The restaurant would be located at 1250 W. Spring Valley Road and the recommendation for approval came during the May 6 commission meeting.
The current zoning requirement for the area is that all new developments must be two-stories; however, the plan for La Salsa Verde only consists of one story.
Two-minute impact
The property is owned by Andres Calvo, who also owns the restaurant that would be built if approved.
The restaurant would relocate from its current location, north of West Spring Valley Road on Coit Road, according to city documents and could only be one story.
Because of two-story building zoning requirement, the proposed building would be designed to appear as a two-story building, Senior City Planner Derica Peters said.
Instead of a second floor, the restaurant would have a mezzanine, which would allow for special events and overflow seating.
Some context
Calvo bought the property in 2020, and staff approved a plan to build a two story building with a restaurant and an office in 2021. Because the plans fell within the zoning ordinance, approval from city council was not required; however, those plans were later abandoned.
While the zoning ordinance requires two-story buildings, no new development or redevelopment in the area have met the requirement, per the documents.
Additionally, council recently amended height requirements for the new Staycation Coffee site, which is a part of the planned development.
City Council will have final approval over the amendment at a future meeting.
What they’re saying
Commercial Architect Edwin Brantley Smith, who represented Calvo during the meeting, said that, with the exception of the mezzanine, the site plan is the same as the previously approved plan.
Smith said the two-story building isn’t economically viable, which is why the plan was changed.
“We are also going to leave the structure as it is so if, at a future date, [Calvo] decides he wants to add office space..., you can add the second floor back in,” Smith said. “So it’s still the same intent.”
Gabriel Nunez, representing neighboring business Pedcare Pediatric Clinic of Richardson, expressed concerns over traffic between the two lots and asked for a permanent barrier.
What else?
City Council will have final approval over the site plan. Because more than 20% of property owners in the notification area opposed the amendment, a supermajority, meaning six out of seven affirmative votes, would be required to pass.
