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Z17-12 Staff Summary BOCZ17-12 Staff Summary BOC Page 1 of 9 STAFF SUMMARY OF Z17-12 CONDITIONAL ZONING DISTRICT APPLICATION APPLICATION SUMMARY Case Number: Z17-12 Request: Rezoning to a Conditional B-2 Zoning District in order to develop a hotel Applicant: Property Owner(s): Cindee Wolf of Design Solutions ACI Pine Ridge, LLC Location: Acreage: 168 & 178 Porters Neck Road 3.45 PID(s): Comp Plan Place Type: R02800-001-179-000; R02800-001-180-000 Urban Mixed Use Existing Land Use: Proposed Land Use: Undeveloped Hotel Current Zoning: Proposed Zoning: B-1 & B-2 (CZD) B-2 SURROUNDING AREA LAND USE ZONING North Undeveloped, Lowe’s Home Improvement B-1, (CUD) B-2 East Shopping center – restaurants, retail, banking B-1 South Shopping center – grocery, restaurants, retail, office B-2 West Undeveloped, retail, multi-family residential B-1, R-15 Z17-12 Staff Summary BOC Page 2 of 9 ZONING HISTORY July 6, 1971 Initially zoned R-15 (Area 5) November 5, 1990 A portion of the property rezoned to B-2 (Z-398) March 13, 2000 A portion of the property rezoned to B-1 (Z-692) September 6, 2005 A portion of the property rezoned to B-1 (Z-806) February 4, 2008 A portion of the property rezoned to B-1 (Z-877) COMMUNITY SERVICES Water/Sewer CFPUA water and sewer services are available Fire Protection New Hanover County Fire Services, New Hanover County Northern Fire District, New Hanover County Porters Neck Station Schools Blair Elementary, Eaton Elementary, Holly Shelter Middle, and Laney High Schools Recreation Ogden Park CONSERVATION, HISTORIC, & ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCES Conservation No known conservation resources Historic No known historic resources Archaeological No known archaeological resources Z17-12 Staff Summary BOC Page 3 of 9 Proposed Site Plan  This application proposes to develop an 86,500 square foot hotel consisting of five stories and 140 rooms. The brand of the hotel has not been determined by the applicant at this time.  The current site plan was updated by the applicant on December 27, 2017 in order to incorporate an existing drainage easement and to comply with the restrictive covenants of the Porters Neck Crossing development. This modification was made after the Planning Board considered the application at their December 7th meeting. The previous site plan proposed a 138,000 square foot hotel consisting of six stories and 150 rooms. Staff was able to accommodate the applicant's request to modify the site plan without returning the item to the Planning Board for consideration as the change reduces the overall scale of the proposal, which is considered to be a minor modification in the Zoning Ordinance. Updated Site Plan Z17-12 Staff Summary BOC Page 4 of 9 Site Plan Included in the Planning Board’s Packet TRANSPORTATION  Access is provided to the subject property by Porters Neck Road (private). Trip Generation LAND USE (ITE Code) INTENSITY AM PEAK PM PEAK Hotel (310) 140 rooms 78 83  Traffic Impact Analyses are required to be completed for proposals that will generate more than 100 peak hour trips in either the AM or PM peak hours. A TIA is not required for this project due to the projected peak hour trip generation figures. Z17-12 Staff Summary BOC Page 5 of 9  A TIA was approved in 2007 which included the subject property and surrounding land. That TIA accounted for a 134,000sf Home Improvement Superstore (Lowes), 120,000sf Free Standing Discount Store, and 181,000sf Shopping Center; which all together would generate 1,861 trips in the PM peak. The roadway improvements required as part of that proposal have been installed. Per NCDOT, the proposed hotel will not warrant an update to the TIA, nor require a driveway permit, as the trips generated by the hotel will not exceed the overall trips included in the TIA approved in 2007. Traffic Counts Road Location Volume Capacity V/C LOS Market Street 8200-8300 Block 46,722 43,700 1.07 F Porters Neck Road 100 Block 14,234 15,600 0.91 E Nearby Planned Transportation Improvements and Traffic Impact Analyses Z17-12 Staff Summary BOC Page 6 of 9 Regional Transportation Plans:  NCDOT Project 44238 o Proposal for roadway improvements at the Market Street/I-140 interchange. Preliminary plans propose to realign the I-140 Market Street exit so that it connects directly into Porters Neck Road, and to widen existing ramps to and from Highway 17. This project is currently unfunded.  The NHC/City of Wilmington Greenway Plan recommends that a greenway network be installed in the surrounding area, including along Market Street and I-140. Nearby Traffic Impact Analyses: Traffic Impact Analyses are completed in accordance with the WMPO and NCDOT standards. Approved analyses will expire if the proposed development is not completed by the build out date established within the TIA. Listed below are projects within a one-mile radius from the subject site that are currently drafting a TIA or have completed a TIA within the last five years. Proposed Development Land Use/Intensity TIA Status 1. Aldi at Marsh Oaks  18,900 square foot discount supermarket  Approved July 6, 2016 The TIA required improvements be completed at certain intersections in the area. The major improvements consisted of:  Installation of an eastbound right turn lane on Marsh Oaks Drive to a site access Per NCDOT, the improvements required at this time have been installed in accordance with their standards. Nearby Proposed Developments included within the TIA:  US 17 retail – Walmart Shopping Center (accounted for in annual growth rate) Development Status: Completed 2. Amberleigh Shores – Phase 2  288 apartment units  TIA Approved November 3, 2016  2018 Build Out Year The TIA required improvements be completed at certain intersections in the area. The major improvements consist of:  Installation of a southbound left turn lane on Market Street to Marsh Oaks Drive  Installation of an eastbound right turn lane on Marsh Oaks Drive to a site access  Extension of an existing right-turn lane on Market street to serve an existing site access In addition, improvements will be made with STIP Project U-4902D (Market Street median) that will support the traffic generated by the development. Construction of the development and required transportation improvements have not started at this time. Z17-12 Staff Summary BOC Page 7 of 9 Nearby Proposed Developments included within the TIA:  None Development Status: No construction has started at this time 3. Waterstone  162 Single-Family Homes  TIA approved June 18, 2015  2020 Build Out Year The TIA required improvements be completed at certain intersections in the area. The major improvements consist of:  Installation of a southbound right turn lane on Edgewater Club Road to a site access Construction of the development and required transportation improvements have not been completed at this time. Nearby Proposed Developments included within the TIA:  Porters Neck Elementary School Development Status: Under construction 4. Market Street Retail Center (Wal-Mart)  245,500 square feet retail space  Drive-in bank with 5 drive- thru lanes  4,000 square feet fast food restaurant w/ drive-thru  4,000 square feet fast food restaurant w/ drive-thru  TIA approved May 2, 2013  2015 Build Out Year The TIA required improvements be completed at certain intersections in the area. The major improvements consisted of:  Installation of center median on Market Street from Marsh Oaks Drive to site access #1, and continuing the median to the existing concrete median to the north.  Installation of a traffic signal at site access #1 on Market Street.  Installation of multiple turn lanes at the site access points along Market Street. Per NCDOT, the improvements required at this time have been installed in accordance with their standards. Nearby Proposed Developments included within the TIA:  Amberleigh Shores Apartments Development Status: Completed Z17-12 Staff Summary BOC Page 8 of 9 ENVIRONMENTAL  The property does not contain any Special Flood Hazard Areas, wetlands, or Natural Heritage Areas.  The subject property is within the Pages Creek (SA;HQW) watershed.  Per the Classification of Soils in New Hanover County for Septic Tank Suitability, soils on the property consist mostly of Class I (suitable/slight Limitation) soils, Class III soils (severe limitation), and Class IV soils (unsuitable). 2016 COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE PLAN The New Hanover County Future Land Use Map provides a general representation of the vision for New Hanover County’s future land use, as designated by place types describing the character and function of the different types of development that make up the community. Specific goals of the Comprehensive Plan are designated to be promoted in each place type, and other goals may be relevant for particular properties. Future Land Use Map Place Type Urban Mixed Use (and Kirkland/Porters Neck Growth Node) Place Type Description Promotes development of a mix of residential, office, and retail uses at higher densities. Types of uses encouraged include office, retail, mixed use, small recreation, commercial, institutional, single-family, and multi-family residential. Analysis Urban Mixed Use areas, especially the three designated growth nodes, are intended to provide a mixture of commercial services and higher density housing at more urban scales. They are also intended to incorporate a multi- modal transportation network that allows nearby residents and area visitors to walk, bicycle, or use public transportation options. Uses in this area can include commercial services—especially retail, higher density residential, and offices. Taller buildings are more appropriate in these areas of the county. Z17-12 Staff Summary BOC Page 9 of 9 Consistency Recommendation The proposed hotel is CONSISTENT with the Urban Mixed Use place type. It provides a commercial service in a proposed mixed use growth node at a scale aligned with comprehensive plan guidelines of 2-7 stories in height. The site design includes multi-modal components, namely a sidewalk that will provide pedestrian access to adjacent properties that will benefit future visitors staying at the hotel and patrons of existing and planned businesses. PLANNING BOARD ACTION The Planning Board considered this application at their December 7, 2018 meeting. At the meeting, no one from the public spoke in favor of, or in opposition to the application. The Planning Board discussed the design of the hotel and site, and the transportation improvements planned for the area. The Board recommended approval (7-0) of the application, finding that it is: 1. Consistent with the purposes and intent of the 2016 Comprehensive Plan because the proposed development provides a commercial service in a proposed mixed use growth node at a scale aligned with comprehensive plan guidelines of 2-7 stories in height. 2. Reasonable and in the public interest because the proposed development will provide pedestrian access to adjacent properties that will benefit future visitors staying at the hotel and patrons of existing and planned businesses. The Board recommended the following conditions be added to the development: 1. The building cannot exceed 80 feet in height. The height shall be measured from the average grade to the highest point of the building, including parapet walls. 2. A connection for future parking lot cross-access shall be provided to the adjoining land northeast of the proposed development. The connection shall be constructed to the property line. 3. A five-foot-wide sidewalk shall be installed along both frontages of Porters Neck Road. The sidewalk shall be open for public use and connect to the interior parking area of the hotel. 4. Access to the individual hotel rooms shall be provided by an interior building corridor. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends approval of the application as stated in the Planning Board’s action. Staff concurs with the Planning Board’s statements that the application is consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and is reasonable and in the public interest. Staff also recommends that the first condition be modified to reflect the updated site plan, which proposes a hotel with fewer stories. Specifically, the condition should read as follows: 1. The building cannot exceed 70 feet in height. The height shall be measured from the average grade to the highest point of the building, including parapet walls.