Key Issues

The traffic implications of this proposed multi-family development are many.  It doesn’t take a traffic engineer to know that Hampton Road suffers from over-use and congestion.  But just because Hampton has a low level of service due to it’s over-use doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t be concerned about adding to or making the traffic worse.

The developer has expressed his belief that Hampton is “broken” and it’s traffic problem is a larger issue that needs to be addressed at the city wide regional level.  Despite his acknowledgement of the issues related to traffic on Hampton Road, he makes no apologies or excuses for adding more vehicles to the already congested Hampton Road by seeking to develop a high density multi-family development that will use Hampton as its feeder road.  The developer’s “its-broken-so-who-cares” mentality is fundamentally wrong and irresponsible.

The image above graphically illustrates traffic counts along Hampton Road from I-30 to Davis.  The segment of Hampton directly in front of the proposed multi-family development has approximately 39,000 vehicles per day.  Its important to recognize that Hampton Rd can not be widened any more.  There is no higher capacity thoroughfare designation to which  Hampton can be promoted — it wall always be a six-lane divided thoroughfare. Since Hampton Road can not be widened, the 39,000 daily commuters, the nearby home owners and the community in general have a vested interest in maintaining the highest level of service on Hampton for as long as feasibly possible.  Thus, this proposed high density multi-family development is counter to and undermines the general public interest.

This proposed high density, multi-family development will not only negatively impact the level of service of Hampton Road, but will also be detrimental to safety and welfare. Like all the existing homeowners on the west side of Hampton Rd, the residents of this proposed high density multi-family development will have to make a U-turn at the signal light at Davis Street to head north on Hampton.  This U-turn is made especially dangerous by those northbound vehicles speeding through the intersection to make the light.  Additionally, westbound vehicles on Davis making a right-hand turn onto northbound Hampton frequently do not notice or do not yield to those vehicles making the U-turn.  A similarly dangerous traffic pattern occurs as residents of the multi-family development attempt to make a U-turn from the northbound side of Hampton through the median break that exists directly in front of the proposed high density multi-family development.

The developer tries to downplay the safety concerns related to traffic safety,  by offering access to the development via North Boulevard Terrace. He has agreed to this only after wide spread criticism of his traffic flow plan.  So if he truly believes that residents will almost universally use North Boulevard Terrace as their major point of ingress and egress, then why is it even necessary to have the Hampton feeder road that is incorporated into his proposed multi-family development?

The picture below supports the position that Hampton Road presents real risk to health and safety. These risks DO NOT need to be increased by unnecessarily contributing to increased traffic in an already over-utilized thoroughfare.

Spot Zoning:  “A zoning ordinance or amendment, which singles out a relatively small tract owned by a single person, so as to restrict or relieve the small tract from zoning restrictions to which the rest of the area is subjected.”

In other words, spot zoning is allowing  a small parcel of land to be used in drastically different manner than that of nearby parcels. However,spot zoning can be considered  illegal because it is an arbitrary and capricious departure from a larger, more comprehensive plan. Let us not forget that the power to regulate land use comes from our state constitution — and the statute states that zoning should be accordance with a greater comprehensive plan (TEX. LOC. GOV’T CODE §211.004).

Spot Zoning or special treatment is precisely what the developer is seeking in his rezoning request.   Lets take a close look at the color-coded map and in particular, lets look at  815 N. Hampton and the adjoining parcels.  This parcel of the proposed multi-family development is completely surrounded by single-family lots and clearly illustrates how the developer is seeking special treatment by having the parcel’s zoning changed to multi-family.

 

A buffer zone can be a natural or man-made barrier between Single-family and Multi-Family districts that provides a natural barrier to light, sound, and traffic. Kessler/Stevens Park area of Dallas is recognized, even celebrated for its thoughtful civic design. The existing land use pattern, utilizing Coomb’s Creek as a natural buffer zone between single-family and high density multi-family is not by coincidence.  In the satellite image below, the Coomb’s Creek buffer zone is easily recognized.  Again, the proposed multi-family development completely disregards this well-established buffer zone and encroaches on the adjoining single-family parcels.

 

The Developer has 2 zoning cases in what is a transparent attempt to limit the notification zone.

Z234-244: Plan is to have six single-family parcels on the west side of North Boulevard Terrace be rezoned to MF-2 so he can build a 100-unit apartment complex. Since this is not a request for a Planned Development District (PD), the notification zone is only 200 feet.

Z234-249: Plan is to have four single-family parcels on Hampton rezoned to a Planned Development District (PD) consisting of four 8-Plex apartment buildings and 13 homes that may, or may not be detached. Because this is a PD, the notification zone is 500 feet.

Bottom Line: Existing zoning on these single-family parcels allows for about 3-4 units per acre. He is asking for more than 10x the existing zoning for an average of 32 units per acre.