CTroyMathis
21 December 2002, 02:09 PM
Plano: Lot plan draws fire
Residents hope to put brakes on dealership
12/19/2002
By APRIL WASHINGTON / The Dallas Morning News
Earlier this year, Plano spent thousands of dollars on a stone entryway to its historic downtown area.
Now, some nearby homeowners say they are baffled that the city Planning and Zoning Commission would allow a used car dealership to move in across the street from the new gateway along Avenue K.
The decision to allow the used car dealership also comes at time when city planners have been taking steps to rid downtown of auto dealerships, storage facilities and auto repair shops, among other "undesirable businesses."
"There's been great progress in downtown Plano," said David Hamilton, who owns nearby rental property. "I don't think a used car lot is in my vision of the showcase I'd like to see downtown become. Let's keep moving forward."
The used car lot, city officials said, is better than the open storage yards, railroad, pawn shop, construction yard and utility business north and northwest of the proposed dealership.
"The used car lot is far less intrusive than things that could develop there," said Joy Flick, zoning commission member. "As I look at what's there now, with all due respect, I think this development will be a positive to that neighborhood."
The zoning commission voted 5-2 on Tuesday to recommend that the car dealership receive a special-use permit to build the lot on 2.7 acres on the east side of Avenue K, just north of 11th Street. The proposed development must receive the City Council's approval in January.
Tom Elgin, Plano's manager of development review, said that the area is zoned light commercial and that the dealership falls in that category.
The property is used as an open storage for boats, materials and equipment.
Hurdles cleared
Bill Dahlstrom, a zoning attorney representing the property owner, said that his client invested $1 million in the venture and received a green light from the commission in August, but city planners discovered a paperwork error that forced them back to the table.
"The poor guy has had to jump through a lot of hurdles. First it was approved. Then it wasn't approved," Mr. Dahlstrom said. "We still believe that the site makes sense for a used car dealership. The majority of the property in the vicinity is industrial uses."
Some nearby homeowners urged the zoning commission to reject the project.
"The zoning changes will bring drivers to the neighborhood who are unfamiliar not only with the driving patterns of the area, but also the cars they are driving," said Meredith Graves, who lives along nearby Avenue L.
"Many of the neighbors have children who often ride their bikes and play near the road."
Mr. Dahlstrom said that the developer has agreed to create a test-drive route that's not intrusive to nearby neighborhoods.
Some zoning commissioners said allowing the used car dealership to move forward defies logic.
Downtown Plano has experienced a resurgence of sorts with the much-anticipated arrival of Dallas Area Rapid Transit's light-rail stations at 15th Street and Parker Road.
In recent months, city planners have begun to push for zoning changes in the business and government districts designed to attract upscale retail businesses and townhouses to the areas surrounding the light-rail stations.
However, the land the dealership is planned to occupy is not in the area that planners hope to transform into an urban hot spot. Some commissioners said the area should be included.
Revitalizing the area
The city is drafting a blueprint for development around the Parker Road light-rail station. The heart of the plan calls for ridding downtown of auto repair businesses, used car dealerships, furniture stores and mini-warehouses and filling those areas with shops, high-rise offices and luxury apartments.
"We're trying to re-create the Avenue K street corridor to make it a more 'new urbanism' environment we could be proud of," said Will Smith, a zoning commission member who voted against the proposed dealership. "I don't think we're going to improve the area's image by adding another used car lot."
Zoning commissioners who supported the dealership argued that if the area is redeveloped, it would be easier to convert a used car lot.
"It could easily be redeveloped as property values increase in the area," said zoning commission chairman Lee Dunlap. "It would be much easier to redevelop a car lot than a hotel or some other type of building that could be constructed there."
Residents hope to put brakes on dealership
12/19/2002
By APRIL WASHINGTON / The Dallas Morning News
Earlier this year, Plano spent thousands of dollars on a stone entryway to its historic downtown area.
Now, some nearby homeowners say they are baffled that the city Planning and Zoning Commission would allow a used car dealership to move in across the street from the new gateway along Avenue K.
The decision to allow the used car dealership also comes at time when city planners have been taking steps to rid downtown of auto dealerships, storage facilities and auto repair shops, among other "undesirable businesses."
"There's been great progress in downtown Plano," said David Hamilton, who owns nearby rental property. "I don't think a used car lot is in my vision of the showcase I'd like to see downtown become. Let's keep moving forward."
The used car lot, city officials said, is better than the open storage yards, railroad, pawn shop, construction yard and utility business north and northwest of the proposed dealership.
"The used car lot is far less intrusive than things that could develop there," said Joy Flick, zoning commission member. "As I look at what's there now, with all due respect, I think this development will be a positive to that neighborhood."
The zoning commission voted 5-2 on Tuesday to recommend that the car dealership receive a special-use permit to build the lot on 2.7 acres on the east side of Avenue K, just north of 11th Street. The proposed development must receive the City Council's approval in January.
Tom Elgin, Plano's manager of development review, said that the area is zoned light commercial and that the dealership falls in that category.
The property is used as an open storage for boats, materials and equipment.
Hurdles cleared
Bill Dahlstrom, a zoning attorney representing the property owner, said that his client invested $1 million in the venture and received a green light from the commission in August, but city planners discovered a paperwork error that forced them back to the table.
"The poor guy has had to jump through a lot of hurdles. First it was approved. Then it wasn't approved," Mr. Dahlstrom said. "We still believe that the site makes sense for a used car dealership. The majority of the property in the vicinity is industrial uses."
Some nearby homeowners urged the zoning commission to reject the project.
"The zoning changes will bring drivers to the neighborhood who are unfamiliar not only with the driving patterns of the area, but also the cars they are driving," said Meredith Graves, who lives along nearby Avenue L.
"Many of the neighbors have children who often ride their bikes and play near the road."
Mr. Dahlstrom said that the developer has agreed to create a test-drive route that's not intrusive to nearby neighborhoods.
Some zoning commissioners said allowing the used car dealership to move forward defies logic.
Downtown Plano has experienced a resurgence of sorts with the much-anticipated arrival of Dallas Area Rapid Transit's light-rail stations at 15th Street and Parker Road.
In recent months, city planners have begun to push for zoning changes in the business and government districts designed to attract upscale retail businesses and townhouses to the areas surrounding the light-rail stations.
However, the land the dealership is planned to occupy is not in the area that planners hope to transform into an urban hot spot. Some commissioners said the area should be included.
Revitalizing the area
The city is drafting a blueprint for development around the Parker Road light-rail station. The heart of the plan calls for ridding downtown of auto repair businesses, used car dealerships, furniture stores and mini-warehouses and filling those areas with shops, high-rise offices and luxury apartments.
"We're trying to re-create the Avenue K street corridor to make it a more 'new urbanism' environment we could be proud of," said Will Smith, a zoning commission member who voted against the proposed dealership. "I don't think we're going to improve the area's image by adding another used car lot."
Zoning commissioners who supported the dealership argued that if the area is redeveloped, it would be easier to convert a used car lot.
"It could easily be redeveloped as property values increase in the area," said zoning commission chairman Lee Dunlap. "It would be much easier to redevelop a car lot than a hotel or some other type of building that could be constructed there."