P & Z approved the zoning change 5-2. It will go to City Council on October 10.

This is supporting information for the meeting with the developer on September 13, 2016 at Messiah Lutheran Church.

Plano Planning and Zoning Commission to Vote on Changing Plano Parkway Zoning from Office to Freestanding Retail

Sept. 19, 2016
7 pm
Plano Municipal Center
1520 Avenue K
Florence Shapiro Council Chambers

A change from office zoning to freestanding retail zoning on the north side of Plano Parkway would allow retail businesses such as restaurants, entertainment venues, convenience stores and other retail businesses to join up to the back yard areas of homes on Westlake and would have impact on the rest of the area around the 1500-1600 block of Westlake and nearby streets.

Please be aware that office zoning allows for some retail within the office building but does not allow freestanding retail and does not allow businesses such as a veterinary clinic or kennel or a dance or gymnastics studio.

The resulting possibilities of noise, additional traffic, odors, etc. and other aspects of retail businesses backing up to homes need to be considered before the Planning and Zoning Commission votes on this issue:  zoning case 2016-031.  Please note that the zoning case only mentions the veterinary clinic or kennel but not the gymnastics or dance studio. But as you can see by the attached letter, the developer intends to put a veterinary clinic or kennel, and a gymnastics or dance studio on the property.

The vote for or against the zoning change will take place at the Plano Municipal Center at 7 pm Sept. 19, 2016. Your voice needs to be heard.

The first suggested tenants that would do business from the location shown on the attached map would be a veterinary clinic or kennel, and a dance or gymnastics studio.  However future tenants in the building, if it is zoned for freestanding retail, could be other types of retail business such as restaurants, retail stores, convenience stores, entertainment venues, etc. including businesses open into the evening hours and on weekends.

Our current office zoning on the north side of Plano Parkway has brought us businesses that fall into the office category including a law firm, a low-rise office building, a pre-school, many religious institutions, etc.  Continuing the office zoning designation, which has been in place for more than 30 years, has been a cause of such high quality development near our homes along with influence and leadership from homeowners, and continuing the current office zoning would continue the growth of that quality in and near our neighborhood.

Now, homeowners near the proposed zoning change plus any other Plano residents who care to be heard can express their opinions on Sept. 19, 2016.

Prior to Sept. 19, an informal meeting at Messiah Lutheran Church, 1801 W Plano Pkwy, Plano is being arranged by Robert Miller, president of the Dallas North Estates Homeowners Association (DNE-HOA) for Sept. 13 at 7 pm to meet with the developer who is requesting the zoning change. Contact president@dnehoa.org to let President Robert Miller you would like to attend – or just show up and meet your neighbors who are also concerned. But don’t forget the meeting on Sept. 19 when the Planning and Zoning votes after hearing homeowner concerns and opinions. 

To be on the email list for further information from the DNE-HOA contact the DNE-HOA via Robert Miller (email shown above) or go to the website www.dnehoa.org to sign up for notices regarding current neighborhood issues such as crime situations, feral dog attacks, zoning issues, and the ongoing dialogue with the Heritage 190 Development on how to minimize its impact on Westwood traffic and the adjacent streets as that multi-use project unfolds.

A detailed information sheet prepared by a homeowner can be found here. Developer Meeting PDF