540 pharr road
Description: 540 Pharr Road is the site of an existing Homewood Suites hotel. The hotel was built prior to the establishment of the current SPI-9 zoning regulations, so as it stands the building is not in compliance with the code. The property literally turns its back to the street with the entrance to the property located behind the building off Maple Drive accessed only through the parking deck, and the courtyard fronting Pharr Road which is considered private and is currently inaccessible from the street. Renovations of the property were permitted one floor at a time, starting at the top floor of the building until they reached the ground floor, which is this application. The applicant was sent before the Development Review Committee by the City. The applicant noted that they were unsure of why they were coming before the committee, and that they were unaware that they needed to file for an SAP, as the majority of the changes to the property were interior-only. The committee expressed surprise at the applicant’s comments, noting that the permitting process through the city should have triggered the DRC review process much earlier than it did. The applicant’s proposed plans are not in compliance with SPI-9 regulations, as the outdoor space would remain inaccessible from the street. Per code, all properties must have front entrances that are visible and accessible from the sidewalk along major roadways.
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Applicant: Homewood Suites (Robert Ponder, Lynn-Margaret Pace, Cindy Silver- permitting agent)
SAP#:
Variation Requested: Project submitted for initial input pre-SAP
Recommendations Regarding Variations:
Several are identified by the committee; however, no recommendations will be provided until such time as the applicant becomes familiar with and responds to the SPI-9 regulations.
Additional Recommendations
As the proposed plans are not in compliance with the existing regulations with SPI-9, the committee recommends that the applicant completely redesign the proposal following SPI-9 guidelines very closely and resubmit the application, including applying for a Special Administrative Permit.
The Development Committee does expect to see this applicant again as significant changes are made to the proposed plans that necessitate additional variations or the City staff and/or Neighborhood Association requests additional input from the DRC.
