Planning commission recommends allowing collision-repair shop at Rosemary development with highway-overlay conditions

The City of Denison Planning and Zoning Commission on March 25 recommended approval of an amendment to Planned Development Ordinance No. 5,172 to allow an automotive collision repair shop (proposed as a Caliber Collision) at the Rosemary development west of Lillis Lane, with the condition that the project meet the city’s highway-oriented overlay district and other Chapter 28 development standards.

Planning staff said the request applies only to adding the use to the PD; a separate formal site-plan review will return to the commission if the PD amendment is approved. “The action is solely being taken on the amendment to the planned development to allow for that use,” planning staff member Miss York told the commission.

The commission and staff described the site as mixed commercial on the city’s future land use plan, with residential pads on the east side of the development and nonresidential uses fronting U.S. 75 on the west. Staff recommended approval because the automotive collision-repair use fits the mixed-commercial designation, but emphasized that the applicant must comply with overlay and Chapter 28 standards — including 100% screening between residential and nonresidential uses and screening from public rights of way.

Heather Rimmer, representing the developer, told the commission the applicant had held a predevelopment meeting with city staff and was prepared to meet overlay and zoning standards. She said Caliber Collision typically uses a roughly 16,100-square-foot building model but that exact building size would depend on lot layout and access.

Parkside Baptist Church pastor Jeff Humphrey spoke in public comment, saying he is not opposed to having a collision facility in Denison but expressed concern about property upkeep and visual impacts based on his observations of a Caliber Collision location in Sherman. He noted the church’s property across Viking Lane and asked that the commission and council ensure the development does not impair nearby property values or future development opportunities for the church.

Commissioners discussed screening materials and the existing tree line on the site. Staff noted the PD includes a tree line that is not to be disturbed; staff also said chain-link fencing may be prohibited in certain locations under Chapter 28 and that masonry, wrought iron, or landscaping could be required to meet the 100% screening standard. Commissioners repeatedly requested that the commission’s motion include the overlay’s design standards so the amendment would not appear as spot zoning.

A motion to recommend approval of the PD amendment “to allow for the use of automotive collision repair shop as long as the highway-oriented overlay district and development standards are adhered to” carried with the commission’s voice vote in favor. The recommendation will be forwarded to the City Council for final action at its next meeting on April 7.

The commission and staff emphasized that the PD amendment permits the use only at this site; any final building layout, screening materials, facade design and bay orientation will be resolved in the later site-plan review and must meet the city’s development standards.