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Consider public testimony regarding, and an ordinance rezoning 32.48 acres located north of Louis Henna Boulevard and east of Greenlawn Boulevard from the C-1 (General Commercial) zoning district to the PUD (Planned Unit Development) No. 152 zoning district. (First Reading)*
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HISTORY: The property has been zoned C-1 (General Commercial) since the early 1990’s when Dell was established.
DATE OF REVIEW: October 26, 2023
LOCATION: North of Louis Henna and east of Greenlawn Blvd.
STAFF REVIEW AND ANALYSIS:
Comprehensive Plan and Zoning: The 2030 Future Land Use Map (FLUM) designates the property for commercial use. Data center is not a use that is defined in the City’s Code and there are recent precedents for permitting such use, and the accessory uses that support a data center such as electric substation and communication tower, with a PUD in commercial zoning districts. Although currently zoned C-1 (General Commercial) which allows the widest variety of commercial uses, the PUD would amend the base zoning district to C-1a (General Commercial Limited) to limit the potential allowable uses for the site. The proposed PUD complies with the location criteria of the Round Rock 2030 Comprehensive Plan for commercial development.
The site is situated, and has frontage along, State Highway 45 and was previously part of the Dell Campus, envisioned to accommodate future expansion. The Round Rock 2030 Plan addresses the need for the City to adapt to change. The market has changed and is more supportive of remote work for many industries, minimizing office space needed for onsite employees and freeing up the land for repurpose. An implementation strategy associated with adapting to change mentions consideration for land uses related to modernization of communications infrastructure and ensuring the accommodation of more advanced networks. Data centers play an integral role in cloud based storage of data since hard copy data storage is becoming obsolete. Another portion of the Dell Campus was procured for a data center and is currently under construction.
Traffic, Access and Roads: The proposed site will be accessed from the SH 45 Service Road and from the Dell East Campus which is adjacent to the west of the subject property. Exact location of driveways will be determined during site development permit review, in accordance with city standards. The project will be subject to the Roadway Impact Fee regulations at time of building permit.
Proposed PUD (Planned Unit Development) zoning: The PUD is proposing a data center with a supporting electric substation and communications tower as depicted on the Concept Plan (Exhibit B). The base zoning district for the PUD is the C-1a (General Commercial- Limited) zoning district which requires more protective setbacks along the north property line with the intent to better transition to the existing two family neighborhood that is adjacent. Allowable uses within the C-1a zoning district are more limited than those permitted by the existing C-1 (General Commercial) zoning.
The PUD proposes perimeter walls to enclose the data center, electric substation, and communications tower to provide for security and visual screening. Limited parking is required for data centers due to the low staffing requirements and parking is not visible from the street. In lieu of required landscaping that would ordinarily be required for internal parking areas, foundation plantings, and parking lot screening, the PUD proposes landscape buffers on the perimeter of the site as described below.
Along the SH-45 frontage (south property line), an eight (8) foot wide landscape buffer consisting of trees and shrubs will provide buffering and enhance views from the SH 45 roadways. Additional evergreen buffering is also provided along the west side and south sides of the electric substation to mitigate the views of the substation as depicted on the concept plan. The compatibility buffer section of the Code requires an eight (8) foot landscape buffer and a fence/wall adjacent to single family and two family developments.
For this project, the compatibility buffer would only be required along the north property line; however, the PUD is proposing to provide the compatibility wall/fence and the buffer along the north property line as well as along the eastern property line adjacent to the multi-family residential development.
The data center shall be limited to six (6) stories in height and subject to the setback requirements of the C-1a (General Commercial - Limited) zoning district. Elevations for the building and the perimeter walls shall substantially comply with “Exhibit C” of the PUD.
The lattice style communications tower shall be limited in height to eighty (80) feet above finished grade and located as depicted “Exhibit D” of the PUD. The tower will strictly support the data center and will not provide collocation for other communication providers. The electric substation shall be located as depicted on the concept plan “Exhibit B”.
On September 20, 2023, the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of the PUD with a vote of 8-0. There were no speakers at the public hearing for this item.
RECOMMENDED MOTION:
Staff recommends approval of the PUD.