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Z19-05 Staff Report PB 4.4.2019Z19-05 Staff Report PB 4.4.2019 Page 1 of 11 STAFF REPORT FOR Z19-05 ZONING MAP AMENDMENT APPLICATION APPLICATION SUMMARY Case Number: Z19-05 Request: Zoning Map amendment to rezone 23.25 acres from (CUD) B-1, R-15, and (CZD) O&I to B-1 Applicant: Property Owner(s): Michael Nadeau WPE Holdings, LLC Location: Acreage: 9000 block of U.S. Highway 17 23.25 PID(s): Comp Plan Place Type: R02900-002-068-000 Community Mixed Use Existing Land Use: Proposed Land Use: Undeveloped The property would be allowed to be developed in accordance with the B-1 district Current Zoning: Proposed Zoning: (CUD) B-1, R-15, (CZD) O&I B-1 Z19-05 Staff Report PB 4.4.2019 Page 2 of 11 SURROUNDING AREA LAND USE ZONING North Medical Offices, New Hanover Regional Medical Center – Emergency Department North (CUD) O&I, (CZD) O&I East Undeveloped R-15 South Single-Family Residential R-15 West US 17 Corridor, Single-Family Residential R-15 ZONING HISTORY July 1, 1974 Initially zoned R-15 (Area 5) January 8, 2007 Portions of the property was rezoned to (CUD) B-1 and (CUD) O&I (Z- 853) to allow for office, retail, financing, and service related uses (Scotts Hill Medical Park). February 4, 2008 The conceptual site plan attached to the district was administratively modified to allow for minor changes in the building and parking layout. August 11, 2014 A portion of the property was rezoned to from (CUD) O&I to (CZD) O&I as a result of a request to add an emergency helicopter landing pad to the New Hanover Regional Medical Center. January 29, 2019 The conceptual site plan attached to the district was administratively modified to allow for minor changes in the building and parking layout. COMMUNITY SERVICES Water/Sewer Water and sewer services are available through CFPUA. Mainline extension may be required for access. Fire Protection New Hanover County Fire Services, New Hanover County Northern Fire District, New Hanover County Station Porters Neck Schools Castle Hayne Elementary, Eaton Elementary, Holly Shelter Middle, and Laney High schools Recreation Ogden Park Z19-05 Staff Report PB 4.4.2019 Page 3 of 11 CONSERVATION, HISTORIC, & ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCES Conservation No known conservation resources Historic No known historic resources Archaeological No known archaeological resources CURRENT APPROVED CONCEPTUAL SITE PLAN  The majority of the subject property is currently zoned (CUD) B-1, consisting of approximately 19 acres or 80 percent of the site. This zoning, originally approved in 2007, allows for the development of a medical park consisting office, retail, and service- related uses totaling over 200,000 square feet in area.  Scotts Hill Medical Park Notable Conditions: o Maximum Impervious Area:  Buildings: 105,250 sf.  Parking & Street: 297,000 sf. o 202,000 Gross Floor Area.  Maximum of 80,000 sf for retail.  No building footprint to exceed 25,000 sf. o Uses limited to office, retail, and service-related. Z19-05 Staff Report PB 4.4.2019 Page 4 of 11  The property owner has recently modified the conceptual site plan attached to the district and is currently proceeding with subdividing three lots on the northern side of the site. Of the three lots, two would allow for development, while the third mostly consists of a “tree save area”/future phase. The tree save area was originally shown on the conceptual plan approved in 2007 due to a steep change in the grade of the property limiting development options at that time. Approval of this rezoning request would allow the tree save area to be developed in accordance with the B-1 zoning district standards, including the tree protection standards which requires mitigation for any significant tree removed. Per a recent tree survey conducted by the property owner in January of this year, there are two significant trees located within the boundaries of the tree save area.  According to the applicant, the requested zoning change is due to changes in the medical park market, which is now seeing consolidated practices that seek stand-alone buildings customized to their marketing and patient needs. The original plan was designed as a larger campus-like facility where small practices would lease space. The applicant states that eliminating the conditional district would facilitate development that meets current market demand. ZONING CONSIDERATIONS  Because this is a general map amendment and not a conditional rezoning, uses that would be allowed on the property are those allowed by right or by Special Use Permit in the B- 1 district based on the Table of Permitted Uses in the Zoning Ordinance. The B-1 district permits a total of 59 uses by-right and 11 uses with a special use permit. In general, the district permits the following categories of uses: Agricultural  Wholesale Nurseries  General Agriculture Commercial  Retail  Restaurants  Financial Services  Personal Services  Indoor/Outdoor Recreation  Day Care  Automobile Service (including towing yards)  Professional and Government Offices  Artisan Manufacturing Institutional  Libraries  Museums  Religious Institutions Special Uses  Cell Towers  Stand-alone Entertainment Establishments (Bars)  Senior Living  Dwelling Units  Boating Facilities & Marinas  The subject property is located along U.S. Highway 17 and abuts existing medical uses to the north. The site is buffered from the Scotts Hill Village residential subdivision by an existing wetland area and Coastal Preparatory Academy. The Board of Commissioners recently approved the issuance of revenue bonds for Coastal Preparatory Academy to acquire an undeveloped 14.5-acre parcel directly across the street from the school. Z19-05 Staff Report PB 4.4.2019 Page 5 of 11  Development within the proposed B-1 zoning district would require additional building setbacks and landscaping buffers along the adjacent R-15 zoned property. Specifically: o The building setback required along the side property line adjacent to the R-15 zoning would be a minimum of 25’ or 2.75 x Building Height, whichever is greater. o The building setback requirement along the rear property line adjacent to the R- 15 zoning would be a minimum of 30’ or 3.73 x Building Height, whichever is greater. o Landscaping buffers would be required between the development and the residential properties. The buffers must be a minimum of 20’ in width and provide 100% opacity. o In addition, all lights must be shielded in a manner so that light from the fixture does not directly radiate into adjacent property. TRANSPORTATION  Access is provided to the subject property by Scotts Hill Medical Drive, a private road which connects directly to U.S. Highway 17.  The property owner recently obtained an approved scope for a Traffic Impact Analysis from the Wilmington Metropolitan Planning Organization. Per the approved scope, the full build of the site would consist of 132,000 square feet of office uses, 18,000 square feet of medical office uses, 32,000 square feet of shopping center uses, and 9,000 square feet for a pharmacy with a drive-through (this totals to 191,000 square feet – about 10,000 square feet less than the current approved plan allows).  TIAs are reviewed by the County, WMPO, and NCDOT, and stipulate roadway improvements required for the proposed development.  TIAs are not required in advance of general map amendments, but are completed when the specific development is proposed. Z19-05 Staff Report PB 4.4.2019 Page 6 of 11 Traffic Counts – June 2018 Road Location Volume Capacity V/C US 17 10200 Block 45,745 57,008 0.80 Nearby Planned Transportation Improvements and Traffic Impact Analyses Nearby Traffic Impact Analyses: Traffic Impact Analyses are completed in accordance with the WMPO and NCDOT standards. Approved analyses must be re-examined by NCDOT if the proposed development is not completed by the build out date established within the TIA. Z19-05 Staff Report PB 4.4.2019 Page 7 of 11 Proposed Development Land Use/Intensity TIA Status 1. Scotts Hill Medical Park  132,000 sf Office  18,000 sf Medical Office  32,000 sf Shopping Center  9,000 sf Pharmacy with Drive-Through  Scope approved March 22, 2019  TIA under draft The TIA is currently under draft. No improvements have been recommended at this time. TIAs are not required in advance of general rezonings and are typically completed when a specific development is proposed. Nearby Proposed Developments to be included within the TIA:  Scotts Hill Village  Coastal Preparatory Academy Development Status: No construction has started at this time. 2. Scotts Hill Charter School  Phase 1 (2016-2017) – 490 students  Phase 2 (2018-2019) – 587 students  Phase 3 (2019-2020) – 664 students  Phase 4 (2020-2021) – 731 students  TIA approved January 11, 2017 The TIA recommended* improvements be completed at certain intersections in the area. The notable recommendations consisted of:  Extension of the existing northbound left/u-turn lane at US 17 and Sidbury Road  Modification of signal timing at traffic lights located on US 17 at Scotts Hill Loop Road and Sidbury Road  Driveway improvements at the site’s access with Pandion Drive  Installation of a left turn lane into the site  Installation of dual westbound right-turn lanes on Scotts Hill Loop Road at the US 17 intersection Per NCDOT, the school has not completed any of the recommended improvements. *When this TIA was approved, State law prohibited NCDOT from requiring schools to install roadway improvements. Under current regulations, the total cost of any required improvements to the State highway system must be reimbursed by NCDOT. Nearby Proposed Developments included within the TIA:  Blake Farms  New Hanover Regional Medical Center  Scotts Hill Village Development Status: The initial building has been constructed and the school is on schedule with the phasing plan noted above. Z19-05 Staff Report PB 4.4.2019 Page 8 of 11 3. Blake Farms (Pender County)  500 Single-Family Units  700 Active Adult/Senior Attached Units  1,798 Active Adult/Senior Detached Units  50,000 sf Mini-Warehouse  50,000 sf Retail Space  2 150-Room Hotels  Approved July 6, 2015  2029 Build Out Year The TIA required improvements be completed at certain intersections in the area. The notable improvements consisted of:  Installation of a multiple turn lanes on US 17 and Sidbury Road  Installation of a new signal and u-turn lane at the intersection of US 17 and Sidbury Road Nearby Proposed Developments included within the TIA:  None Development Status: No construction has started at this time. 4. Scotts Hill Village New Hanover Regional Emergency Facility  64,000 sf of medical offices  200,000 sf hospital  TIA Approved April 8, 2014  2018 Full Build Out Year The TIA required improvements be completed at certain intersections in the area. The major improvements consist of:  Installation of a northbound u-turn lane, left-turn crossover lane, and westbound right-turn lanes at the intersection of US 17 and Scotts Hill Medical Drive  Installation of a u-turn lane on US 17 at Scotts Hill Loop Road Per NCDOT, the improvements required at this time have been installed in accordance with their standards. Additional improvements will be required to be installed when future phases of the development are completed. Nearby Proposed Developments included within the TIA:  Scotts Hill Village  Stevens Point Apartments  Vineyard West Development Status: Partially Completed (The emergency room has been constructed) Z19-05 Staff Report PB 4.4.2019 Page 9 of 11 5. Scotts Hill Village  226 Single-Family Homes  TIA approved February 4, 2014  2018 Build Out Year The TIA required improvements be completed at certain intersections in the area. The major improvements consist of:  Installation of an eastbound right turn lane at Scotts Hill Loop Road and the site access The improvements required at this time have been installed in accordance with NCDOT’s standards. Nearby Proposed Developments included within the TIA:  Vineyard West  Stevens Point Apartments  Scotts Hill Medical Center Development Status: Under construction, two phases have been platted consisting of 68 lots 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.  STIP Project U-4751 (Military Cutoff Extension) o Extension of Military Cutoff Road from Market Street to I-140. Construction is underway.  STIP Project R-3300A (Hampstead Bypass) o US 17 bypass of Hampstead connecting to I-140 and the Military Cutoff Extension. Right-of-way acquisition is currently in progress. ENVIRONMENTAL  The property does not contain any Special Flood Hazard Areas or Natural Heritage Areas.  The property is within the Futch Creek (SA;HQW) watershed.  Per the Classification of Soils in New Hanover County for Septic Tank Suitability, soils on the property consist of Class I (suitable/slight limitation) and Class III soils (severe limitation). 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. Z19-05 Staff Report PB 4.4.2019 Page 10 of 11 Future Land Use Map Place Type Community Mixed Use Place Type Description Focuses on small-scale, compact, mixed use development patterns that serve all modes of travel and act as an attractor for county residents and visitors. Types of appropriate uses include office, retail, mixed use, recreational, commercial, institutional, and multi-family and single-family residential. Analysis The subject property is located along U.S. Hwy 17 at its intersection with Scotts Hill Medical Dr., adjacent to the New Hanover Regional Medical Center Atlantic SurgiCenter. It is designated as a Community Mixed Use place type and, given its location proximate to existing medical and school facilities, could contribute to the range of services provided by the existing small institutional node. Clustering office, commercial, and other services in this area east of the I-140 intersection could increase access to basic goods and services for residents in eastern New Hanover County and north of Scotts Hill. This could reduce the need to travel to the Porters Neck and Ogden areas for these services. The requested B-1 rezoning could allow for a variety of office, retail, housing, and recreational uses that would be appropriate in this area, and commercial districts, like B-1, are identified as typical zoning categories for use in the Community Mixed Use place type. Consistency Recommendation The proposed B-1 rezoning is generally CONSISTENT with the 2016 Comprehensive Plan because commercial districts are identified as typical zoning categories for the Community Mixed Use place type, and the B-1 district allows for the types of retail, office, housing, and recreational uses recommended for this area. Z19-05 Staff Report PB 4.4.2019 Page 11 of 11 STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends approval of the application. Staff concludes that the application is: 1. Consistent with the purposes and intent of the 2016 Comprehensive Plan because the B-1 zoning district allows for the types of uses recommended by the Comprehensive Plan for this area, and is identified as a typical zoning category for the Community Mixed Use place type. 2. Reasonable and in the public interest because the proposal supports business success by increasing access to basic goods and services for residents in eastern New Hanover County and north of Scotts Hill, which may reduce the need to travel to the Porters Neck and Ogden areas. In addition, the Zoning Ordinance requires the site to provide a transition to the abutting residential property with the installation of a bufferyard along the shared property lines.