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2500 River Park Zoning

Published: February 13, 2019

Becky:

I wanted to thank you again for allowing us to present our project to your group. It was a great opportunity for us to hear the traffic concerns you all have on River Park. With our traffic study, we believe we can help the neighborhood advocate solutions with Transportation/Public Works (T/PW) for the traffic congestion and visibility on River Park Drive. We had several residents request some additional traffic illustrations, and we are waiting on actual current traffic counts at peak hours. Below is a list of the items we heard and will be studying:

• Neighborhood would like to see an overview aerial of the site with all of the traffic lanes and improvements (hard to see on the rendered site plan)
• Need to specifically list all traffic improvements
o Bryant Irvin deceleration lane
o Bryant Irvin access
o Landscape mitigation at the intersection as you turn west bound onto River Park from southbound Bryant Irvin (hard to see over left shoulder due to tall landscape)
o Consider stop sign at this turn
o Consider right turn lane into site
o Consider double turn north bound onto Bryant Irvin from east bound River Park (middle lane could turn left or go straight)
o For egress onto River Park, consider “pork chop” island to prevent east bound turn onto River Park (review potential unwanted results)
o Consider traffic signal modifications

With these requests for additional information, we have decided to ask for a 30-day continuance from the Zoning Commission so we have time to come back to you with our findings. We wanted to let you know so no one took off time from work and sat through a zoning hearing for 3-4 hours only to find we were continuing the case until the March hearing. Though you are certainly welcome to attend, we are confident the Zoning Commission will grant the continuance.

We were also asked to explain the current zoning more explicitly. You are reviewing this zoning change because Embrey is asking to change the current G Intensive Commercial zoning to Urban Residential (UR). If the purchaser of this property intended to use the G zoning, this case would not come before you. The user could develop their plan, get a building permit and start construction without any input from the public. This is because they are NOT changing the zoning category. They are using the property as it is zoned. Until sticks were in the air, you would not know what was going to be constructed. Since we are changing the zoning category, you have input on that change. UR zoning only allows residential uses with NO commercial. We are not asking for any variances to the zoning ordinance. I have attached a link to the City’s Non-Residential Use Table which shows you allowable uses within the zoning categories. You will note there are several uses which could be very intensive both in use and traffic. Some of those include users who have and continue to contact the Reilly’s about the property - the Audi dealership which wanted to relocate at Waterside, QT gas station, CVS/Walgreen’s pharmacy, and hotel chain. Ownership continues to wait for the appropriate uses to build out the remaining land in River Park and believes the proposed residential project is an ideal use for this property.

With Waterside and Clearfork developing, this 6.5 acre site is becoming more visible. As residents, you have an opportunity to be a part of the discussion as to what this looks like and how it will be used. If residential uses continue to be denied, it will result in the property being used as it is zoned. Unfortunately that leaves residents with no input on what is constructed at the entry to your communities or to the access points for the property. A commercial user will not be required to have a Bryant Irvin access point. They could have one large open entry on River Park alone and more than likely be surface parked creating a parking lot across the front of the property. Embrey is choosing to add this additional access point and a parking garage at great expense to themselves.

I have also attached a copy of the presentation we made last night to your neighbors at the Retreat and the preliminary Traffic Memo to share with your neighbors. I hope this answers some of the additional questions you had. We will be working on gathering the information listed above and would like the opportunity to meet with you all to present our findings and hopefully garner your support. Please feel free to have residents reach out to me or John Kirk with any additional questions. Thanks again for allowing us to present our project.

Thanks!

Mary Nell

Click here to download and read the River Park 021119

Click here to download and read the Traffic Memo 021119

https://www.riverparkhoa.com/files/Non Residential Use Table.htm

River Park HOA