Disposition Summary

Deny the sector plan amendment to the GC (General Commercial) land use classification because it is inconsistent with surrounding land use classifications and the land use intent. The HP (Hillside Protection) will be retained.

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Staff Recommendation

Deny the sector plan amendment to the GC (General Commercial) land use classification because it is inconsistent with surrounding land use classifications and the land use intent. The HP (Hillside Protection) will be retained.

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SECTOR PLAN AMENDMENT REQUIREMENTS FROM GENERAL PLAN (May meet any one of these):

CHANGES OF CONDITIONS WARRANTING AMENDMENT OF THE LAND USE PLAN:
1. The subject property is part of commercial and office node around the intersection of Merchant Drive and Pleasant Ridge Road, which has gradually expanded over the past 20 years with the addition of a Goodwill store in 2003 and a Dollar General store in 2016.
2. Although the requested GC (General Commercial) land use classification generally aligns with existing development in the area, it is not consistent with the land use classifications in the Northwest City Sector Plan. In the sector plan, this node is comprised of a contiguous area of the NC (Neighborhood Commercial) classification, which includes the subject property, coupled with an area of O (Office) classification to the north. Reclassifying a single parcel to the GC land use would break up cohesion in the land use map and could lead to more intensive development than intended by the sector plan.

INTRODUCTION OF SIGNIFICANT NEW ROADS OR UTILITIES THAT WERE NOT ANTICIPATED IN THE PLAN AND MAKE DEVELOPMENT MORE FEASIBLE:
1. There have been no significant infrastructure improvements to this area recently. However, it is noteworthy that Merchant Drive is a minor arterial street with sidewalks and a transit line. The property is in an urbanized area with ample utility capacity.

AN OBVIOUS OR SIGNIFICANT ERROR OR OMISSION IN THE PLAN:
1. The subject property is one of nine neighboring properties with the NC classification, which only permits consideration of the C-N (Neighborhood Commercial) zoning district. Currently there is no C-N zoning, and the predominant zoning among these properties is C-G-1 (General Commercial). The C-G-1 district is permitted in the requested GC land use classification. Even though the current land use class here is inconsistent with current zoning and development, it is not necessarily the result of an error or omission in the sector plan.

TRENDS IN DEVELOPMENT, POPULATION OR TRAFFIC THAT WARRANT RECONSIDERATION OF THE ORIGINAL PLAN PROPOSAL:
1. This commercial node is surrounded by numerous residential neighborhoods, which supports maintaining the NC land use classification to promote commercial services for these communities.
2. Traffic counts along this section of Merchant Drive shows a modest decline over the past twenty years, which does not necessarily support or detract from the proposed GC land use classification.

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS:
1. Northwest City Sector Plan describes the GC land use classification as one that should not be extended because of the adverse effects on traffic-carrying capacity, safety and environmental impacts. The location criteria states that the GC land use is for existing commercial areas only. Given this explicit caution about extending the GC land use, adding it to an area where it does not currently exist would be inconsistent with the sector plan.