The Ledger

Comprehensive Plan Summit 2 Key Note Speaker - March 25, 2021

Fate Gazette

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The Ledger

Joint Meeting #2: City Council, Planning & Zoning Commission, and Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee

Date: March 25, 2021
Location: Fate City Hall
Meeting Type: Special Joint Work Session

Source: https://fatetx.new.swagit.com/videos/116868

Bodies Present

  • Fate City Council
  • Planning & Zoning Commission (P&Z)
  • Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee (CPAC)

Call to Order

  • Special City Council meeting called to order.
  • Planning & Zoning Commission called to order.
  • CPAC called to order.
  • Quorum confirmed for all bodies.

Opening Formalities

  • Invocation delivered.
  • Pledge of Allegiance to the United States flag.
  • Pledge to the Texas flag.

Approval of Minutes

  • Minutes from January 28, 2021, and February 22, 2021 referenced.
  • Motion made and seconded.
  • Minutes approved by vote.

Staff Introduction

  • Ryan Wells introduced as the City of Fate’s new Director of Planning & Development Services.
  • Staff stated a nationwide search was conducted.
  • Mr. Wells addressed the bodies, noting:
    • Relocation from Portland, Oregon.
    • Background in planning, nonprofit work, and private planning consultancy.
    • Anticipated involvement in the comprehensive planning process.

Comprehensive Plan Update Overview

  • Staff provided an overview of the comprehensive plan process.
  • Noted the city was approximately halfway through the plan update.
  • Design Code Studio week referenced, including meetings held Monday through Thursday.
  • Stakeholder engagement included:
    • Property owners
    • Developers
    • Business owners
    • Downtown and I-30 corridor stakeholders

Consultant Presentations

Code Studio (Urban Design & Planning Consultant)

  • Presented recap of four-day virtual design studio.
  • Reviewed study areas:
    • Downtown Fate
    • I-30 corridor and interchange area
  • Discussed:
    • Urban framework concepts
    • Main street networks
    • East–west and north–south connectors
    • Proposed land use intensity zones:
      • Active Core
      • Residential Core
      • Jobs/Core Campus
  • Presented conceptual street cross-sections including:
    • Pedestrian facilities
    • Bicycle infrastructure
    • On-street parking
    • Medians and stormwater features
  • Discussed gateway treatments along I-30.
  • Presented downtown concepts including:
    • Crawford Street improvements
    • Black Oak Lane configuration
    • Midblock pedestrian connections
    • Parklets
    • Potential adaptive reuse of the downtown fire station

Market & Economic Analysis (Catalyst Commercial)

  • Market demand estimates presented:
    • Retail demand exceeding existing supply
    • Office demand estimated at approximately 15,000–20,000 square feet annually
  • Discussed:
    • Office trends following increased remote work
    • Potential for smaller regional and satellite office spaces
    • Residential growth trends and housing demand
  • Provided comparisons to other North Texas developments.

Fiscal Productivity Analysis (Urban3)

  • Presented land-value-per-acre analysis.
  • Compared productivity of different development types.
  • Highlighted:
    • Downtown Fate as a high-value-per-acre area
    • Mixed-use and pedestrian-oriented development producing higher long-term fiscal returns
  • Discussed concepts of:
    • Tax productivity
    • Infrastructure lifecycle costs
    • Incremental development

Planning Framework Discussion

Vision & Values

  • Reviewed results from:
    • Community surveys
    • CPAC SWOT analysis
  • Proposed value statements:
    • Managed growth
    • Distinctive identity
    • Quality housing choices
    • Connected transportation system
    • Places to play
    • Economic opportunity
    • Vibrant downtown

Land Use & Character-Based Planning

  • Presented shift from traditional Euclidean land use categories to character-based planning.
  • Identified three primary character zones:
    • Rural
    • Suburban
    • Urban
  • Introduced preliminary place types, including:
    • Rural reserve
    • Rural neighborhood
    • Suburban neighborhood
    • Suburban supportive commercial
    • Business and innovation center
    • Urban neighborhood
    • Mixed-use center
    • Downtown core
  • Discussed integration of parks, open space, and institutional uses across place types.

Public Body Discussion

  • Members raised questions regarding:
    • Cost considerations
    • Market timing for job centers
    • Emphasis on bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure
    • Feasibility of rail crossings
    • Street network connectivity
  • Consultants and staff responded to questions during the session.

Breakout Exercise

  • Participants divided into small groups.
  • Exercises included:
    • Reviewing character area maps
    • Identifying appropriate place types
    • Marking suggested changes or confirmations
  • Results to be consolidated by staff for future review.

Next Steps Announced

  • Continued development of plan recommendations.
  • Consolidation of breakout session feedback.
  • Additional CPAC meeting planned for May 2021.
  • Next joint work session scheduled for July 22, 2021.
  • Additional feedback on value statements to be solicited via email.

Adjournment

  • Motion made and seconded to adjourn.
  • Vote taken.
  • Meeting adjourned.

Record Note

This Ledger entry records the publicly observable proceedings of the meeting listed above. It does not offer analysis or commentary.

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