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Commission approves partial sidewalk waiver for Scottish Rite Park, requires east‑side connection and follow‑up crosswalk study
Summary
The commission granted a site‑plan amendment for Scottish Rite Park with a modified staff recommendation: a full waiver of sidewalks was not required, but a short east‑side sidewalk connection and a pedestrian crossing to existing transit stops were required; staff and the applicant cited steep grades and utility conflicts for limited scope.
The Plan and Zoning Commission approved a site plan for Scottish Rite Park at 2909 Woodland Avenue with a modified staff recommendation that narrows the sidewalk waiver requested by the applicant.
Michael Dell of planning staff said the site — about 8.5 acres with more than 1,300 feet of frontage on Woodland Avenue and 20th Street — is bounded by steep grades and existing utility vaults that make construction of a continuous public sidewalk along all frontages impractical without significant retaining walls and utility relocation. "We do agree that a lot of the frontage is close to impossible to do without significant investments," Dell said, citing grades greater than 50 percent in places.
Staff and the applicant negotiated a reduced scope during the hearing. Instead of requiring a full sidewalk along the western property line, staff recommended requiring a pedestrian connection from the site’s private drive to the east and a marked crossing point to connect residents to existing DART stops and the surrounding sidewalk network. Commissioners discussed crosswalk design and maintenance; traffic staff advised against a high‑visibility zebra crossing based on their design standards, but the commission asked staff to follow up with traffic engineering on crossing treatments.
Applicant representatives said the building program for Scottish Rite Park primarily involved interior renovations and that the project budget had not anticipated extensive public‑sidewalk construction. The applicant estimated the east‑side sidewalk alone could cost roughly $25,000 and would require curb work and a retaining wall in places; they asked the commission to accept the reduced scope with a commitment to install the remainder if and when neighboring properties are redeveloped.
A bicyclist and neighborhood resident urged the commission to consider transit and school access in weighing sidewalk requirements. "I just hope you remember that" employees and other users may need pedestrian access to the bus stop, a resident said.
The commission voted to approve the staff‑recommended amendment as amended at the meeting (east connection and crosswalk provision), with the record noting the commission expects staff to continue coordination with traffic engineering regarding crosswalk design and with the applicant regarding curb adjustments and utility coordination.
