Stop Haggard Farms West Rezoning

December 6th Update - Plano Tomorrow Plan

Please send you comments to the Planning and Zoning Commission on the Plano Tomorrow Plan now.  Click here for a letter to P&Z for download to print, sign and mail. The letter is repeated below so you can copy and paste it it in an email if you prefer. The e-mail address is:

Chrisd@plano.gov (Director of Planning)
citycouncil@plano.gov

Please copy bethcarruth@verizon.net so we know it has been sent.

LETTER:

Plano Planning & Zoning Commission
P.O. Box 860358
Plano, TX 75086-0358

Dear Commissioners and Director Day:

I have studied the draft Plano Tomorrow Plan and believe that it needs substantial modification to represent my views and the views of the citizens of Plano.  I believe that the draft Plano Tomorrow Plan misinterpreted the Survey sent to residents and other interactions with residents, including views expressed by citizens at various Planning and Zoning and City Council meetings.  I do not believe population growth and high density housing should be an objective of the city of Plano.

The draft of the Plano Tomorrow Plan seeks to grow the population of Plano by 40,000 to 50,000 by inserting dense mid-rise residential apartments and urban mixed use developments throughout the city.  P& Z and City Council already started down this path approving 7,500 multi-family units in 2014, a 20% increase in the city’s multi-family housing units in one year. Yet, the Survey respondents said midrise and urban mixed use were the LEAST desirable use of the City’s remaining available land.

The clear majority of Survey respondents to the Phase II Public Outreach Campaign, answered as follows and I agree with these points:

• Question 6 of the Survey – respondents stated that the number one priority should be to attract employment to the city, followed by improving the appearance of the environment while increasing the variety of higher density housing scored LAST.
• Question 9 of the Survey – most respondents said the remaining undeveloped land in Plano should be used for general office space followed by retail and entertainment and then other commercial uses.  Residential uses ranked last. The respondents do NOT believe population growth is an imperative for Plano. 
• Question 8 of the Survey - respondents ranked single family detached homes as the housing product they would prefer to see built in Plano today while high density apartments in urban centers and mid-rise residential were rated the LEAST Desirable.  The respondents do NOT support urbanization. 
• Question 5 of the Survey - respondents were asked what areas of Plano they would like to see change.  West Plano got the fewest votes by far, receiving far less than one half of 1%, which is a resounding message that things are just fine in West Plano and do NOT need to change.  Yet the Plano Tomorrow Plan seeks to significantly increase the density and “Urbanization” of west Plano through high intensity corridor designations south of Tennyson and allowing several UMUs on available land.

The draft Plano Tomorrow Plan does not spend enough time focusing on what is important to the citizens of Plano and how zoning should support those priorities.  The number one priority for the citizens of Plano has always been and should continue to be protecting the quality and reputation of our schools and the number two priority is protecting the quality of our existing neighborhoods.  We know that if these are protected, the city will continue to prosper.  I fail to see how “urbanizing” Plano by significantly increasing the population in dense mid-rise and urban mixed use apartments will contribute to the quality of our schools and desirability of existing neighborhoods because this will overtax our roads, water resources and other infrastructure.  Protecting the quality of our schools and existing neighborhoods should be the focus of the Plan.

Sincerely,

Signed:                                                                     Date:

Name:   

Address:

                    Plano, TX 750__

Cc: Plano City Council and Mayor LaRosiliere

If you would like a more extended analysis and discussion of the issues with the Plano Tomorrow Plan, see this link.   

November 6th Update - we are asking you to send an email to City council.  See addresses below:

We are asking our residents to send an email to the city council today to express their concern. See it the message to our group here Following is a Sample email:

__________________

TO: Plano City Council:

I am opposed to P&Z case 2014-33 – One Haggard Place –on this coming week’s agenda unless there is a significant modification.

I believe there needs to be an overall cap on the number of residential units for this parcel, which I believe should be a maximum of 400 units. The modification I am suggesting will still allow the buildings shown in the Preliminary Site and Concept Plan for Lot 1 and Lot 2. The developer, Visions5, has NOT objected to this restriction.

Case 2014-33 is a request for a planned development under PD-RC zoning. If the developer is to receive approval for the exceptional PD zoning, then the community has a right to expect that we get a development consistent with the stated plan, not something entirely different, such as a higher density mid-rise apartment complex. Below are the reasons I believe my proposed modification is appropriate.

The Lot 1 condo tower is 20 stories and the developer publicly states that they are planning 107 units for this building. Lot 2 includes two additional buildings with a slightly smaller foot print that are 12 and 7 stories, respectively. So there is a total of 39 stories to be built between the three buildings. If the layouts were comparable, we appear to be talking about a total of 200 to 250 residential units for the three buildings. That would suggest the City could limit the overall number of units in this planned development to no more than 300. We are proposing a cap of 400 units.

At the September 2, 2014 P&Z meeting, the residents of West Plano made clear that they were opposed to a high concentration of multi-family units at Haggard Farm West and I believe any development that allowed more than 400 residential units in this 10.7 acre tract would be a gross violation of the message from the residents of West Plano.

This modification would NOT preclude the planned development and in fact would allow generous modifications (including adding additional floors to buildings two and three) without a new zoning case. However, any significant changes beyond this threshold would clearly represent a whole new plan and the developer should have to return for a new PD zoning ordinance if such a major change is contemplated.

Thank you for your consideration of this request,

(ADD YOUR NAME(s) AND ADDRESS)

Email the above to the City Council

citycouncil@plano.gov;

mayor@plano.gov;

bruceg@plano.gov City Manager Bruce Glasscock;

Chrisd@plano.gov Planning Department;

Please cc: srlavine@gmail.com So we have a record of your email

Mail your objection to the Planning and Zoning Commission.  PRINT OUT THE ATTACHED FORM,
COMPLETE AND SIGN IT and MAIL IT IN!!!

This will take 5 minutes

P&Z Case 2014-08 Haggard Farms West Objection 

Did you send in your form? 280 or more of your neighbors did.  Send it to P&Z, or send an email to P&Z at erich@plano.gov and / or the city council (see addresses below) expressing your objections.

Please let us know by email that you have registered your objections.

Also

There are related cases P&Z case 2014-30 on the "Re-Zoning Request" page regarding the Helistop and Condominium. After the publicity, the Developer withdrew the Helistop request.  The Condominium zoning request which covered 8 of the 329 acres was passed for City Council approval.  If you object to the 20 story condominium tower, you should contact city council and / or the Mayor (see below). 

An effective campaign of letters and emails can help in our effort regarding the 2014-08, the re-zoning of the 329 acres of haggard Farms West.  Below are the names, addresses and email of Planning & Zoning Commission and City Council Members.  Please help us out when by taking the time to personally send a letter to them and show our passion on this matter.

See a letter of objections from the West Plano HOA's here

Planning & Zoning Commission
P.O. Box 860358
Plano, TX 75086-0358

Richard Grady, Chairman
Forrest Hicks
Kayci Prince
Michael Mansfield
Doug Bender
Mark Pittman
M. Nathan Barbera
William Hilburn

P&Z Staff Genera Phone 972-941-7396

Christina Day, Director of Planning
chrisd@plano.gov

Eric Hill
erich@plano.gov

Names and contact information for:

City Council

1520 Avenue K
Plano, TX 75074

citycouncil@plano.gov

City council general # 972-941-7107

Some comments from Residents:

I am against the urban development & creation of additional apartment homes and commercial businesses on Haggard Farms – Ryann Gant

No to high rise condos and apartments – Tammie Burnett

The location of the largest apartment community in DFW in West Plano is an abomination.  Do not destroy our community. – Joe Buser

I am particularly opposed to the requests to greatly increase the number of allowed multi-family units and overcrowded schools – Othon Cabanzo

See More comments Here

Reasons to object to Planning & Zoning case 2014-08. 

• The zoning application requests changes (to a UMU Designation) that would allow over 4800 multi-family units to be built on the subject properties.  Current zoning only allows 341.  There already is an adequate supply of multi-family units in this area so we do not need more and this intense concentration of multi-family is undesirable for the community, incompatible with surrounding neighborhoods and will strain infrastructure and therefore is unacceptable. 
• The zoning application requests Urban Mixed-Use (UMU) zoning district designation with limited urban design standards,  This is not acceptable because it does not meet P&Z requirements that a UMU only be approved if there is an adopted development plan.  Such a development plan needs to be very specific so that all of its elements can be evaluated prior to approval.  To avoid a situation where the UMU is approved and then all that gets built are a high concentration of apartments, the development plan should be required to specify that office space, retail space and amenities get built before or concurrently with any residential development. The UMU designation without a specific development plan could be used primarily to obtain the flexibility of zoning and then all that might happen is that 5,000 apartments are built and little else.
• The zoning application requests the waiver of standard set back requirements throughout the development.   These standards are required for properties to be aesthetically pleasing, have landscaping and prevent an urban jungle of concrete and brick.  Plano landscaping, including wide medians and buffer zones are an important part of this city’s identity. It is unacceptable to waive these standards.
• The zoning application would allow mid-rise and high rise development in areas not currently designated for such development.  This urban development is inconsistent with the neighborhood of single family homes and should not be allowed.
• With 5,000 multi-family units, there will be least 10,000 to 15,000 new residents and eventually a large base of school age children.  This many residents could add enough school age children to require an elementary school and middle school and could even be a tipping point for to require additional high school facilities.  There should be a requirement to dedicate adequate land for future school construction and facilities.  Currently no land is dedicated to future school needs and this is unacceptable.
• The zoning application has little open space for parks and what exists as a possible open space is at the far eastern end of the subject properties.  The zoning application requests exemption from any required open space for multifamily development and no proposed open space is included in the PD request. Given the high concentration of planned residents and eventually concentration of children, green space and parks should be required..
• With 5,000 multi-family units, there will be 10,000 to 15,000 new residents, which will cause extensive congestion and infrastructure needs that the area is not equipped to handle and the citizens of Plano will be required to fund these improvements unless an impact fee is required.  Developer should be required to construct improvements or an impact fee should be assessed to pay for roadways, recreational facilities, parks and schools.  The fee for schools should be paid to the Plano ISD and should be a substantial portion of the cost of a new elementary and middle school.

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