This is the proposed Fluor 50-acre Corporate Campus PD Final Development Plan (FDP). The proposed project is located along University Blvd., south of Lexington Blvd. and the Texas Instruments Campus and north of Wentworth Avenue. It is also located south of the City's Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land and the Telfair Tract 5 area.
The proposed FDP is within the Telfair Corporate District - Fluor Tract General Development Plan PD approved by City Council as Ordinance No. 1905 in May 2013. The General Development Plan included a number of shaping parameters for development of this property including guidelines to ensure a more integrated overall office campus. This FDP also includes several provisions put in place with the General Development Plan due to a sensitivity to the residential neighborhood located directly south of the open drainage channel (width varying from 96 feet to 267 feet) in an effort to further mitigate the impacts of any commercial development on the residential property. This includes a unique bulk plane measurement and enhanced landscaping required along the entire perimeter of the 50-acre commercial property, even though only a portion of the 50 acres is being developed with the Fluor campus. Typically the bulk plane measurement would begin at the residential lot line; however, within this FDP, the measurement begins at the internal edge of the open drainage channel as depicted in Exhibit B-4.2, Bulk Plane Plan. This exhibit fully shows the various building heights that would be permitted at any certain distance from the property line at the drainage channel which enhances protections to prohibit taller buildings close to the residential property lines.
This proposed FDP includes an overall campus site plan, as well as a potential subdivision plan, which would guide any future subdivision of this property. This FDP is proposed as four separate reserves, Reserve A to be developed as the Fluor corporate office campus with provisions for limited retail, food, and services; and Reserve B, located in the rear of the property, which will require a future PD amendment to be approved by City Council for specific development guidelines of that reserve. Reserve C is located along the southern boundary of the development and is intended as a landscape buffer area. Reserve D is for a new public street connecting Lexington Blvd. to University Blvd. through the 50-acre campus.
The Planning & Zoning Commission (Commission) held a workshop on this item on July 26, 2018, on the proposed FDP. The workshop allowed the Commission to review a set of draft documents for the FDP, including exhibits, and pose questions to provide feedback to staff and the applicant. Several key areas of feedback included:
- The need for additional detail as to the screening of the service areas adjacent to the retail area and day care, and how they will be accessed via truck.
- Detailed discussion on the proposed office building elevations, including the proposed facade material, and a request for the applicant to provide a sample of the material during the next meeting.
- A need to better understand what type of exterior facade elements are being proposed for the structured parking garages, and whether they will incorporate the use of an architectural metal screen wall.
- A focus on the child day care center proposed within Reserve A, and a need to further understand its proposed operations onsite, ie. circulation and queuing.
- A number of clerical edits and suggested modifications to the proposed FDP language and associated exhibits to provide clarity.
The Commission held a public hearing on September 11, 2018, with regard to the proposed FDP. There was one speaker from the public who had questions and comments regarding the project, but was not in opposition. The Commission was then able to provide key feedback and requested further revisions to the proposed FDP and exhibits. The following outlines the key revision requests:
- Discussion regarding screening of the trash and service area adjacent to the retail village and an understanding of its visual impacts to the roadway and pedestrian promenade.
- A request for additional detail of the loading dock area adjacent to the child day care and an understanding of its visual impacts to the public roadway.
- Further review of the office building and parking garage elevations based on modifications made after the workshop meeting.
- Additional clerical edits and suggested modifications to the proposed FDP language and associated exhibits to provide further clarity to the reader.
The Commission held their Consideration and Action meeting on October 25, 2018, where they reviewed the revised material based on discussions held during the workshop and public hearing. There was one speaker from the public that expressed concern with the height of the structures as proposed due to residential adjacency. The Commission and Staff provided clarification around a number of mitigation measures that were put in place with this FDP due to a sensitivity to the residential neighborhood located directly south of the open drainage channel. This includes greater setbacks, enhanced landscaping, and a unique bulk plane measurement that provides additional distance and protection for the single-family residential neighborhood.
The applicant has provided information to address the Commission's questions and concerns during their series of meetings. A more detailed description of the Commission discussions and the applicant's responses are included in the attached staff report. The Commission then made a unanimous recommendation of approval to the Mayor and City Council for the proposed FDP. Planning Staff believes that the revisions found in this ordinance are in overall alignment with the Commission's feedback and therefore supports a recommendation of approval to the Mayor and City Council.
CC: Richard.Conley@Fluor.com
John.Dempsey@Fluor.com
Zachary.Christeson@hok.com
Mariam.Arian@hok.com