HomeMy WebLinkAboutMiscellaneous• 'ct for a Maso is Libra /Museum
RE. Appropriate Distrl rY
You have in our ackets, correspondence from Pete Normand regarding the
. y p ~ asks d
Masonic Libra and Museum.:- As you will recall, at a previous meeting, I
• ~ the should fall
the - Commission for input regardrng Masonic Lodges.. and. whether y
' ame cats o as Private Fraternal Lod es. The Commission indicated
into the s ~ ~Y ,~
that the should. At the time I was unaware that.- the request was actually for ~~
• y he ublic as well as serve
Masonic Library.. and Museum .which would be open tot , p
as the meeting place for the. lodge and any other community group choosing toy
use the facility..
The .list of Conditional Uses in our Zoning Ordinance includes community
buildin s ublic libraries and churches. Private fraternal lodges are listed as a
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permitted use In the C-1 General Commercial District.
omfortable allowin the. Masonic Libra /Museum as a conditional use
I feel c g rY
rather than re uirin C-1 zonin . Because I had requested input from the
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Commi~sian before I felt that it would be appropriate to seek.. your input again
' exact use ntendedl
knowing the
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SONIC LI~1tA1tY & MUSEUM ASSN.
-..--
-- -- Post Office Box 1300
"For the Future o f Masonry." College Station, Texas 7 7 X41- :L 300
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Jane Kee.., Zoning Off ci a1 21 November 1990
City of College Station
Co11 ege Station, Texas 77840
Dear Jane:
i
I wanted to. respond to our phone conversation the other day about the
zoning of our proposed 1 brary/museum. After having ,~a .couple of ni ghlts
~~ to sleep on it T am still trying to get the committees opinion into -
perspectives I am using this "medium" ins-teal of calk-ng you on the
phone because, hop;efu ly, I wi 11 b~ ab e to convey my thoughts clearer
on paper than I would by phone.
Tn stud i n -the City' Zoning Ordinance, and I know that you .realize
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that I am not-unfamiliar with ~ , have ng been ~ n the development
business here since 1977, I fiend the following uses .:..under Conditional
Use and C-1 Genera Commerei a1:
Conditional Use: C-i General Commercial
Churches Al cohol i c Beverage Sales
Public bi;braries* Arenas or Coliseums
Communa ty Bui 1 di ngs* Auto Sales
Muni c pal or Non-Profit } Bowling Alleys
Public or Private Parking Lots Restaurants
Schools , public or denominational Retai 1 Stores
Cleaners & Laundri es
' *- T have asterisked the two "Gas Stations
items that conform to our Hospitals & Hotel s
intended use. Night Clubs , Taverns & Burs.
Shopping Centers
Theaters
Private Lodges:, Fraternal
In a quick glance at the two lists T find the category of "Public
', Li bra~ri es" `under Conditional Use. T don ` t find "museums" but I am
sure that you would agree that is the ame category as "libraries".
Let me be quick to say that this will be a "Public" 1 i brary and
museum. This is required by our non-profit,. tax exempt status, which
we wou1 d lose f t were not " publ ic"
I understand that one of your objections to our l.i brary being i steel as
a 1 brary s that we would allow various groups to have meet ngs i n our
Thi i certai n l true. However i f ou lance over the
f act-l ~ ty. s y y 9
other uses 1 i steel under' "Conditional Use" 'you will find that vi rtual l;y
The purpose of this association is to operate and maintain a Masonic library & museum and topreserve for future generations books
and other.-objects relating o the history of our community, our state, our nation, and our western culture; and to commemorate the
dart that Fr®emasonry has played in the'development of the :freedoms and liberties that we and our families enjoy today.
J
Page 2,
~1 Nove:mber 1990
al 1 of them are uses that include bui 1 di ngs with "meeting pace". i-n fact,
Churches are pri magi iy concerned w h "meeti ng spare", as are Commun 1ty
Buildings and Schools. If you were delete those... uses from Conditional Use
that include meeting space hen you would almost need to do away wi h the
whole category.
Thee. other objection that you conveyed to me was that i was felt hat thi s
b.ui l di ng was s mp- y gai ng to be a Pri vate Fraternal Lodge as listed under
C~ 1 Zoning and not .real 1y a Li brary/Museum... I have a coupl e of probl ~~ms
with this objection. First of all it appears that :the committee has
assumed unto i:tse1 f the prerogati ve ~of attributing ''other motives'' to
- our stated intentions rather than ruling upon the use ghat was presented
to hem. This-would be l ~ ke denying an ..Art School-its requested zoni.:ng
because i t `was well knownthat the artist's brother=i n-1 aw was a good_
mechanic and might open a car repair shop i n the art studio:. Jane, .I
hope you are able to put up with my humor whi 1 e getting my point at the
same time. ~ .
The second problem that I have with this last objection is that I don't
feel there s enough differentiation made between between what has .become
known as "Private Fraternal Lodges'' and a Masoni c Temple. (Which thi ~s i s
not.) But for the sake of argument, let me point out the following.
Most Private Fraternal Lodges including the E1 ks Clubs Moose Clubs
(Knights of Columbus Halls, S~ P.J. S~~~T. Hal l s~, Sons of Hermann, Shr Hers,
etc, use thei r bu l di ngs for the fo 11 owe ng uses.:.
--Meetings
--Dances
-Bingo Games , Etc.
_-Par~i e ~ Recepti ons , _Etc
At all of these uses you will generally find al cohol:i c beverages be r~~g sol d
or consumed, In most communi tins , these bui l~di ngs are generally regarded
as large ='party rooms'' that are for rent or lease by any group wanti n~g to
have a dance or a: bi g chri stmas Party, Wedding Reception, etc.
A Masonic Temple, on the other hand, does not. allow the use ar consumption
of alcoholic beverages and cannot be used for dances,, parties , etc. They
are really two different "animals" The only. thing tha a Masoni c Temp e
would have i n Gomman with these other "Fraternal Lodges" s that i t woul d
be used for "meetings". Bute. agai n ~ this i s no different from Churches or
Schools being used for meetings,
In any case ~ we have no plans to bui l d a " Pr va e Fraternal Lodge". Our
plan i s~ to bui 1 d a ''Publ c ~ducati onal Li brary~Museum" .- Under I, R. S. Code
we "must" with Federal Requirements to provi de a bui 1 di ng that i s open to
public use, educational in purpose and nature or' lose our tax-exempt status.
Jane, please gi ve Cme a cal T after you have read this over, anal tel 1 m~e what
you think. I' 1l be happy to answer any questions.
Sincerely,
~Z~'~J~.
w` _ _ ___ .
~~ ~~~ ~1
~t to ;' ~t~~te Nan~en gate ; I ~ ~~a:R~emaer 1 ~~'~
C~e~r ~t~~e= µ.
In re~ere~~e to our carc~er~~t i an th i ~ rn~rrc i na I tt~~u~ht i t ~faaul d be imp~r~t~nt
far rye ` to ~ra~f i d~ eau ~ i th the f al l a~ i ng i nfarrnat i are,
Th-~ "p~ im~r•~ ~,ur~a~e `~ of the prapa~ed ~ra~a~ ~~al l e~ ~a~.an i ~ L ~rar~ ~ I~lu~eum
i ~ stated _i n the art i c1 e~ of I~~arpar~t i an ~f the ,'~r~~~c~ 'dal I e~ C~a~an i~
L i b~~ar~ and ~u~eurn ~~~ac i at i art , Th i ~ a~~at i at i an i ~ a ta~;~-e~cem~ t T~~ca~~
~Gorparat i an and i s nan-p~raf i t under sect i an ~~1 ~:~ ~ ~ ~:~ of tfi~e U,~. Internal
pe~~nue ~~~~ice Cady,
r~r t i d e Four of cur r~r t i c l e~ of I l~car~~rat i an read;
~~~'I CL~ F~C#F~ s F~URI•'C~fiE~
TFc~ purpcl~.e fcr ~~~ i c~ t~e~ r~r~ar~t i an i ~ c~rgan'i Lid i ~ to ap~~rate ~
l'i t~r~r;fr and rrcu~eurn.
Th i ~ ~c~rpara:~ i dc~c i ~ ar~~an i:~ed far ~h~r~ i tail ~, 1 i ter~ar~~, ~ci e~r~t i f i ~
end ~du~~t i anal p-~rpd~el a~ ~ ~u~l i ~ narc-prc~~ i t carpar~t i an, and i t~
~cc t i u~ i t ie~ ~~ca`l 1 ~e crsndu~ ted far t#~e of arena i d !cur ~a~e~ n ~UCi•C
tTcarcrter that na part ~t t~ net eat~t~ i r,~~ ~fai l l i n~re to t~c~ b~enef t a~ ~rc~
tr~u~te~ ~ a~~ i cer , ar i rcd i ~.t i dual , I t ~.~-ca~ 1 n~~t ~e i t~ pur~pa~E to ~n~a~e
i n ~~rr~ i nr~ a~ prap~~an~~ ar at~er~,i~i: ~~ ~ttern~t i nq to i of l uenc~
~e~ i ~,l ~t i ~;r~, ~rcd i t~ ~i~ca1 i nat Fart i ~ i~a~e i ~, car i ~'c~~rk~e~ne rs
i nil ud n~ the pu~-l i ~h i rig a~ di qtr i but i an cif ~tetectc~n~~:~ anr~~ jai i t i ~~~
~arn~a i ~~ ari t~el~al ~ dt any Band i date far an;~ ~u~l ~ ~ df f i ce
Cur ~ta~temer~t of ~urpa~~ ~~ i # aR~ear~ on dur ~:~tterh~ad bel c~~ el ~~~ra#:e~ ~n
tic i ~. Tice 1 i ~r•ar ~{ and rnu~e~um ~ i 1 ~ tie apen to t~ce pual i ~ e tl~er a~ a ~~~ t
~ci'•cedul e of ~C~ur~ ar an arc a~~~~ ntrnent ~ac~i ~. ~e i mend to enaaur~~e i t~ use
.ambnq ~tuden#~ i ~ t~e~ l ~~al are~c and 4~ i 1 l rri~l~e~ tFte bu i l d i nq ~~~a i l Bbl a i:a
~ra~p~ try i tf~ e~u~at i anal purp~~e~ such ~~ tie ~~r i au~ ar~an i gat I OrcS a~f the
~r•aLc~~ ~JaI l e { Arty fount i l ,
1~e f~a~e ~ee~ a~k~d t(~e que~# i ~r~ f ~'l~~f,~ dae~ ~ 1 ibrar~r~rnu~~um deed ~ meet i n
t~adrn'?~ T#~e at~u i d~~ an~~~aer i ~ that th i ~ bu i l d i ~g i ~ na# meant to ~e ~ ~n~p 1
°~ca~reh~u~e" far ~oa~~ and museum art i f~tt~, but i ~ meant t~ ~e a ~~ l i ~ i r~~
mu~eurn and 1 ~'~rar;~" . ~ l i brar~! mu~eurn that da~e:~ not have #at i l i t i e~ fc~~ i t~
~~U~e ~~~ p~eap l ~" { ~ i then t~;~ i nd r ~ i du~I ~ ar graup~~, i ~ are a n~~fet t i +~~
The purpose of this association is to operate and maintain a Masonic library & museum and to preserve for future generations books
.and other objects relating to the history of our, community, our state, our nation, and our western culture; and to commemorate the
part that Freemasonry has played in: he development of the freedoms and liberties that we and. our families enjoy today.
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~TTN: Mane Kee 4 March 1991
~!
ZOning Of f lclal
City of college Station
Dear Jane:
1
Attached a conceptual site plan to accompany our request for a COndt~ional
Use Permit on the 2.55 a+~re tract an Southwest Parkway .donated to us by
Mr. W. D. Fitch;.
This is nat a formal site p an but is meant only to show the ''foatprint" of
the-building in relation to the property as yell as pos ible parking
arrangement aril landscaped areas. A 5,000 square foot building would occupy
only 4.5~ of the 2.~5 acre site.
Also attached is a front a evation similar to what is being designed for our
floor lan I believe this architectural style :will be more compatible with
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this section of Southwest Parkway than the style that is depicted on our
letterhead.
i
In an wer to questions about uses of the building and the type of
org~.nizations hat would be able to use the 'facility, our Board of Trustees
:has agreed upon tie fallowing wording:
"The library-museum facilities will be :open and. available for public use
by any organization that. have purposes compatible w h the stated _
purpv~es of the Brazos galley Masonic Library & Museum Association. It
is our intention to build a public use library and museu~ that would meet
the same requirements as_any other p~ubl~.c library as permitted under the
Gity of College Station Zoning Ordinance 8.12 (Conditional Use:) A,s a
Texas "non-profit, non-private corporation" granted tax exempt status by
'~, bath the state and federal governments under I'. P. S. code ~01(c)-(3) we are
'~ charged by the applicably laws and our own Articles of Incorporation to
~! meet 'the requirements of a public library & museum facility. °'
.,
1
The purpose of this association is to operate and maintain aMasonic-library & museum and. to preserve for future generations books
and other objects relating to the history of our community., our state, our nation, and our western culture; and to commemorate the.
part that Freemasonry has played in the development of the freedoms and liberties. that we and our families enjoy today.
70 M1 .Cy
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'~ A typical list of groups that woul+~ be oonsidere+~ ~Qmp~atib a with our p~.rposes
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would include,
~~
-Adult Literacy Classes -.Girl Scouts
i~ -Boy Scouts -girder of the Eastsrn star
'' -Brazos Valley Arts council -School History Classes
-Brazos galley Museum Classes -Sierra Club
~~
-Church groups
-Sans of the Republic of T'e~as
~~ -Daughters of:the American Rev~lut%on -~ul Ross M~s~nio Lodge
-Dyslexia and Learning Disability Clinic
~ If yau:.have any questions please cell me at X90-0990 flays),-~93-6526
(evenings).
Sincerely,
Pete Normand
Cha i rma~n
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1~~~ ~~ad~ ~ree~
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icy ~f .~~~ ~~t~.~n
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r~~~se~~ ~ ~~ ~c~~~~. ~~ ~.,~ acres -~'~~~~. a~~' S€~u~~a.-
~;c~.~s~ we ~.~~ ~ ~~.~ L~~n.~.~~~~~~ ire ~i~.~. b~ ~.r~a~le
~r~ ~~~d .~.~ ~~ i~~"~~~ ~e ~r~is ~~c~. ~~.a ire are
apr~~~ed.,
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Marsh 19, 1991
Me ~ahi n~ ~K~enz a l:
planning ssistar
Planning ~ii~i~r~
~if~` ~f ollag~ ta~t~n, Ta~a~
7~'4~
#,i6ar M.3 .LLirienZ~~ .
s a r~sida~t of ~~11ag~ 5tatia~ and hams e~~r~~r at 1743.
~G1 ade street I fug l y supc~r~ the re~u~at ~f the Brazes ~'al l ~y
Masonic Library ~ n~~ f car ~ c~ndti~nal ~~~ permit fir 2.55 acre
pr~par~y which f rent ~~ Southwest _ parl~w~y at the int+~rs~~;tior~ cif
Southwc~cd Drive.
have 1i~red in Goll~ge Station sine 197 and ~t the Glad
treed adr~ss sine 1~'~6. ~Ith~ugh ~Ir Bi11 ditch has ke~~ the
~ra~ant acrag~ m~~red ® trim and wel ~ pared fir I have 1 Ong been
~cn~+erned with the ul in~at~ dspsiti+an and us+~ ~~ th+e prc~~>~rty' h
the went it way ~c1d by tho `itch int~re~st. The adjacent
p~.op~~ties are primari ~ y ~ngl farm 1 y homes in a we 1 e~~ab~ shed
residn~ial neighcrhvc~. Dui t~ the conf i~uratia~n of the streets
in the ar~~ he level open ~f the property in questic~ far
re~id~ntal use i~ l ir~ited Ta tie .best ®f my knv-w1 edge th~~re is n~
sir~gl fsr~ly residential prcp~r ies which front on S~~ut~w~st
Parkway.
Aftor ~°~e~in Material f~rni~h~d by Mr. pst~e Nformand,
~hir~an, Brazos ~a11ey M~scc library Museum I am plea~~-ed with
the pr~psed use cif the property. mho s~eteh of the ~arop~sed
~tructur ~ndictas tha it ~i11 ~n attractive addit~n~ to the
nei~ghb~~rhoc~d. The ~s~el of anticipated use will nit add v the
traf fig ~clu~ne cn Southwest Parkway and certainly the cf f -street
parking will not c~ns~ ahy traffic problems. In addition th~~ gro,upe
and cranZa ion which are slntcipat~d o ~~~ the fa~ilt~r w1'l
hag's a~h a'ttractive and ~o~v~+enier~ building in which to mee-.t
M~ ~uen~~el pl ~s+~ aecet this 1 after as an indica~~ion of
support and ender Bent of the a.plicatcr~ of the BraZOS Valley
Masonic .Library I~n~our~ aid ~~ that ~m~mbers cif the ~vllege
t~tior~ planning and Zoning ~ammssicn ar+~ ma~d~ aware ®f my
sugpcrt e If y~~ need aditor~al nf'ormetcn :please contact at ~~3-
344.
Larch 19, 1991
Dr. D. K. Williams
1719 Laura Lane
Collegz Station, TX 77840
Sabine Kuenzel
Planning Assistant
Planning D:ivisi0n
P.Or Box 9.960...,
Col 1 ege Station , TX ` 77842~09~0
RE: P & Z Case No. 91 _l01
Dear Mr. Kuenzel
My home i s located at ~ 719 Laura
J Lane why ch s attached to
~
the-:proposed zoning change, and o a
I am of the o~~n~on that
this area should rema~ n r~s i dent i al and therefore I am
\ opposed to the construction of a library and museum on
the above referenced tract.
Not only wou~ d t disturb the re si der~ti al area but i t woul d
also cause considerably added tr affic on :Southwest boulevard,
which would also be a d~tri:~ent to the. resident~a neighborhood.
Based u on the above, I am oppos
p ed to this Change of zoning.
Very truly.. yours
~ ` ~ 1~ ~
~
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,
Dr ® D . K. ~l~-11 ~ ams
DKW: krr~
2~ 1~~L.
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March 21, 1991
Planning and zoning c~miasien,
tie are unable t® ~.ttend the .hearing tonight, but ark se~dar~g this letter to
rasa our siren o s~.t®n regaxd~.g the building ®f the prc~p®s~d Masonic
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Lib~ar~r/Muse~n We are against the re~~n~g df the. property and the concept
of buildin a large parking lit in the n~.ddle of a .rasa den~tial neighborhood..
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~incer~l~ Yours,
~.a
HSin-i & Sancy V
1403 Laura Lane College Station T~.
~~I,(CITY OF COLLEGE STATION
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May 2, 1991
College .Station City. Council
Attn: Jane Kee
City of College Station
P. 0. Box 9960
College. Station, Tx 77842
Dear Council Members:
I am wrtin this.. letter to ex ress m concerns about a recent decision by the Planning and
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Zonin Commission relating. to a piece of .property on the :south end of Clade Street adjacent
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to Southwest Parkway. I believe one of the real values and .purposes for zoning a community
is to stabilize thee. communit as a whole and neighborhoods within the ..community. In doing
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this a cit Ives its :residents .confidence when purchasing property, there will -.not be any drastic
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changes that can effect the quality of their life nor the value of their property.
I believe the recent decision to grant a special use permit. for the Mason's. "Museum/Library"
violates that trust. and will in effect, destabilize South Glade Street neighborhood. I further
believe the facile will not be a ublic property, but private and the activities that will be held
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there .will be detrimental to the neighborhood.
Adding a parking lot or facility that will draw additional traffic, (fifty to seventy cars) will add
an additional traffic load to an area that is already heavily traffced. Five residential streets feed
traffic into a major thoroughfare within two hundred yards of each other.
It is my opinion the special use permit granted by the Planning and Zoning Commissiion last
month is in violation of the criteria set forth in Section 8:.12 of the Zoning. Ordinance #163.8.
Allowin such an exce ton is a dan Brous precedent for the City of College Station to be setting
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and further endangers other neighborhoods throughout the community.
The City of College Station, over the past couple of decades, has chosen. to be str~.ngent abut
its: zonin ordinances in ..order to develop a community that is attractive, stable and inviting to
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.individuals who are considering moving to College Staton...Although I don't begrudge the
Masons fort ng to develop the facility they have in mind, I do have: great concern a~-out the
effect locating this facility on the Glade Street property will have on the neighborhood irl which
I live.
I would respectfully request the special use .permit be revoked and the .:property remain zoned
as it currentl is. I understand the other t pe of construction which can. occur at this site .and
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would .prefer a residential property regardless of the type to the proposed MuseumlLibrary.
RECEIVED MAY 0 g ~gg~
Page two
City of college Station
I respectfully submit this and appreciate the efforts you Council members expend on
behalf of the City of College .:Station.:
cere ,
James, M. ~
1401 Gl e
oll Station,. TX 77840
W. BARYON 1V~UloTRO
P. O. BOX 10Q49
COLLEGE STATION, TE~A.S 77842.0049
409-846.9210
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