DATE: June 14, 2017
TO: Franklin Municipal Planning Commission
FROM: Andrew Orr, Principal Planner
Kelly Dannenfelser, Long Range Planning Supervisor
Emily Hunter, Director of Planning and Sustainability
Subject
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Consideration Of Resolution 2017-37, To Be Entitled: “A Resolution By The Franklin Municipal Planning Commission To Adopt A Plan Amendment To Revise the Design Concepts Map from Large-Lot Residential to Office Residential, Single-Family Residential, and Multifamily Residential for Multiple Properties Located Near The Country Road And Franklin Road Intersection.” [PUBLIC HEARING]
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Project Information
COF Project Number: 6447
Applicant: Paul Lebovitz and Greg Gamble
Owners: Michael Harris Garretson (544 Franklin Road)
Cecilia Marchesi (540 Franklin Road)
Joy Brooks (536 Franklin Road and 1211 Country Road)
Dan Brazzell (532 Franklin Road)
Teresa Brooks Hughes (1208 Country Road)
Gracepointe Church Inc. (526 and 522 Franklin Road)
Jimmy Franks (Developer)
Background/Staff Comments
The applicants are requesting an amendment to the Envision Franklin Design Concepts Map near the Country Road and Franklin Road intersection. The properties included in the request are in the Large-Lot Residential Design Concept, which supports single-family residential on one-acre lots, institutional, and recreational uses. The zoning is also R-1, which allows one-acre lots. The applicants are seeking to extend commercial uses and multifamily residential south along Franklin Road.
Envision Franklin contains a Special Consideration for Large-Lot Residential properties located north of Mack Hatcher along Franklin Road that states the following:
“The scenic corridor should have deep setbacks of at least 150 feet for new development. Informal landscape design and rural features, such as stone walls, wood plank fencing, and informal tree plantings, should be utilized to sustain the scenic and rural quality of the area. Development fronting on Franklin Road should be on lot sizes comparable to those that currently exist along the road.”
Envision Franklin recommends maintaining the low-scale and rural character along this portion of Franklin Road and keeping the mixed-use node to the north, closest to the Moores Lane and Franklin Road intersection. When the Berrys Chapel Character Area was updated in 2011, a significant amount of discussion ensued about where exactly the transition should occur between the commercial uses to the north and the low-scale residential uses to the south. The delineation is at the 544 Franklin Road address and Envision Franklin continues that guidance.
Several of the subject properties contain sensitive environmental features. The Floodway Fringe Overlay (FFO), the Hillside and Hillcrest Overlay (HHO) and the 500-foot Hillside Buffer are located on portions of the subject properties. The rolling hills and natural drainage contribute to the rural character the City seeks to maintain.
The first part of the request is to extend commercial uses south along Franklin Road. Commercial uses and higher intensity residential uses are located at a node at the intersection of Moores Lane and Franklin Road, which makes sense from an infrastructure and planning perspective. As one travels south on Franklin Road, the character changes from the village feel of Gateway Village to a lower intensity and rural residential character. If commercial uses extend along the corridor, the staff has concerns about where the commercial uses will ultimately stop. Commercial creep could take hold down this established residential corridor, which is not supported by the central principles of Envision Franklin.
The second part of the request is to change properties along Country Road from Large-Lot Residential to Single-Family Residential. While the type of housing would be the same, this could allow an increase in the number of homes on smaller lots than what is currently supported by the Large-Lot Residential Design Concept.
The third component is changing the Grace Pointe Church Property from Large-Lot Residential to Multifamily Residential. The site is proposed to be redeveloped into multifamily residential. Even though the Landings Apartments are nearby, there is significant tree coverage and topographic relief that separates the viewsheds and connection between these properties. Single-story duplexes in Morningside are adjacent to the Grace Pointe property, but separated by a steep rock wall and thick vegetated buffer. Neither of these neighborhoods have access to Country Road. This site has a distinct presence on Franklin Road, and it is not recommended that multifamily residential become an appropriate use along this scenic corridor.
Project Considerations
A neighborhood meeting was held on May 22, 2017 at City Hall. Over 50 citizens attended and many voiced concerns that changing the land use will alter the character of the area and negatively impact their quality of life. There was strong support to remove the multifamily component, and the idea of allowing commercial uses down Franklin Road was largely met with skepticism. There seemed to be some support for unobtrusive uses like a home office or hair salon operated out of an average sized single-family structure.
There are engineering and infrastructure-related issues that have not been addressed. The sanitary sewer in this area is at capacity with the development already approved in the area and availability for these properties is limited to the existing low-density single family residential uses. In order to provide the additional capacity necessary for more intense development in this area, approximately 1.5 miles of sewer interceptor would have to be increased in size. The applicant and the staff are also still analyzing the trip generation for this site. If approved, a traffic study would be required during the rezoning process.
Recommendation
recommendation
Disapproval of the Envision Franklin Plan Amendment is recommended.
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