CTroyMathis
19 January 2003, 08:58 PM
Plano: Zoning review sought
More housing proposed for site of dimming 'new urbanism' project
01/15/2003
By WENDY HUNDLEY / The Dallas Morning News
http://www.dallasnews.com/localnews/city/collin/stories/011503dnplacouncil.11242.html
It was pitched to become a destination spot for Plano. Instead, it has become a largely empty field of dreams.
When the Haggar Square development was proposed almost six years ago, it was supposed to become a community within a community, a place where people could live above shops and walk to their offices, to restaurants or to theaters and other entertainment venues.
Today, only a large apartment complex sits on one corner of the project. The rest of the 135-acre development – on the east side of Preston Road between Rasor Boulevard and McDermott Road – remains vacant.
Now the Plano City Council has decided it's time to rethink the whole plan.
Council members on Monday asked the Planning and Zoning Commission to review the mixed-use, planned development zoning granted in 1997 for the "new urbanism" project.
Shane Johnson, representing Ohio/Headquarters Ltd., had sought a waiver to build another apartment complex in a small section where zoning rules called for a mix of residential units with a minimum of 30,000 square feet of retail development.
He told the council that the developers haven't had any success in attracting commercial development.
"We're asking for the flexibility to build the site 100 percent as residential," said Mr. Johnson, who sought an amendment to the planned development stipulations to build 32 townhouses and 88 condominium units.
But council members were reluctant to allow any more high-density housing at the site and declined to act on the request.
"I'm not prepared to increase the residential units," council member Shep Stahel said.
Council member Ken Lambert said he was a member of the planning commission when the project was proposed in 1997.
The ambitious development was to have been built around a central town square linked to residential units, restaurants, theaters and offices.
"If we don't get a town center, it's not going to be a new urbanism development," Mr. Lambert said.
Plano Planning Director Phyllis Jarrell told the council that the developers "are still committed to the overall plan," but "the market for retail development has declined."
In asking the planning commission to review the current zoning, Ms. Jarrell said the options are wide open, including a recommendation to rescind the planned development zoning for the site.
"They always have the ability to initiate a zoning action," she said. "If a PD [planned development] is not working, for whatever reason, they have that option."
More housing proposed for site of dimming 'new urbanism' project
01/15/2003
By WENDY HUNDLEY / The Dallas Morning News
http://www.dallasnews.com/localnews/city/collin/stories/011503dnplacouncil.11242.html
It was pitched to become a destination spot for Plano. Instead, it has become a largely empty field of dreams.
When the Haggar Square development was proposed almost six years ago, it was supposed to become a community within a community, a place where people could live above shops and walk to their offices, to restaurants or to theaters and other entertainment venues.
Today, only a large apartment complex sits on one corner of the project. The rest of the 135-acre development – on the east side of Preston Road between Rasor Boulevard and McDermott Road – remains vacant.
Now the Plano City Council has decided it's time to rethink the whole plan.
Council members on Monday asked the Planning and Zoning Commission to review the mixed-use, planned development zoning granted in 1997 for the "new urbanism" project.
Shane Johnson, representing Ohio/Headquarters Ltd., had sought a waiver to build another apartment complex in a small section where zoning rules called for a mix of residential units with a minimum of 30,000 square feet of retail development.
He told the council that the developers haven't had any success in attracting commercial development.
"We're asking for the flexibility to build the site 100 percent as residential," said Mr. Johnson, who sought an amendment to the planned development stipulations to build 32 townhouses and 88 condominium units.
But council members were reluctant to allow any more high-density housing at the site and declined to act on the request.
"I'm not prepared to increase the residential units," council member Shep Stahel said.
Council member Ken Lambert said he was a member of the planning commission when the project was proposed in 1997.
The ambitious development was to have been built around a central town square linked to residential units, restaurants, theaters and offices.
"If we don't get a town center, it's not going to be a new urbanism development," Mr. Lambert said.
Plano Planning Director Phyllis Jarrell told the council that the developers "are still committed to the overall plan," but "the market for retail development has declined."
In asking the planning commission to review the current zoning, Ms. Jarrell said the options are wide open, including a recommendation to rescind the planned development zoning for the site.
"They always have the ability to initiate a zoning action," she said. "If a PD [planned development] is not working, for whatever reason, they have that option."