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Consider public testimony regarding, and an ordinance rezoning approximately 4.65 acres, southwest of the intersection of S. Kenney Fort Blvd. and E. Palm Valley Blvd. from the PUD (Planned Unit Development) No. 91 zoning district to the C-1a (General Commercial-limited) zoning district. (First Reading)*
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This zoning application was filed by Vining & Associates, Inc., on behalf of the property owner City of Round Rock and developer Kalahari Resorts. Although these tracts are located on the west side of S. Kenney Fort Blvd., they remained part of the larger Bison property, which was annexed in 2006 and provided with AG (Agriculture) zoning. The southern property is approximately 4.61 acres, but the northern property is an undevelopable remnant left over from the construction of S. Kenney Fort Blvd. The current zoning (PUD #91) was adopted in 2012 with the vision of developing the area into a high density, urban-style mixed-use center. Permitted land uses include retail, office, hotels, multifamily, single-family attached dwelling units, manufacturing, and warehousing. The maximum height is 15 stories and all development was envisioned to be developed using Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND) principles, entailing buildings constructed at the front lot lines, wide sidewalks, parking in the rear, and clustering of retail and service uses to minimize vehicle trips.
The proposal under consideration will rezone the properties to the C-1a (General Commercial-limited) zoning district. Changing the zoning from PUD #91 (Bison) to C-1a represents a slight downzoning, as future uses will be less dense than what is permitted by the Bison PUD. However, C-1a zoning is typical for properties located at the intersection of arterial roadways, which will be the case here upon construction of the Kalahari Resort. Typical uses in the C-1a zoning district include retail sales and services, restaurants and bars, hotels, offices, and gas stations. The maximum height allowed is five (5) stories and building setbacks are a minimum 15 feet from the right-of-way. For non concrete tilt-wall structures, at least 75% of the exterior wall finish shall be natural stone, simulated stone, brick, and stone-face or split-face concrete masonry units. The remainder may consist of stucco, fiber cement siding, architectural steel or metal, CMU other than split-face or stone-face, or glass with steel framing. Buildings utilizing concrete tilt-wall construction may incorporate more stucco as a veneer.
Planning & Zoning Commission Recommendation
The Planning & Zoning Commission unanimously recommended approval at its meeting on March 7, 2018. There were no speakers during the public hearing.