Richardson City Plan Commission Meeting August 1st, 2023

OPENING

Five of the seven regular commissioners are present, Chairman Marsh, Vice-Chair Southard, Commissioner Costantino, Commissioner Walraven, and Commissioner Keller. One alternate, Byron Purdy, is also present and will participate. Commissioner Bohnsack and Commissioner Roberts are absent.

Minutes of the previous meeting are approved unanimously.

Two variance requests are on the agenda. These aren’t subject to the same public hearing requirements as zoning files, but it sounds like the CPC has discretion to open it up to a public hearing if they choose to.

CHURCH SCREENING WAIVER

Variance 23-01 is a request by Zion Church at 1620 E. Arapaho to waive the visual screening requirement for their parking lot. This is in the Duck Creek neighborhood. The church has collected signatures from 12 of the 14 surrounding residences in support of the request. The original plan was to install a landscape buffer and a fence/wall. They are only requesting a waiver for the fence/wall and still plan to install a landscape buffer. Chairman Marsh invites the applicant and visitors to speak. Besides the applicant, one speaker is present to speak in favor of the request. The CPC unanimously recommends approval of the request.

SHOPPING CENTER PARKING REDUCTION

Variance 23-02 is a request for a parking reduction at 1300 E. Belt Line. The new prospective tenant, Pet Supplies Plus, seeks to occupy the space vacated by a furniture store. Furniture stores already have rights to reduced parking written into the city’s parking regulations. This request amounts to a reduction of 31 parking spaces for general retail use. Chairman Marsh invites the applicant and visitors to speak. A letter was received from the owner of the adjacent property. This letter expresses the opinion that the ordinance is heavy in its parking lot demands, however they request more time before deciding to support or oppose the request due to the potential impact on their own property. That adjacent property owner is also present to speak. He expresses concern that future tenants could exceed the current parking needs and encroach on his own parking lot. He clarifies that he is not necessarily opposed to this specific request, but he is opposed to permanently allowing reduced parking on the property if he doesn’t get those same rights. Staff states that the requested parking reduction should still leave enough spaces to meet the needs of the current and prospective tenants. Staff says that the two properties, which share ingress/egress, will probably need a more comprehensive parking study in the future. Commissioner Walraven supports attaching the variance approval to the individual tenant/use instead of the property. Chairman Marsh wants to maintain fairness among property owners but also recognizes that Richardson is overparked. The motion is made to recommend approval with a modification attaching the approval to a pet sales & grooming use. This passes unanimously, and the meeting adjourns.