[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6656741,"mediaKeyId","5118088-42e8ab814e0b471a1268023dea6e7544","parentId",5118088,"title","Commission approves major modification to allow LEAFS campus expansion and smaller single-story duplexes on West Spring Valley","audioSeconds",8987,"startMs",8999000,"endMs",11180,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5118088-42e8ab814e0b471a1268023dea6e7544&start=8999&end=11","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5118088-42e8ab814e0b471a1268023dea6e7544/thumbnail_8999000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6656741/Richardson/Dallas-County/Texas/Commission-approves-major-modification-to-allow-LEAFS-campus-expansion-and-smaller-single-story-duplexes-on-West-Spring-Valley","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6656741-01d4699e33cad46249fdb1114793641e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770412793&Signature=Paq8OjFTb3hrn6rkKA2Iq0GsHeRd36IcDy3Lw1l3ESExocbzDFFIeJ~EPP2oj~hF1-xvOU1rRA6QiaiXvRlKPk0okoVIJahQJt69Tt-9l-FQQ5714JPy9DGvb-Yjx4sN5QbwO2C0l8K9fxF0bvO-LGerP-kUXh0YzqKEg1saccTtdHYLCO2~5MjlvSmH4skwHuxrXebpyFiAw5f4WiX7TZRVcdG0rOaseXoYSF2~C1c5PQk8sMEFG83R8-rQrYyOJvc8r7L78FKCmQDJhmKz~dJcf4wjgK778ZxkT4vz~ZiACOcp6-4417VX7uonqjg8zyZk-t0Ids9hnwTfIRG6lg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Richardson","date","2025-07-01T00:00:00Z","article","The Richardson Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously to approve a major modification request for the LEAFS (Christian Science) campus at 1230 West Spring Valley Road that will authorize four new single-story duplex units, allow smaller duplex unit sizes than normally required in the West Spring Valley PD, and confirm ongoing campus institutional uses as legal nonconforming uses.

Staff presentation and site context
City planning staff explained the site is an approximately 8.2-acre, long-established private campus developed originally in 1967 for Christian Science uses and including a nursing/convalescent building, independent living, an eight-unit multifamily building, and a lodge and training facility. The West Spring Valley PD’s streetscape and build-to provisions typically require two-story frontage and a 12-foot sidewalk plus a 10-foot amenity zone along Spring Valley; staff and the applicant said site constraints including a drainage channel, utilities and easements make full streetscape compliance impractical for the campus expansion.

Proposal and rationale
- The applicant proposes to add four duplex buildings (resulting in a total of 16 dwelling units on campus) and to increase campus building area to roughly 49,550 square feet.
- The duplexes are proposed as single-story units, each duplex 2,200 sq. ft. (1,100 sq. ft. per unit), and the applicant requested administrative modification to allow the single-story duplexes and the reduced unit sizes. Staff indicated the administrative minor modification pathway applies for the single-story duplexes and supported the proposal.
- Parking: the site will continue to provide 81 parking spaces. The applicant told the commission most residents do not drive and the campus also houses staff apartments; staff noted the site’s current uses are legal nonconforming and that specific minimum parking ratios for these religious/independent-living campus uses are not codified in the CZO, so staff accepted the campus parking arrangement as proposed.

Public notice and comments
Staff reported no written public correspondence had been received before the hearing. Commissioners asked about trees, sidewalk continuity and the proposed 8-foot fence along the frontage; staff said the 12-foot sidewalk exists for about one-third of the frontage where the city recently improved the drainage channel, and that utility and drainage easements and a monument sign constrain full sidewalk expansion without substantial reconstruction.

Commission action and conditions
The commission approved the major modification; the motion included the standard condition that the property be developed in conformance with the concept plan and elevations presented at the hearing and recorded in the staff report. The approval recognizes the campus’s legal nonconforming institutional uses, allows the smaller single-story duplex units by administrative minor modification, and permits the campus to maintain its current streetscape and an eight-foot fence where allowed by code.

Clarifying details
- Site size: 8.2 acres.
- Existing building area: approximately 24,750 square feet prior to the addition; proposed total ~49,550 sq. ft. after additions.
- Unit counts: proposed four duplexes for a total of 16 dwelling units on campus after the addition.
- Parking: 81 spaces total on-site; staff noted the absence of a specific CZO ratio for the campus uses and that several staff members live on-site.

Why it matters
The decision preserves a long-standing religious campus while allowing modest growth in supportive housing for residents and staff. Commissioners noted the West Spring Valley overlay’s intent but concluded that the LEAFS campus is a legally nonconforming, established institution with site constraints that justify the modifications requested.

Sources and attribution
Staff presentation by Ms. Peters (City of Richardson Planning Department). Applicant presentation by Chancellor Blanc (Dunaway Associates) on behalf of LEAFS. Commission discussion and unanimous approval were recorded in the hearing minutes.

Ending note
With commission approval, the applicant may proceed with development-plan submittals and the administrative minor modification for the single-story duplexes; building permits and any required tree mitigation will be handled through the city’s standard development-review process.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Richardson - City Planning Commission Meetings - Jul 01, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Richardson Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously to approve a major modification permitting the LEAFS Christian Science campus at 1230 West Spring Valley Road to add four single-story duplex buildings and to allow smaller duplex unit sizes than the West Spring Valley PD typically requires.","taxTitle","Richardson, Dallas County, Texas","taxId",2786,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6656746,"Commission recommends rezoning for 343,624-sf Telecom Parkway warehouse; neighbors raise noise and tree-loss concerns",5857,3161000,9018000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5118088-42e8ab814e0b471a1268023dea6e7544&start=3161&end=9018","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5118088-42e8ab814e0b471a1268023dea6e7544/thumbnail_3161000.jpg","/articles/6656746/Richardson/Dallas-County/Texas/Commission-recommends-rezoning-for-343624-sf-Telecom-Parkway-warehouse-neighbors-raise-noise-and-tree-loss-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6656746-7e8414346b046125ff4fa875a72a84bd/orig.mp4?Expires=1770412793&Signature=M4ZrEDuQ92Ua4ZrZ7npcFjF~jFkOyrjnGBuGAbQGMw~-eKAP4EMxdiCgfoTTtzBbo-fiFjpv6a2etkLvzT9hfbxbw8tB-iwsgeqOiLU7n-MWMChO5AC-5RWxszuWPiA~YvjagFoxsOIfsZICVhVlLyhWSlcNO6OUHM4KplbqQo2G5oYnfumJ7dn4ln-~c3BIpWKJdmwA2U6-xstJJXv1SqiTgyOo8Dxszpt6AlPlZF6yxFlXl4FSypC-1mQRKwEsW03wWOUjRaWI5ETm5iLG-6Ap5HN0hFlDvo6nNEdbaZF7Pf0iEIb7d8gwslDhZ9XVyPmPdZp8nv1DOCWsdrzkGQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Richardson Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously recommended rezoning and a Planned Development (PD) for a new single-story flex warehouse at 2801 Telecom Parkway that would replace an existing three-story office building and include a request to exceed the city’s 25-foot single-story height limit.

City planning staff described the project as a 343,624-square-foot, single-story flex warehouse and office building with a proposed parapet height of up to 50 feet to accommodate interior clearances and rooftop screening. The developer presented architectural elevations intended to mimic a two-story office appearance, a truck-circulation plan that concentrates semi-trailer movements to the site’s south side, and a landscape-screening condition along Telecom Parkway and Research Drive.

Why it matters: The project is part of ongoing industrial and logistics reinvestment in the Telecom Parkway corridor. The commission’s approval allows flexibility for modern warehouse tenants that commonly require greater interior clear heights than older single-story office zoning anticipated.

Project details and staff findings
- Location: 2801 Telecom Parkway; the site is currently IM-1 (Industrial) and was first zoned in 1971. Staff recommended PD rezoning to accommodate exceptions and site-specific conditions.
- Proposed building: approximately 343,624 sq. ft., concrete tilt-wall construction, aluminum storefronts and canopy awnings; 74 loading docks shown on the concept plan; roof parapet up to 50 feet to allow for interior clear height and rooftop equipment screening.
- Parking and landscaping: applicant proposed enhanced perimeter landscaping and a campus-wide shared-parking approach. The applicant initially requested reduced parking ratios (from code-required 2,042 to 1,444 required under their requested mix) but, during the hearing, withdrew the request to reduce the overall campus parking requirements and said it would retain sufficient parking or provide for future expansion if needed.
- Traffic: staff required a truck circulation plan and trip generation memo. The trip memo projected fewer weekday peak-hour automobile trips under the warehouse redevelopment than under the site’s prior office configuration; the applicant committed to routing trucks to avoid residential streets and to a site circulation plan that keeps truck activity south of the building.

Public input and concerns
- The commission heard five public comments in opposition and two neutral comments. Creeks Hollow residents and neighbors cited three primary concerns: potential truck noise (including vehicle beeping and overnight movements), loss of mature trees and a landscaped campus feel, and uncertainty about future high-volume truck activity despite the developer’s stated intent for lower-turnover, light-assembly or lab tenants.
- Residents urged stricter enforceable limits on truck routes and hours; the applicant and staff said circulation routes and landscaping screening would be conditions of approval and that the site already contained industrial neighbors to the south and southeast.

Applicant presentation and changes during the hearing
- Developer Dayton Street Partners said the demolition reflects changing market demand (office vacancies and demand for higher clear heights for manufacturing, lab and logistics). The applicant’s representatives described the building as speculative but noted active conversations with potential tenants including a major tenant (Celestica) interested in lab/assembly use.
- On the parking issue the applicant initially sought a campus-wide reduction in required parking ratios but withdrew that reduction during the hearing and agreed to revisit counts and potential future parking expansion areas; staff confirmed trees in some future-parking areas would require mitigation if removed.

Commission action and conditions
- Action: The commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of the PD rezoning, including the 50-foot single-story exception and conditions that include the provided truck circulation plan, landscape screening, and other PD conditions as listed in the staff report.
- Conditions of approval recorded in the staff report include rezoning IM-1 to PD, maximum building height to 50 feet for the single-story warehouse, enhanced landscape screening in designated areas, and truck circulation commitments. The applicant also committed to keeping truck movement south of the building and to on-site circulation measurements (130-foot to 185-foot truck courts) to accommodate semi-trailer maneuvering.

Clarifying details
- Existing on-site building area before redevelopment: roughly 855,600 sq. ft. across the campus; proposed new single-story building 343,624 sq. ft.
- Truck docks shown on concept plan: 74 (maximum shown for flexibility; applicant said actual usage would be tenant-dependent and not necessarily all active simultaneously).
- Truck court depths: planned at 130 feet at most docks with some areas up to 185 feet including trailer parking.
- Parking: staff noted a code requirement totaling approximately 2,042 spaces for the campus as presently configured; applicant’s detailed proposal showed approximately 1,998 spaces proposed under the redevelopment plan, and applicant agreed to withdraw a request to lower campus parking requirements during the hearing.

What’s next
The Commission’s recommendation will be forwarded to City Council for final action. The applicant will continue design work required for development review including tree mitigation/landscape and building permit submittals.

Sources and attribution
Presentation and staff analysis by Ms. Peters (City of Richardson planning staff). Applicant and project details presented by Michael Schack and representatives from Dayton Street Partners and project consultants (civil engineer Matthew Gardner and architect Tom Maxwell). Public comments recorded from Creek Hollow residents and others during the hearing.","The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of a Planned Development for a single-story, 343,624-square-foot warehouse at 2801 Telecom Parkway, granting an exception to the 25-foot limit for single-story buildings to allow a 50-foot parapet; nearby residents raised concerns about truck noise, loss of trees and green space.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6656750,"Richardson planners approve special development plan for Ayat restaurant, limit drive-through to pickup orders",3040,169000,3209000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5118088-42e8ab814e0b471a1268023dea6e7544&start=169&end=3209","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5118088-42e8ab814e0b471a1268023dea6e7544/thumbnail_169000.jpg","/articles/6656750/Richardson/Dallas-County/Texas/Richardson-planners-approve-special-development-plan-for-Ayat-restaurant-limit-drive-through-to-pickup-orders","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6656750-2b0a429284546f249d7ec76eae1324e7/orig.mp4?Expires=1770412793&Signature=nRt1CjpYyUHGsOuRBJqatRuUdoWqt6er-hG5WKMB1aGxuakXo3jeyKczWt8z2GixaEJhbDMkPH7pgtJjcX5Uic9gErP0zKebfmeECmPRvovT7et2Y0peytAOQ7cPxA2LTQz9APg9qni-oTYPez426N45PsujhzZHB3EgTd~f1jcH~M6H9oRQ7K7OWWK~yH3sCW8X797Ch~1sqttFy~IAGF1kvFpWK4Hnvtdz24DYT5318yVzO46J4hCBqLfmD9M7JciU-BG16Z2Dzt~3r1AuVRpDWiML5jdieW2UUcpIZn9D6FD2zTmM4YqDA9uTlwnligmg-8ZMwLkU8vaDuFUEXQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Richardson Planning and Zoning Commission on Tuesday approved a special development plan allowing Ayat restaurant to occupy the former Wendy’s building at the northwest corner of South Sherman Street and West Spring Valley Road, but limited the location’s drive-through to pickup orders only.

City planning staff told commissioners the site is zoned Planned Development (PD) under the city’s Main Street Central Expressway form-based code and sits in the Rail Side subdistrict of the Transit Village place type in the Envision Richardson comprehensive plan. Ms. Peters, city planning staff, said the applicant seeks a special permit to reestablish a drive-through and a special development plan to address several nonconformities created when the prior Wendy’s drive-through use lapsed in 2023.

The special development plan — which will run with the land — passed on a 4-3 vote; commissioners voting in favor outnumbered those opposed. Commissioners debated the appropriateness of reintroducing a menu-board-driven drive-through at an intersection the city is trying to redevelop for walkability and transit-oriented uses.

Why it matters: The commission’s action preserves the restaurant’s ability to operate and adds outdoor seating while narrowing the scope of drive-through activity. The decision balances reuse of a long-vacant commercial site against the city’s pedestrian-first vision for the Sherman Street corridor.

Key facts and proposal details
- Location: northwest corner of South Sherman Street and West Spring Valley Road (former Wendy’s site).
- Applicant/owner representation: John Martini, real estate broker; developer presence noted as Sammy Gibran.
- Proposed operator: Ayat, a sit-down, fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant.
- Building/site changes: modest exterior updates, a covered east-side patio of roughly 300 sq. ft., screening for rooftop equipment and repainting. No new glazing proposed on the west elevation.
- Drive-through: existing single-lane drive-through infrastructure will be reused (two pickup windows on the south side, a single-lane stacking capacity of about 10 vehicles). Because drive-through rights were deemed abandoned after the prior use lapsed, a new special permit was required.
- Landscaping/parking: site provides about 16% landscaping (exceeds 10% minimum) and 45 on-site parking spaces.
- Hours proposed as condition of the special permit: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Debate highlights
- Several commissioners praised the patio as contributing to walkability and transit-station activation, citing precedent with nearby projects such as Jasmine’s patio.
- Opponents argued a menu-board, speaker-based drive-through conflicts with the Transit Village place type and would undermine the intended pedestrian character of Sherman Street. Concerns focused on traffic, sightlines at a prominent corner and the fact the special development plan would “run with the land,” making exceptions long-lasting unless formally amended.
- The applicant, John Martini, said corporate deed restrictions placed by Wendy’s (limiting hamburger sales) had kept the building vacant for several years and that the operator saw the drive-through/pickup option as important for financial viability and flexibility (including online ordering and curbside pickup observed during COVID).
- Commissioners discussed possible compromises; staff noted an option to remove the traditional ordering speaker/menu board while permitting pickup windows or preordered pickup as an enforceable condition.

Commission action and conditions
- Action: The commission approved the special development plan and modified the special permit to allow pickup orders only (the motion specified no traditional menu-board ordering apparatus and limited drive-through functionality to pickup). The commission attached standard conditions requiring conformance with the approved concept plan and elevations, a building permit in accordance with the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance, and the specified hours of operation.
- Vote tally by count: 4 in favor, 3 opposed. (The official minutes list the tally as recorded at the meeting.)

Clarifying details from the hearing
- The existing building is set back about 40 feet from Sherman Street; the PD’s build-to zone requires 75% of the front facade to be within 15 feet of the property line.
- Sidewalks: existing sidewalks measure 5 feet along Sherman and West Spring Valley; PD streetscape standards call for 8 feet along Sherman and 12 feet with an amenity zone along Spring Valley. The applicant said relocation of utilities and a retaining wall make full compliance difficult without extensive reconstruction.
- Site history: former Wendy’s operated with a drive-through beginning in 1994 but vacated in 2023; the applicant purchased the property and sought to reestablish a drive-through use that had lapsed.

What’s next
The commission’s recommendation and the special development plan will be incorporated into the administrative records; any future owner seeking expanded uses or lift of the special development plan’s limits would need to return for an amendment. The special permit as modified is limited to Ayat as the operator per the staff presentation and is conditioned on the hours and the concept elevations approved at the hearing.

Sources and attribution
Quotes and attributions are drawn from the Planning and Zoning Commission hearing record and staff presentation. Ms. Peters (City of Richardson planning staff) presented the case; John Martini represented the applicant.

Ending note
Commissioners signaled that the site’s long vacancy and corporate deed restriction complicated reuse options; the commission’s compromise preserves the patio and site activation while restricting full drive-through ordering that some commissioners said would be inconsistent with the Transit Village vision.","The Planning and Zoning Commission approved a special development plan to allow Ayat restaurant to occupy a former Wendy's on South Sherman Street, but modified the related special permit to restrict the drive-through to pickup-only orders after debate over pedestrian character and traffic.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Commission approves major modification to allow LEAFS campus expansion and smaller single-story duplexes on West Spring Valley

Commission recommends rezoning for 343,624-sf Telecom Parkway warehouse; neighbors raise noise and tree-loss concerns

Richardson planners approve special development plan for Ayat restaurant, limit drive-through to pickup orders