P & Z denies rezoning request for RV camp to be located at US 75 and McKinney Ranch Parkway

By Brandi Hart
McKinneyUpdate.com editor
Created at 11:30 p.m. on Feb. 10, 2009

A developer of a proposed RV camp will have to wait a bit longer to get approval by city of McKinney officials to build a RV camp that would include parking for 67 RVs at the northwest corner of US 75 and McKinney Ranch Parkway, near State Highway 121.

The McKinney Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously denied a request from Mike Klein of Frisco, who asked for the rezoning of 8.94 acres located at the northwest corner of US 75 and McKinney Ranch Parkway for a RV camp to be placed on the property south of the Buick car dealership along Frontage Road of US 75. Klein said many residents in McKinney circulated e-mails with false information about the RV camp and painted it as a haven for "girls" or prostitutes and illegal drugs. Klein said that users of the RV camp would be using drugs, but not the illegal kind that people who opposed the camp alluded to in e-mails sent to the city staff.

"We will have drugs there as we got people who people who drive RVs who take heart medication and cholesterol medication," Klein said.

The city's Planning Department staff recommended that P & Z Commissioners deny the zoning request because the proposed RV camp is located in the southern gateway to McKinney at US 75 and SH 121 and the city staff received 200 e-mails, letters and phone calls of protests from homeowners who live northwest of the proposed RV camp, said city planner Nathaniel Barnett.

Some of those homeowners spoke in the public hearing held about the rezoning request and said they were concerned that the RV camp would lower their property values and about noise and increased traffic created by the camp.

Ruben Rodriguez was one of about eight people who spoke in the public hearing against the rezoning request. He was concerned about increased traffic that would be generated by the RV camp and danger to children who would be walking to and from three elementary schools northwest and west of the proposed RV park due to RVs driving down roads near the schools to access the camp.

Joyce Martin said the RV camp would be located at the city's front door, which sets the tone for McKinney.

"I'm concerned that it would add increased lighting and let's not let McKinney be known for a its RV park," Martin said.

One of Klein's biggest disappointments was being told by the city's planning staff at one point that all he needed to do was move a street located on the site plan 15 feet and the next time he returned to the city told him there were issues about rezoning request, Klein said.

Senior Planner Michael Quint told the commissioners that the RV camp site was not listed in the city's zoning ordinance and so the use of the land was not an allowed use, but the staff wanted to work with Klein in the month long rezoning planning submittal process and bring the issue to the P & Z.

P & Z Commissioners Darrell Tate and Robbie Clark commented that the staff need to advise applicants if their submittal is not included in the city's zoning ordinance at the time they first submit the information to the city so the applicant is aware of the issue.

P & Z commissioners also approved a meritorious exception for the exterior of the McKinney Dr Pepper StarCenter that will be built on 6.28 acres on the southeast corner of Holcomb Parkway and Roeder Way in Craig Ranch, in the far southwestern section of McKinney in the Frisco ISD. The exterior of the StarCenter will be comprised of 75 percent stone and will have a metal entrance, which is different from other StarCenter, such as the one in Frisco and neighboring communities. Construction began on the StarCenter on Feb. 9 and it should be completed in September.

In other news, the commissioners also denied the closing of, or right-of-way vacation of Walker Street, which is located between Church and Benge streets in the city's historic district east of US 75. The city's planning staff did not recommend the closing of the street because of concerns that closing the street would affect a pedestrian bike route and an easement would be blocked.

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