August 1, 2023.
• PLZPD 2023-034 approved 8-0; forwarded to City Council for August 1, 2023.
• PLZPD 2023-036 approved 8-0; forwarded to City Council for August 1, 2023.