Min - Planning and Zoning Commission - 2017 - 05/02 - RegularMay 2, 2017
PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION
Regular Meeting
May 2, 2017
CITY OF ALLEN
ATTENDANCE:
Commissioners Present:
Jeff Cocking, Chair
Ben Tmhan, P` Vice -Chair
Stephen Platt, Jr., 2nd Vice -Chair
Luke Hollingsworth
John Ogrizovich
Michael Orr
Absent:
City Staff Present:
Ogden "Be" Bass, AICP, Director of Community Development
Lee Battle, AICP, LEED AP, Assistant Director of Community Development
' Brian Bristow, Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation
Joseph Cotton, PE, Assistant Director of Engineering
Madhuri Mohan, AICP, Senior Planner
Kevin Laughlin, City Attorney
Call to Order and Announce a Quorum is Present:
With a quorum of the Commissioners present, Chairman Cocking called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
in the City Hall Council Chambers Room at Allen City Hall, 305 Century Parkway.
Directors Renort
1. Action taken on the Planning & Zoning Commission items by City Council at the April 25, 2017,
regular meeting, attached.
Consent Agenda (Routine P&Z business. Consent Agenda is approved by a single majority vote. Items
may be removed for open discussion by a request from a Commission member or member of staff.)
2. Approve minutes from the April 18, 2017, regular meeting.
3. Request for Extension —Consider a request for a 60 -day extension on a Preliminary Plat for Ridgeview
Villas, being 4.2471 acres situated in the J.W. Parsons Survey, Abstract No. 705; generally located
south of Ridgeview Drive and west of Twin Creeks Drive. (PP -3/28/16-25) [Ridgeview Villas]
Motion: Upon a motion by 2°d Vice -Chair Platt, and a second by
' 1" Vice -Chair Trahan, the Commission voted 6 I FAVOR, and 0 OPPOSED
to approve the Consent Agenda.
May 2, 2017
The motion carried.
Reeular Aeenda
4. Public Hewing/Replat— Conduct a Public Hearing and consider a request for a Replat for Lots 59R &
60, Block 11, Walden Park Estates, being a Replat of Lot 59, Block 11, Walden Park Estates; generally
located at the southeast comer of Greenville Avenue and High Meadow Drive. (FP -3/13/17-26)
[Avalon Memory Care Addition]
Ms. Madhuri Mohan, Senior Planner, presented the item to the Commission. She stated that the item is a
Public Hearing and a Replat for Avalon Memory Care. The property is generally located at the southeast
comer of Greenville Avenue and High Meadow Drive. The property to the north (across High Meadow
Drive) is zoned Single -Family Residential R-5. The properties to the east and south are zoned Single -Family
Residential R4. To the west (across Greenville Avenue), the properties are zoned Planned Development
PD No. 14 Office O and Planned Development PD No. 58 Community Facilities CF.
Ms. Mohan explained that the property is currently zoned Planned Development PD No. 115 Community
Facilities CF. A PD Amendment for Avalon Memory Care was approved in January 2014. A Site Plan for
the development was approved in February 2017. Platting is the last step in the development process.
The Replat shows two lots at approximately 3.8 acres. There are four points of access into the development;
one on High Meadow Drive, one on Greenville Avenue, and two gated access emergency access points on
the east. The plat also shows various easements required for development.
' The Replat has been reviewed by the Technical Review Committee and is consistent with the PD Concept
Plan and the Site Plan.
Chairman Cocking opened the public hearing.
Mr. Tommy Jeffcoat, 803 W. Concord Lane, stated that he lives on the east side of this development. He
acknowledged that this property is changing and developing, which is a good thing as this lot has been
vacant for at least 39 years. Mr. Jeffcoat was curious about the screening wall and lighting. He stated that
from what he understood, the zoning in 2014 allowed for a 6' masonry fence all the way around the back
of the property with a 2' wrought -iron. Now, from what he understands, the fencing has been changed to
just a wrought -iron fence. If the screening has changed to a wrought -iron fence, then when he walks out of
his driveway, he would be able to see the back of the building and be exposed to all the noise, such as noise
from air conditioning units. Him and his neighbors are also concerned about lighting. There is currently no
lighting in the back, and with this development, there will be light and he wanted to know what kind of
lighting has been approved. In summary, Mr. Jeffcoat wanted to know why and how the fencing changed
from masonry (approved in 2014) to wrought -iron and had concerns with lighting and noise.
Chairman Cocking closed the public hearing.
Chairman Cocking said no letters were received on the item.
Ms. Mohan addressed Mr. Jeffcoat's concerns and stated that the Concept Plan was approved in January
' 2014. In the regulations, an 8' wrought -iron fence with masonry columns was approved. This is what the
PD stated and is what was shown on the Site Plan, so wrought -iron will be built, again, per the PD
regulations.
May 2, 2017
' Chairman Cocking asked if the wrouldil4on screening included landscaping.
Ms. Mohan stated that she did not remember seeing landscaping, but the development will have to meet
landscape standards on Greenville and High Meadow.
Ms. Mohan stated in terms of the lighting, the Photometric Plan was vetted through the Site Plan process.
Staff ensured that the foot candles were zero at the property line, which means that the light would not shine
over the property lines. Regarding noise, the ALDC has specific decibel levels. She did not know that
specific number at the moment, but advised that if there were loud noises, Code Enforcement can be
contacted and an officer would be sent to the property.
Chairman Cocking stated that the standard is basically a spoken voice at the property line. If the noise is
louder than a spoken voice at the property line, Code Enforcement could be contacted. For lighting, the
ALDC standard is that lights cannot shine over the property lines and are required to be shielded, so no light
would shine into any of the homes. If the neighbors have problems with lights blaring in thein backyards,
he advised they call Code Enforcement.
1" Vice -Chair Trahan asked about a median on Greenville Avenue. If someone was coming south bound
on Greenville, and they had to make a U-turn to get into the property, would a curb cut on Greenville be
anticipated?
Ms. Mohan stated that there would be a driveway on Greenville Avenue.
I" Vice -Chair Trahan acknowledged the driveway, but wanted to know if drivers coming southbound
' wanting to mm into the property would have to make the U-turn.
Mr. Be Bass, Director of Community Development, stated that there would be no break.
2"a Vice -Chair Platt stated it appears drivers could tam on High Meadow drive.
I" Vice -Chair Trahan asked if the Site Plan would show how far the back of the building is to the boundary.
Ms. Mohan answered yes.
V Vice -Chair Trahan stated he is in favor of a masonry wall. He stated he would wait for the Site Plan to
raise that question.
Chairman Cocking advised that the Concept Plan had already been approved in 2014. This request [replat]
is just to change property lines.
I" Vice -Chair Trahan wanted verification that the wrought -iron fence was approved in 2014.
Chairman Cocking answered that the wrought -iron fence was approved in 2014. He said he remembered
this case having three separate buildings. Each building had its own in -kitchen facility, so there would not
be a shared cafeteria between them. There is a resident staff of a couple people in each facility. He then
asked the applicant to provide them with more details.
' Mr. Tim White, 5339 Alpha Road, Suite 300, Dallas, Texas, Engineer, stated that the development is a
memory care facility primarily serving senior citizens. There would be fifteen beds per building with their
own cafeterias. He stated there would be very low parking and that they went through a PD Amendment to
lower the parking ratio. There would be very little activity as most tenants would not have cars. There would
May 2, 2017
' also be very low noise levels. The Illumination Plan was taken in account, and the screening as well as
other regulations were all vetted. Mr. White stated that they made sure there were multiple access points so
there would be easy access and a low traffic count in this development. They provided two emergency exits.
He stated three individual buildings versus one large commercial building has been successful in other
areas.
2nd Vice -Chair Platt asked if the buildings were single story and had a residential feel from the outside
instead of a more industrial look.
Mr. White answered yes.
1" Vice -Chair Trahan asked if there was a thoroughfare on the rear side of the property.
Mr. White said that there was parking on the back side, but the main traffic would be on the front. The only
reason there would be parking on the back is for an emergency.
2nd Vice -Chair Platt asked if the access points on the back side were gated.
Mr. White answered yes.
Chairman Cocking added that access points through the alley would only be for emergency use.
Commissioner Orr asked if there would be any equipment in the kitchen area that would generate noise
more so than a regular home.
Mr. White answered no.
I" Vice -Chair Trahan asked about the dumpsters.
Mr. White stated they have two dumpsters on the two lots. He said they are not large dumpsters.
I" Vice -Chair Trahan stated he could not remember the City having a commercial and residential district
not separated by a masonry wall, so there must have been some reason they were okay with this in the past.
Chairman Cocking stated that there have been places where they have had this type of separation, especially
when the proposed development had a more residential look and feel. He recalled that the garden offices
on Exchange and Twin Creeks were not separated with a masonry wall. He reiterated that there are places
in town where buildings that had a residential look and were adjacent to a residential use were allowed to
have wrought -iron screening as a separation. Masonry is typically required when there is retail, deliveries
at 2 a.m., supermarkets, and litter issues. At the time, this use was not deemed to be a high volume place.
Mr. White stated that at the time of zoning, they were asked to perform a detailed traffic analysis report.
The applicant had relied on past projects to look at what the actual volume was and provided those reports
to staff. The traffic analysis had alleviated some of the concerns at that time.
Commissioner Hollingsworth stated that he has been in several Avalon facilities before and that they are
really nice. The open areas are nice for the residents to get out and have an outside feel rather than a business
' feel.
Commissioner Ogrizovich asked how many residents would be in this facility.
May 2, 2017
Mr. White responded that there is a potential for 12-15 beds per building, depending on the demand.
Commissioner Ogrizovich asked if there are two buildings.
Mr. White responded no, there are three buildings.
Chairman Cocking stated he understood this information was not germane to the case as the case is really
about the plat and the plat boundaries, but it has been a few years since the zoning. He thanked Mr. White
for the refresher.
Mr. White thanked staff for assisting them through the project.
Motion: Upon a motion by Commissioner Hollingsworth, and a second by
1" Vice -Chair Trahan, the Commission voted 6 I FAVOR, and 0OPPOSED
to approve the Replat for Lots 59R & 60, Block 11, Walden Park Estates,
generally located at the southeast corner of Greenville Avenue and High
Meadow Drive.
The motion carried.
5. Public Hearing/Zoning — Conduct a Public Hearing and consider a request to change the zoning of a
65.578± acre portion of land situated in the George Phillips Survey, Abstract No. 701; generally located
north of Allen Commerce Parkway and east of Chelsea Boulevard from "AO" Agriculture Open Space
to "PD" Planned Development No. 128 for a Data Center use, and adopt a Concept Plan, Building
Elevations, and Development Regulations. (ZN-041817-003) [Cyrus One Data Center]
Ms. Madhuri Mohan, Senior Planner, presented the item to the Commission. She stated that the item is a
Public Hearing and a PD zoning request for Cyrus One Data Center.
The property is currently zoned Agriculture Open Space AO. The property is generally located north of
Allen Commerce Parkway and east of Chelsea Boulevard. The properties to the north (across Ridgeview
Drive) are zoned Agriculture Open Space AO and Planned Development PD No. 24 Office O and Light
Industrial Ll. To the west, the property is zoned Agriculture Open Space AO, and further west (across
Chelsea Boulevard), zoned Agriculture Open Space AO, Planned Development PD No. 92 Single -Family
Residential R-7, and Planned Development PD No. 36 Industrial Technology IT. The property to the south
(across Allen Commerce Parkway) is zoned Planned Development PD No. 102 Corridor Commercial CC.
The properties to the east are zoned Community Facilities CF and Planned Development PD No. 124
Corridor Commercial CC.
The proposal is for the Cyrus One Data Center. The PD request will include a Concept Plan, Building
Elevations, and Development Regulations.
Ms. Mohan explained that the first component is the Concept Plan. The Concept Plan shows the site at
approximately 65.5± acres. The plan shows three separate data center buildings to be constructed in three
phases. The building on phase one will be approximately 350,950 square feet, the building on phase two
will be 619,100 square feet, and the building on phase three will be 412,800 square feet. All of the buildings
and phases total to over a million square feet, including area for both the data center infrastructure use as
' well as office use. The buildings will vary between one and two stories. The equipment yards, including
generators and chillers, are primarily on eastern side of the property and will be screened. Loading docks
are also proposed for each of the buildings and will also be screened.
May 2, 2017
' There are two points of access into the development, one on Chelsea Boulevard which is the main employee
and guest entrance, and one on Allen Commerce Parkway, which is an exit only. Both access points will
be gated. There is no minimum parking requirement for data center uses. For this development, roughly
492 parking spaces have been provided for all three buildings.
Tree mitigation will be required for this property and has been discussed between the applicant, Allen
Economic Development Corporation (AEDC), and the Parks department. Tree mitigation will be in
accordance with the specific regulations that are included in the development regulations.
The applicant is proposing to secure and screen the Data Center with a combination of screening. Perimeter
fencing will consist of an eight -foot wrought -iron security fence. Twelve -foot precast concrete screening
walls will screen all loading docks and twenty -foot precast concrete screening walls are proposed to screen
the equipment yards. An eight -foot black vinyl chainlink fence will also enclose the equipment yards.
Ms. Mohan then presented the building elevations. She stated that the maximum height would be two stories
and 56'. The building materials will be concrete panel, metal panel and glass.
Ms. Mohan stated that the last component is the development regulations, which were very similar to the
previous data centers (Cisco Data Center, Compass Data Center, and DFW II Data Center). The
development regulations are summarized as follows:
- Base Zoning District: CC
- Concept Plan; The Property shall be developed and used only in accordance with the Concept
' Plan.
Building Elevations: The buildings on the Property shall be developed in general conformance
(style and materials) as shown in the Building Elevations.
- Screening: Screening shall be constructed/installed on the Property in substantial conformance with
the Concept Plan. Service yards, loading docks, and equipment yards shall be screened.
- Permitted Uses: The Property may be developed with uses permitted in the CC zoning district, for
a Data center, and accessory uses to the Data Center.
- Minimum Yard Depth and Width: There are no minimum setbacks for fencing and guardhouses,
but must comply with traffic safety and site distance requirements.
- Off -Street Parking and Loading: Parking and loading areas shall be constructed as shown on the
Concept Plan.
- Landscaping: Landscaping shall comply with "CC" zoning district standards but may be modified
to accommodate security requirements for the Data Center operations.
- Tree Mitigation: Trees must be mitigated through delivery of trees to the City's tree farm or through
payment of the Tree Funds.
- Miscellaneous:
o Outdoor storage is permitted within the equipment yards.
o Lighting shall meet the ALDC standards, unless modifications are necessary for the
security or operations of the Data Center use.
o Generators and emergency equipment is allowed for any emergency as needed to maintain
operations of the Data Center.
Ms. Mohan stated that staff recommended approval and the request has been reviewed by the Technical
' Review Committee,
Commissioner Ogrizovich asked where the fuel storage for the generators are located.
May 2, 2017
' Ms. Mohan responded that all of the equipment is in the equipment yard, but said she was not sure about
the fuel storage.
Commissioner Ogrizovich continued asking if the fuel for the emergency back-up generators would be
outside in the equipment yards.
Mr. Josh Goertz with Corgan Architects, 401 North Houston Street Dallas, TX, stated that the fuel location
has not been finalized for buildings two and three, but will be located along the service road on the back
side of the first building.
Commissioner Ogrizovich asked how big the tanks were expected to be
Mr. Goertz responded that the size would vary. At the moment they are going to build 4.5 megawatts, which
is about half the tank, so they would probably have about three or four tanks. He stated he did not know the
actual capacities but the tanks would be underground.
Commissioner Ogrizovich stated this is a big facility.
Mr. Goertz agreed and stated that their main design will place all the tanks in the back side, away from the
residential area.
Mr. Danny Cowser with Cyrus One spoke from the audience about the tanks
Mr. Goertz corrected himself and said there are no tanks, and the belly tanks will be in the yards themselves.
' Commissioner Ogrizovich asked what the capacity of one of these tanks would be and for how long the
generator can run.
Mr. Danny Cowser with Cyrus One stated that each individual generator is 2.25 megawatts and sits on top
of a belly tank. Each belly tank has 5,000 gallons. The generator can run for three days.
Commissioner Ogrizovich asked how many generators are going to be on site.
Mr. Cowser responded that the first building has eighteen megawatts, so there are a total of twenty-four
generators, with each one having a 5,000 -gallon tank. These tanks are not shared between each other or
connected. One tank serves one generator.
Commissioner Ogrizovich asked if each one has to be filled and refilled individually.
Mr. Cowser answered yes.
Commissioner Ogrizovich stated that there must be certain safety requirements that are necessary. He asked
if this is typically how much fuel is stored on site at all times.
Mr. Cowser answered yes. They could either go with individual belly tanks or with big tanks that are above
or below ground. All their sites have the belly tanks because they are easier to fill and keep up with.
' Mr. Bo Bass, Director of Community Development, stated that the Cisco Data Center across the street has
both underground and above ground fuel storage in mass, not belly tanks like these generators.
May 2, 2017
' Commissioner Ogrizovich asked if there are multiple electric providers and asked if that is the reason these
data centers are located near each other.
Mr. Cowser responded that Oncor is the only provider. Some data centers will have multiple foods from
different substations by that same provider, but it is the same provider.
Mr. Bass stated that there are multiple substations as well.
Chairman Cocking stated that Oncor has two substations within two miles of this location which is why
data centers love the area as electricity is already provided in the area. He then asked if there are safeguards
for spillages in the equipment yard.
Mr. Bass responded that the Fire Marshal will vet the Engineering and Site Plans for all fire code related
requirements. The containment and seepage issues will be thoroughly vetted.
Mr. Cowser stated they will have all the necessary gear required as well as overfill alarms. If there is an
issue with leakage, they would get an overfill alarm.
Chairman Cocking asked about the 400 parking spaces and stated that most data centers do not have office
space. He was curious what the office space would be used for over time.
Mr. Goertz stated that there is an increased desire to have client capacity on ground for various clients.
Cyrus One has seen this increase, so they will be providing this office space not only for the potential
tenants, but for Cyrus One.
' Chairman Cocking asked if the office space will just be for Cyrus One or if they be subleasing space to
other tenants.
Mr. Cowser responded that it will be just for them. These are considered colo data centers, so they are
selling pieces of this data center to different clients. Over the years, these clients are demanding office space
for people to he on site. They may require storage space to store some servers that could be used for the
office space. At some of the data centers, clients may want to put in a DR site if they have an issue at their
home office due to weather issues, for example. These areas will be strictly offices in case anybody needs
to use them. The demand for office space has increased, especially in the colo environment.
Chairman Cocking opened the public hearing.
Chairman Cocking closed the public hearing.
Chairman Cocking said no letters or correspondences were received.
Motion: Upon a motion by 2"d Vice -Chair Platt, and a second by
Commissioner Ogrizovich, the Commission voted 6 IN FAVOR, and 0
OPPOSED to recommend approval of the request to establish a Planned
Development for a Data Center use and adopt a Concept Plan, Building
Elevations, and Development Regulations for an approximately 65.578t acre
portion of land; generally located north of Allen Commerce Parkway and east
' of Chelsea Boulevard, for Cyrus One Data Center.
The motion carried.
May 2, 2017
' Executive Session (As Needed)
As authorized by Section 551.071(2) of the Texas Government Code, this meeting may be convened into
closed Executive Session for the purpose of seeking confidential legal advice from the City Attorney on
any agenda item listed herein.
Adiournment
The meeting adjourned at 7:33 p.m.
Thes
eu[ a roved is 141-�'dayof
Je g 'hairman Madhuri Mohan, AICP, Senior Planner
May 2, 2017
' Director's Report from 4/25/2017 City Council Meeting
• There were no items taken to the April 25, 2017, City Council Meeting.
P