14 - Zoning Change Request - Lisa Short - Two-Family Dwelling District to an Office District - Block 4 Lot 23 - 3206 Bonham

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Item No. 14 MIM, I =�, TO: Mayor & City Council FROM: Carla Easton, P.E., Community Development Director SUBJECT: ZONING CHANGE, 3206 BONHAM ROAD DATE: September 5, 2019 BACKGROUND: Lisa Short is requesting a change in zoning on a 0.254 acre lot from 2F Residential (duplex) to Office (0) for her tax service, which has been in business on this location since 1987. The subject property is located on the north side of Bonham and has varied types of residential uses in every direction. Actual zoning districts in the immediate area include SF -2, 2F, MF -1, MF -2 and Neighborhood Services. Ms. Short has no planned changes for the property; she simply seeks to continue her business on this site with appropriate zoning. The property is located on a relatively well -travelled state highway; it has no drainage issues. STATUS OF ISSUE: A significant majority of the area is single family and is so zoned. A few exceptions include two Neighborhood Services (NS) lots, an MF -1, the VFW hall (a former church), and two lots inexplicably zoned 2F. These latter lots include the subject lot and its immediately contiguous neighboring lot, neither of which are occupied by duplexes. The future land use plan calls for a wide strip of both sides of Bonham to convert over time to retail -type uses, which does include office. This request is therefore consistent both with the city's long-term plan, and with its current actual usage. Of course, this lot was the subject of a previous request for a zoning change to NS. That request was recommended for approval by staff, and by a 7-0 vote of the commission. At the council level, the request received four of six votes cast; however due to a protest petition, six positive votes were required under state law. This request is more finite, with fewer variations permitted in O than NS, so although we favored approval of Neighborhood Services before, Office is, we believe, an even better option. Staff received ten input forms from the neighbors opposing this zoning change, and one in favor of it. The planning and zoning commission conducted a public hearing at its regular meeting of September 5 to address this request. One person spoke against, one person spoke in favor, and the applicant spoke in favor. The commission voted 5-0 to recommend approval of this zoning change.