Bartlett Planning Commission declines to recommend Union Depot Phase 2 after heavy public concern over daycare, traffic and density

The Bartlett Planning Commission on an 5-2 vote declined to give a favorable recommendation for a special-use permit that would allow developer Blue Sky Development to move forward with site and subdivision plans for a proposed mixed-use residential development adjacent to the existing Union Depot project.

The developer, Keith Grant of Blue Sky Development, asked the commission to recommend the permit so he could proceed with the next steps of the approval process. Planning Director Kim Taylor told the commission the special-use permit is “only to allow the applicant to move forward with the filing of additional plans,” and that final site and construction plans would return to the commission and other review bodies.

The proposal included two conceptual scenarios: Scenario A with a total of about 500 dwelling units (225 loft units plus 275 flats) and 9.5 acres of commercial and 7.1 acres of green space; Scenario B with about 610 units (225 loft units plus 385 flats), 2.1 acres of commercial and 8.5 acres of green space. The property sits at the northeast corner of Highway 70 and Highway 64 in the SC-1 planned commercial zoning district.

Why it matters: neighbors and day-care operators told the commission the development, if built as proposed, could put Little Bear’s Preschool and its playground at risk, increase traffic on already busy Stage/Kirby/Highway 64 corridors, and change the character of nearby neighborhoods. The commission’s negative recommendation does not prevent the applicant from pursuing the special-use permit at the Board of Mayor and Aldermen; that body will hold a public hearing on the request.

Most important facts

- Planning Director Kim Taylor advised that Article 6, Section 29 of the Bartlett Zoning Ordinance requires a special-use permit to submit development plans for residential mixed-use projects and explained that this vote would be a recommendation to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen.

- Developer Keith Grant said the project is a conceptual plan and that final plans and required studies will come later. “I don't have intention of putting 5 story apartments in here,” Grant said, adding that the team generally envisions three stories for most buildings and that final engineering and site plans will refine layouts and setbacks.

- Grant described preliminary traffic mitigation steps, saying a traffic study is required at site-plan stage and that the developer plans to “put another arm on the light that we installed on Highway 70” and to install a new signal on Highway 64 at the proposed access point.

- Several parents, Little Bear's Preschool owner Cindy Cromwell and other longtime Bartlett residents urged the commission to protect the childcare campus and playground. “I don't want to see a 5 story apartment building going up right next to our playground,” said Cindy Cromwell, who told the commission she has run Little Bear’s for 38 years.

- Public commenters raised concerns over potential balconies overlooking the playground, stormwater runoff into low-lying play areas, and the traffic impacts of adding between 500 and 610 residential units across the street from an existing high-density development.

- The applicant said plans include buffer requirements: a 30-foot proposed buffer where 20 feet is the city standard, and ordinance provisions that would locate commercial buildings 100 feet and townhomes 50 feet from adjacent residential zoning. Grant also said the closest proposed building in the conceptual layout was 30 feet from the day-care property line and that the largest building would be about 90 feet away.

Commission action and next steps

Commissioner John Conroy, Commissioner David Hunt, Commissioner Ken Demetrio, Alderman Jack Young and Commissioner Paul Kaiser voted no; Commissioner Jim Lamb and Commissioner James Reed voted yes; Commissioner Don Conway recused himself. The motion to approve a favorable recommendation failed, meaning the commission will forward a non-favorable recommendation to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen. The developer retains the right to pursue the permit at the Board of Mayor and Aldermen, where the item will receive another public hearing.

Context and background

- The first phase of Union Depot — the project across the street — is under construction and, per the applicant, portions that have been delivered are leasing at market rents; the developer reported about 80% lease-up of units that have been turned over to leasing operations, and also stated rents at Union Depot currently run from about $1,700 to $2,700 per unit. The applicant said it typically leases roughly 20 units per month on developments of this type and does not intend to begin construction on Phase 2 immediately.

- Under current zoning, buildings up to five stories are permitted in parts of the district and the ordinance permits very small setbacks in some cases; the applicant emphasized they do not intend the maximum height or minimum setbacks in places adjacent to single-family properties.

Ending

The commission’s non-favorable recommendation leaves final authority to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen. The commission and staff emphasized that required technical studies — including traffic, stormwater and detailed site engineering — remain to be submitted and reviewed if the Board of Mayor and Aldermen accepts the application for consideration.