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Z22-03 Staff Report PB 4.7.2022 V7 FINAL Z22-03 Staff Report PB 4.7.2022 Page 1 of 14 STAFF REPORT OF Z22-03 REZONING APPLICATION APPLICATION SUMMARY Case Number: Z22-03 Request: Rezone approximately 1.84 acres to CB, Community Business and R-10, Residential Applicant: Property Owner(s): Douglas E Reeves with Reeves Holdings LLC Reeves Holdings, LLC Location: Acreage: 6205 Blossom Street 1.84 PID(s): Comp Plan Place Type: R01109-003-001-000 Community Mixed Use Existing Land Use: Proposed Land Use: Undeveloped Commercial use fronting Castle Hayne, and residential use fronting Blossom Street Current Zoning: Proposed Zoning: R-15, Residential CB, Community Business, and R-10 Residential SURROUNDING AREA LAND USE ZONING North General Retail Sales, Undeveloped B-2, R-15 East Residential R-15 South Residential R-15 West Castle Hayne Road Right-of-Way, Residential N/A, RA Z22-03 Staff Report PB 4.7.2022 Page 2 of 14 ZONING HISTORY July 1, 1985 Initially zoned R-15 (Castle Hayne Area) COMMUNITY SERVICES Water/Sewer CFPUA sewer is available; CFPUA water has capacity at this time. Capacity is also dependent on the analysis of the pipe collection system (gravity and force mains). Fire Protection New Hanover County Fire Services, New Hanover County Northern Fire District, New Hanover County Castle Hayne Station Schools Castle Hayne Elementary, Holly Shelter Middle, and Laney High Schools Recreation Riverside Park CONSERVATION, HISTORIC, & ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCES Conservation No known conservation resources. Historic No known historic resources. Archaeological No known archaeological resources. Z22-03 Staff Report PB 4.7.2022 Page 3 of 14 APPLICANT’S PROPOSAL • The applicant is proposing to rezone approximately 1.84 acres from R-15, Residential to CB, Community Business and R-10, Residential. The portion of the land fronting Castle Hayne Road is intended for commercial space. The acreage fronting Blossom Street would be rezoned for low density residential. • Access to the site is provided by Castle Hayne Road and Blossom Street. As shown on the proposed plan, the CB commercial zoning will front Castle Hayne Road and the R-10 residential zoning will front Blossom Street. • According to the applicant, the CB portion of the property is intended to be used for a restaurant. The acreage fronting Blossom Street will be subdivided into 3 lots for single family residential. However, because this is a straight rezoning request, conditions regarding uses cannot be placed on the approval. Z22-03 Staff Report PB 4.7.2022 Page 4 of 14 ZONING CONSIDERATIONS • The R-15 district in this area was established within the “Castle Hayne” zoning area in 1985. At the time, the purpose of the R-15 district was to provide lands that accommodate very low-density housing and recreational uses in order to preserve the quiet residential nature of the areas included in the district. However, recent rezonings of nearby property have allowed increased density and different levels of intensity in the surrounding Castle Hayne area. • The purpose of the Community Business (CB) District is to provide lands that accommodate the development, growth, and continued operation of businesses that serve surrounding neighborhoods with goods and services. CB district lands can serve as a buffer between higher density/intensity development and moderate or low-density multi-family and single- family neighborhoods. This district was added to the Unified Development Ordinance in 2019 and was intended to be appropriate adjacent to existing residential uses. • The purpose of the Residential-10 (R-10) District is to provide lands that accommodate new residential neighborhoods and encourage the conservation of existing residential lots and neighborhoods. Neighborhoods in the R-10 district are relatively low density in character and may be established in proximity to neighborhood or community commercial districts to encourage the establishment of walkable development patterns. • Although a straight rezoning, the applicant has provided a proposed plan for the parcel, but conditions regarding uses cannot be placed on the approval. The subject site would be required to meet all the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) requirements for development within the proposed zoning districts. Types of uses allowed and commonly found in the CB district include civic, institutional, and commercial uses like community centers, religious assemblies, restaurants, and general retail sales. Types of uses allowed and commonly found in the R-10 district include civic, institutional, and residential uses like libraries, religious assemblies, and EMS facilities. Some of these uses allowed in the CB and R-10 zoning districts are also permitted within the R-15 zoning district. Any proposed non- residential use would be subject to the applicable site design and approval provisions within the UDO. • The subject property is located within the commercial area of Castle Hayne. This area includes general office, retail, and restaurant uses. Adjacent property to the north of the site is zoned B-2, Regional Business, with a retail use established on site. Single-family housing and undeveloped land are located directly east and northeast of the property along Blossom Street, an unimproved public right-of-way. A small adjacent property to the south is zoned R-15 Residential. To the west exists RA-zoned parcels, accommodating single- family housing. To the northwest of the subject site, B-2 zoning exists and includes the Hudson Hardware and Luck’s Tavern businesses. • Current R-15 zoning would allow a maximum of 5 dwelling units on the 1.84-acre site at a density of 2.5 du/ac. • Future development of the site would be subject to technical review to ensure compliance with applicable County and State regulations, including applicable site design and approval provisions within the UDO. Z22-03 Staff Report PB 4.7.2022 Page 5 of 14 AREA SUBDIVISIONS UNDER DEVELOPMENT • The property is not within one mile of any subdivisions under development. TRANSPORTATION • Access will be provided to the subject property from Castle Hayne Road, an NCDOT- maintained minor arterial street, and by Blossom Street by way of Vine Street. • Traffic Impact Analyses are not required for a straight rezoning, as a specific development proposal is required to thoroughly analyze access, potential trip generation, and roadway improvements. Z22-03 Staff Report PB 4.7.2022 Page 6 of 14 • Before any development can occur on this site, the Technical Review Committee will review all plans for compliance with applicable land use regulations, including any recommended roadway improvements from traffic impact analyses to ensure adequate traffic safety and distribution. Recommended roadway improvements will be completed as required by a Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) or through the NCDOT Driveway permitting process. • As currently zoned, it is estimated the site would generate about 4 AM peak hour trips and 5 PM peak hour trips if developed at the permitted density. • The trips generated from the requested CB portion of the property would vary based on the proposed uses within this district. It is estimated that 1.27 acres of property zoned CB can generally support approximately 10,000 square feet of traditional general retail uses based on a typical 18% building area for this type of zoning. Such a development is estimated to generate about 38 AM peak hour trips and 92 PM peak hour trips. • The net change from the potential trip generation if the site were to be developed under the existing R-15 district to the proposed CB and R-10 districts shows an approximate increase of 36 AM peak hour trips and an approximate increase of 90 PM peak hour trips. General retail uses typically generate the bulk of their trips during the PM hours as retail uses are often not the weekday rush hour destination for motorists. • As there is not a specific development proposal at this time to analyze traffic impacts for, staff has provided the volume to capacity ratio for roadways in the vicinity of the subject site. While volume to capacity ratio, based on average daily trips, can provide a general idea of the function of adjacent roadways, the delay vehicles take in seconds to pass through intersections is generally considered a more effective measure when determining the Level of Service of a roadway. NCDOT Average Annual Daily Traffic (AADT) - 2019 Road Location Volume Capacity V/C Castle Hayne Road 6100 block 19,494 17,375 1.12 (F) Intensity Approx. Peak Hour Trips Existing Development: Undeveloped 0 AM / 0 PM Typical Development under Current Zoning: 5 Single-Family Dwellings 4 AM / 5 PM Potential Trip Generation under Proposed Rezoning: Approximately 10,000 Square Feet of General Retail Sales & 3 Single- Family Dwellings Total: 40AM / 95 PM (38 AM / 92 PM for CB & 2 AM / 3PM for R-10) Potential Net Change under Proposed Zoning: - + 36AM / + 90 PM Z22-03 Staff Report PB 4.7.2022 Page 7 of 14 Nearby Planned Transportation Improvements and Traffic Impact Analyses • The property is not within 1-mile of any planned Transportation Improvement Projects or Traffic Impact Analyses. ENVIRONMENTAL • The property is not within a Natural Heritage Area or Special Flood Hazard Area. • The property is within the Holly Shelter Creek watershed. • Per the Classification of Soils in New Hanover County for Septic Tank Suitability, soils on the property consist of Class I soils (suitable/slight limitation). OTHER CONSIDERATIONS SCHOOLS • Students generated from development of this parcel would be assigned to Castle Hayne Elementary, Holly Shelter Middle, and Laney High schools. Students may apply to attend public magnet, year-round elementary, or specialty high schools. • Under the current zoning, density would be limited to a maximum of 5 dwelling units. Under the proposed zoning, a maximum of 3 units could be developed. • Based on the current student generation rate*, the maximum development within the proposed zoning district can be estimated to generate approximately the same number of students than if developed under existing zoning. • The general student generation rate provides only an estimate of anticipated student yield as different forms of housing at different price points yield different numbers of students. Over the past four years, staff has also seen a decline in the number of students generated by new development. Student numbers remained relatively stable between 2015 and 2020 (excepting the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic), while 14,500 new residential units were permitted across the county. In addition, the student population is anticipated to only grow by approximately 1,300 students over the next 10 years based on the recent New Hanover County Schools Facility Needs Study. Z22-03 Staff Report PB 4.7.2022 Page 8 of 14 Development Type Intensity Estimated Student Yield (current general student generation rate)* Existing Development Undeveloped Approximate* Total: 0 Typical Development under Current R-15 Zoning 5 residential units Approximate* Total: 1 Potential Development under Proposed Zoning Districts 3 residential units Approximate* Total: 1 *The current general student generation rate was calculated by dividing the projected New Hanover County public school student enrollment for the 2021-2022 school year by the number of dwelling units in the county. Currently, there are an average of 0.22 public school students (0.09 for elementary, 0.05 for middle, and 0.08 for high) generated per dwelling unit across New Hanover County. These numbers are updated annually and include students attending out-of-district specialty schools, such as year-round elementary schools, Isaac Bear, and SeaTech. **Because the student generation rate often results in fractional numbers, all approximate student generation yields with a fraction of 0.5 or higher are rounded up to a whole number and yields with a fraction of less than 0.5 are rounded down. This may result in student numbers at the elementary, middle, and high school levels not equaling the approximate total. • Developments of the size and type associated with the proposed rezoning would likely not reach full build-out for over 5 years. As a result, existing school enrollment and capacity is not likely to be relevant. New Hanover County Schools staff would include this project if approved in future facility planning initiatives in order to accommodate any resulting student growth. • Staff has provided information on existing school capacity to provide a general idea of the potential impact on public schools, but these numbers do not reflect any future capacity upgrades. School Enrollment* and Capacity**—2021-2022 Estimates *Enrollment is based on the New Hanover County Schools enrollment projections for the 2021-2022 school year. **Capacity calculations were determined based on the projected capacities for the 2021-2022 school year, and funded or planned capacity upgrades were those included in the Facility Needs Study presented by New Hanover County Schools to the Board of Education in January 2021. This information does not take into account flexible scheduling that may be available in high school settings, which can reduce the portion of the student body on campus at any one time. Level Total NHC % Capacity School Enrollment of Assigned School Capacity of Assigned School w/ Portables % of Capacity of Assigned School Funded Capacity Upgrades Elementary 91% Castle Hayne 483 529 91% None Middle 98% Holly Shelter 917 934 98% None High 105% Laney 2063 1903 108% None Z22-03 Staff Report PB 4.7.2022 Page 9 of 14 REPRESENTATIVE DEVELOPMENTS Representative Developments of R-15: Page’s Corner in Ogden Clay Crossing Z22-03 Staff Report PB 4.7.2022 Page 10 of 14 Representative Developments of R-10: Rachel’s Place Planters Walk and West Bay Estates Z22-03 Staff Report PB 4.7.2022 Page 11 of 14 Representative Developments of CB: Context and Compatibility • The property is located along Castle Hayne Road, which is identified as a Minor Arterial on the WMPO Functional Classification Map. • The site abuts the Castle Hayne commercial node and is adjacent to single family homes to the east on Blossom Street. • The site would serve as a transitional area between the commercial activity along the Castle Hayne corridor and the lower-intensity uses to the east. • The development is expected to have no impact on the school system. Z22-03 Staff Report PB 4.7.2022 Page 12 of 14 2016 COMPREHENSIVE 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. These place types are intended to identify general areas for particular development patterns and should not be interpreted as being parcel specific. ` Z22-03 Staff Report PB 4.7.2022 Page 13 of 14 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 in a transitional area near the Castle Hayne commercial services node and ideally would provide for the needs of adjacent residential neighborhoods. The Comprehensive Plan classifies properties along the Castle Hayne Road corridor as Community Mixed Use. It is the intent of the plan to allow for the continued growth of this node with commercial services and moderate density residential development while also providing a transition between the lower density housing to the east and the high intensity Castle Hayne Road Corridor. The subject site’s location makes it appropriate to serve as a transitional area between the existing and future businesses located within the Castle Hayne commercial node to the south and low-density residential and low-intensity commercial land uses to the north. The proposed CB portion of the parcel would allow for the types of commercial uses that would be appropriate in a Community Mixed Use place type and would provide services to the surrounding community. Uses permissible within the CB are meant for transitional areas between residential areas and commercial nodes. The applicant intends for lower- intensity commercial services such as a small restaurant, for nearby residents as well as commuters since Castle Hayne Road is an important commuter route to and from Pender County. The proposed R-10 portion of the parcel will be located between the CB and existing R-15 zoning districts. The proposed R-10 zoning district could accommodate approximately 3 residential units, which would provide an appropriate transition to the single-family homes existing on Blossom Street and toward the east. While the proposed housing density is lower than typical in a Community Mixed Use place type, it is consistent with existing housing patterns. Consistency Recommendation The proposed rezoning for CB and R-10 is generally CONSISTENT with the Comprehensive Plan because it will allow for the types of residential development and commercial uses encouraged in the Community Mixed Use place type. Z22-03 Staff Report PB 4.7.2022 Page 14 of 14 STAFF RECOMMENDATION Because the proposed rezoning is generally consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and would provide a transition between existing commercial services and residential areas, Staff recommends approval of the proposal and suggests the following motion: I move to recommend APPROVAL of the proposed rezoning to CB and R-10. I find it to be CONSISTENT with the purposes and intent of the Comprehensive Plan because it will allow for the types of residential and commercial uses that would be encouraged in the Community Mixed Use place type. I also find recommending APPROVAL of the rezoning request is reasonable and in the public interest because the site is located on an arterial street near existing commercial services and would serve as a transition between the Castle Hayne commercial node to the south and residential properties to the north and east. Alternative Motion for Denial I move to recommend DENIAL of the proposed rezoning to CB and R-10. While I find it to be CONSISTENT with the purposes and intent of the Comprehensive Plan because it would allow for the types of commercial uses that would be encouraged in the Community Mixed Use place type, I find recommending DENIAL of the rezoning request is reasonable and in the public interest because the proposal is not consistent with the desired character of the surrounding community and the intensity will adversely impact the adjacent neighborhoods.