HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutesAGENDA ITEM NO. 6: Presentation and discussion of .Rural Subdivision
Regulations.
Assistant. City Engineer .Morgan informed the Commission that during the annexation
proceedings, concerns were expressed by citizens that there were ordinances and. regulations that
they did not want imposed on them. Concerns ranged from the standards .required in the
Subdivision Regulations, street, water and sewer standards to livestock, firearms and other quality
of life issues. As a result; -the City Council directed staff to begin looking at current ordinances to
see if their concerns could be addressed. 'Staff has had two' focus group meetings withlocal
developers, engineers and citizens to hear concerns, discuss, theme and try to formulate ideas to
address them. Staff found that the concerns could really be.broken down into two .categories.
One being. those that are more development related issues such as standards that are addressed
within the Subdivision Regulations and two, what. staff termed as "quality of life" issues such as
livestock, animals, firearms, weeds and grass, etc. Tonight,. the focus is primarily on the first area,
development standards. Most of the concerns expressed with the street discussion was the desire
to have rural type cross sections within the subdivision. In researching this topic, staff looked at
existing rural type subdivisions to see the quality of streets and cross sections used. The width of
the roadway should be a minimum 70' right-of--way. with a 24' wide paved section to allow a 20'
fire lane and some parking,along the street. There was a concern with_roadway geometry and the
minimum radius requirements and staff. is still .researching this aspect.. However, the current
standards :may still be effective in these rural sections. Staff recommended that .smaller streets
interior to the rural subdivision be`allowed with open ditches, but the larger arterials outside the
subdivisions, or those which run through the subdivision will be required to have curbs and
gutters which is standard inside the City limits now. With respect to water systems staff has
explored the extension of the public system, private systems and ..even private wells that may be
allowed in these rural subdivisions. Fire protection is also an area-of concern when dealing. with
rural subdivisions. One alternative that staff is exploring is the use of dry fire hydrants like the
ones installed in the Sweetwater Subdivision in the City's E.T.J. .There are several considerations
with the use of dry hydrants such. as maximum spacing and the water supply. sources available.
Assistant City..Engineer Morgan also presented_information regarding septic systems including the
option for an aerobic system. With respect to drainage, staff recommended a minimum 18" deep
ditch with an 18" culvert. with some flexibility built in to address .special conditions of the land.: in
certain areas. The City would require hat vegetation be established before the open drainage
ditch is accepted to :help avoid high maintenance due to erosion of raw dirt. Staff recommended
the use of overheadelectrcal lines in the ruralsubdivisionsfnstead' of underground utility service.
A rural or agriculturaUresidential zoning district is also being considered:.. This district is intended
to provide areas for single family residential development that are rural in character. These
developments would contain large. lots with a-minimum of one acre in size. Drainage features,
easements, floodplan or other features that. may limit the use of the property for use: as a septic
field would not count toward the one 'acre minimum.. Areas should contain'a minimum of 100
acres and should be developed as a single unified development. Areas of less than 100 acres may
be considered if adjacent to existing. rural residential .areas.. Staff also recommended that as a part
of the zoning.. request, a development plan showing the layout of the lots, roadways and ,other
infrastructure. must be submitted.
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Chairman Hawthorne expressed .some reservations about allowing septic systems inside the City
limits and how these "pocket" areas will be addressed when sewer lines have been extended near
the neighborhood. He suggested that there must be a better way to address the problem other
than requiring the .home owner to pay .twice -once for a septic system and again for connecting to
a sewer line. Chairman Hawthorne also stated that he could not support the use of overhead
electrical lines unless the cost of the underground service is astronomical.
Commissioner Hall :agreed that underground electrical service. should be required. He suggested
that staff explore the possibility of placing a maximum acreage size for lots in a rural subdivision
to preclude large lots which could be subdivided in the future; and by doing so, change the nature
of the original subdivision.
Chairman Hawthorne invited the public to address the Commission..
O. J. Beard, Jr. of 13813 Renee Lane in College Station approached the Commission and
expressed concern about the use of overhead electricallines. He also stated that Barron Road is
substandard and a safety problem that the'City should correct immediately.
Phyllis Hobson of 1415 Harpers Ferry .Road in Nantucket informed the Commission that she is
concerned with the possibility of even allowing rural subdivision within the City limits. The City
should not take in land to the point of having'to create a new subdivision standard. Ms. Hobson
stated that the different standards would create problems that perhaps no one has thought of.
Subdivisions built within the City limits., should be built to current standards. She. cautioned the
Commission and staff to remember that the Engineering Department has reported that 75% of the
septic systems in Brazos County are not,workng properly part of the time.
Norman Cotter of 1414 Harpers Ferry Road in Nantucket stated that he is very much opposed to
annexation because. of the controls. and restrictions the City would place on the subdivision. If an
ordinance is developed which addresses quality of life issues, then deed restrictions in existing
subdivisions should be used as the starting point for developing that ordinance. Mr. Cotter also
informed the.Commission that he opposes to dual. standards for fire protection and sewer systems
for areas within the City limits.
Robert Weir of 5650 Raymond Stotzer Parkway approached the Commission and stated'that the
proposed regulation changes appear to be away to keep the City from providing service to the
recently annexed areas of College Station.' He suggested ..that the new ordinances allow .the
people in the newly. annexed, areas to keep doing what they' have been .doing ,before being annexed
into the City. Mr. Weir .suggested that-staff give additional thought to the proposed water and
sewer requirements in these rural subdivision plans.
Bert Hermann of 2401 East .Bypass in College Station informed .the Commission that he is in
favor of allowing rural type subdivisions within the city limits and that he would not recommend a
maximum size.
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Fain McDougal of 2801 Meadowbriar in Bryan thanked the staff for preparing a proposal which
allows rural subdivisions within the City and stated that he thinks the new subdivisions will simply
allow another choice. for people coming into the City. Mr. McDougal stated that the. proposed
rural subdivisions would be much like the Memorial Subdivision in Houston. He stated that he
checked into the 75% figure pertaining. to .septic systems within the County and found .that that
figure pertains to systems installed prior to the inspection and regulations recently activated by the
County.
Chairman Hawthorne informed staff that he would .like. the concerns .expressed. throughout the
meeting. passed along to others. including the. following:
(1) The requirement of underground versus overhead electrical service and the
associated costs.
(2) Determine whether a maximum acreage limit will be advantageous.
(3) Look at the. possibility of establishing development standards for roads based on
acreage.. Perhaps there is something better than. asphalt with open ditches .inside
the subdivision.
(4) Determine whether to allow rural subdivisions within the City and whether or not
the City wants to create these types of "pockets" ofdifferent standards.
Commissioner Hall added that he 'is encouraged. by the step forward in trying to address the rural
subdivision issue.
AGENDA ITEM NO. 7: Other business.
There was no other business.
AGENDA ITEM NO. 8: Adjourn.
Commissioner Hall moved to adjourn the meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission.
Commissioner Lightfoot seconded the motion which passed unopposed (5 - 0).
APPROVED:
Chairman, Kyle Hawthorne
ATTEST:
Planning Technician, Natalie Thomas
P & Z Minutes July 20, 1995
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