ITEM NO. 11: REVISED PRELIMINARY DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR OREAD WEST PLANNED RESIDENTIAL PARK; W. 15TH STREET AND EAST OF RESEARCH PARK DRIVE (PGP)
PDP-05-06-04: Revised Preliminary Development Plan for Oread West Planned Office Park. This property contains 16.893 acres and the revised proposal is for five residential buildings with a range of units containing 65 - 75 dwelling units. The property is generally located north of W. 15th Street and east of Research Park Drive. Submitted by Landplan Engineering for W. David Kimbrell (contract purchaser) and Bobwhite Meadow LP, Mabet #1, and Hi-Tech Facility Investors, are property owners of record.
This Item was considered at the beginning of the regular agenda per unanimous consent. Considered after Item 2.
STAFF PRESENTATION
Mr. Patterson introduced the Item, which involved an area that included a planned industrial and planned residential element. The applicant requested permission to change up to 10 of the planned residential units from 3-bedroom units to 1- and 2-bedroom units. The number of bedrooms and the building footprint would not change, only the number of dwelling units, creating a maximum of 75 possible dwelling units. The technical density increase would be from 8.2 to 9.5 dwelling units per acre.
It was noted that the existing PRD zoning allowed a density of 10 dwelling units per acre, and the amount of parking provided would still exceed the required minimum.
It was verified that the project may not develop in the proposed manner, but the applicant wanted the flexibility to do so if the market would support the changes.
Staff recommended approval of the proposal, subject to the conditions listed in the Staff Report.
APPLICANT PRESENTATION
Alan Mackey of Landplan Engineering was present on behalf of the applicant. He had no additional information to present and stated the applicant’s agreement with the Staff Report.
PUBLIC HEARING
No member of the public spoke on this Item.
COMMISSION DISCUSISION
The Commission had no additional comments.
ACTION TAKEN
Motioned by Comm. Jennings, seconded by Comm. Lawson to approve the revised Preliminary Development Plan for Oread West Planned Residential Park and forward it to the City Commission with a recommendation for approval.
Motion carried unanimously, 9-0, with Student Commissioner Brown also voting in favor.
The Commission proceeded from this point to Item 3.
MISC. ITEM NO. 1: OLD BUSINESS
A. Motioned by Comm. Eichhorn, seconded by Comm. Angino to initiate and schedule a public hearing in August for a Text Amendment to Transportation 2025 and the Major Thoroughfares Map of Horizon 2020 to designate Peterson Road as a major arterial in place of Wiggins Road.
Motion carried unanimously, 9-0, with Student Commissioner Brown also voting in favor.
B. The Commission discussed scheduling a public hearing in July for the Southeast Area Plan and Staff asked if all development proposals for this area should be placed on that agenda as well.
The Commission had expressed significant concern about the traffic design as shown in the current plan. It was suggested the Commission forward the plan to the Technical Advisory Committee to consider alternate street design.
Ms. Finger explained the City Commission had asked for quick action on the plan so they (City Commission) could see the plan’s land use percentages, and these would not change much with a different street layout in the residential section.
Chairman Haase said the area now marked for residential development might be found more suitable for industrial uses, which would change the land use percentages considerably.
It was clarified that initiating the public hearing for the plan did not mean the Commission had to approve the plan in July, and Staff recommended moving ahead with the public hearing so the community knew the issue was under consideration.
The Commission directed Staff to hold any development proposals for the property in the Southeast Area Plan, feeling it was more appropriate to assign land use before a proposal was considered. Developers involved in the issue would be allowed to speak at the public hearing.
The Commission agreed unanimously to schedule a public hearing in July for the draft Southeast Area Plan as presented tonight.