08-16-2001 Regular Meeting and Public Hearing of the La Porte Planning and Zoning Commission

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Zone Change Request #R 01-005 P&Z 9/20/01 Page 2 of 4 . would become part of the project's General Plan that City staff would use to determine if a contemplated use and tenant would be allowed. Analysis The neighborhood commercial classification is intended to provide for the establishment of local centers for convenient, limited office retail or service outlets which deal directly with the customer for whom the goods or services are furnished. These centers are intended to provide services and goods for the surrounding neighborhoods and are not intended to draw customers from other geographic areas. The City is composed of numerous types of development, which are closely interrelated and interdependent with one another. With careful consideration and planning, this interrelationship may be beneficial to the whole community. In fact, the City has been consistent with providing a conducive environment to the extent and nature of development along major roads within the City limits. The relationship of the applicant's proposal to the Comprehensive Plan needs to be emphasized as much as possible. In considering this request, Staff has reviewed the applicable chapters of the Comprehensive Plan. These chapters include; Land Use, Transportation, and Utilities. Land Use — The recently adopted Comprehensive Plan that contains the La Porte 2020 Land Use Plan indicates this area envisioned as developing as a mixture of mid -to -high density residential and low density residential uses. However, the previous land -use plan showed this area as a mixture of commercial uses and mid -to -high density residential uses. The previous land -use plan would better support the current NC zoning classification for this property as well as the requested PUD zoning classification with the intent of developing an office park. There has been discussion in the past regarding developing a grocer/retail use at this very location. With that in mind, the Commission may want to consider a modification to the La Porte 2020 Land Use Plan that would include commercial uses at the corner of Fairmont Parkway and Underwood Road for it appears commercial land uses were inadvertently eliminated from this area. Conformance of a zoning request with the land use plan is one consideration among several criteria to be considered in approving or denying a rezoning application. Other criteria may include: Character ofthe surrounding and adjacent areas;