HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutesApproximately twenty-seven letters in opposition to the request were .presented to the Commission.
The following comments were made in opposition to the rezoning request:
(1) The proposed development will cause a decrease in property values for the entire area
including the existing. Edelweiss Subdivision. The surrounding residents would not have
built and purchased homes in this area if they. knew that. duplex and smaller homes would
be built in such close proximity. (The average lot size of Edelweiss Subdivision is 75' x
130' with an average market value of $120;000 - $130,000.)
(2) The subject property .should be .zoned R-1 and the same type of development as
Edelweiss should be built on the subject property.
(3) The proposed'traffic patterns will create problems for the existing residents. It does not
make sense for a narrow residential roadway to access a new subdivision of 250
households.. (There is an existing problem of people speeding along Hasselt and Schaffer
Road now that will only increase if the traffic concerns are not addressed.)
(4) There is an existing traffic congestion problem through the school zones along Rock
Prairie Road. If there is a connection between Edelweiss and the proposed subdivision,
this congestion will only increase due to the cut-through traffic that will use Victoria and
Rock Prairie Roads.
(5) The City needs anorth-south collector between Victoria Avenue and State Highway 6 to
help with the traffic flow in this .general area. It was suggested that Rio Grande be
extended through the existing park to connect to Graham Road to provide this north-
south movement.
(6) The public .hearing notice is dated December 21, 1995 during a time when a large
number of residents are out of town for the: holidays. Approximately 25% of the people
in the. neighborhood do not know what is being proposed.
(7) The developer of the Edelweiss Subdivision, Steve Arden, offered to help in any way he
can to develop a way to place a cul-de-sac at the end of Aster and Hasselt at Schaffer
Road to help buffer the Edelweiss Subdivision from the proposed development.
(8) The neighborhood should. have more time to work with the developer and examine the
traffic issues to see if some agreement can be' reached concerning both zoning and traffic.
Chairman Hawthorne closed the public hearing.
Commissioner Gribou moved to table the rezoning. request. Commissioner Lane seconded the motion
which passed (6 - 0 - 1); Chairman Hawthorne abstained from voting.
AGENDA ITEM N0.3t Public hearing to consider a Zoning Ordinance amendment adding
subsections 7.1A and 7.1B and revising Table A in Section 7 to include A-OR Rural Residential
and A-OX Existing Rural Residential zoning districts. (96-800)1/
Senior Planner Kuenzel explained that during the annexation process in 1995, the City Council directed
staff to work with the newly annexed residents to see if there were ways .the City could modify
ordinances to better accommodate their needs.. Council has already considered changes to the firearms
ordinance to clarify what residents on large acreage tracts may and may not do. Council will consider,
in January, changes to other sections of the City Code that will exempt agricultural areas from licensing
requirements for livestock and from enforcement of the weed ordinance and the "parking in the yard"
ordinance.
P & Z Mir7zates ,Icrnirary 4, 1996 Page 4 of 6
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Senior Planner Kuenzel stated that the proposed zoning .ordinance amendment creates two new zoning
districts. One is designated A~OR that will accommodate zoning requests by someone wishing to
develop a new rural subdivision with the associated rural standards for streets and other infrastructure.
Implementing this district -will .entail amendments to the subdivision regulations as well. Subdivision
amendments will be considered by Council in January or February of 1996. The second district is
designated A-OX and is designed to accommodate newly annexed areas that have..scattered residences
on properties that do not meet many of the City's codes and ordinances. It is an alternative to the A-O
Agricultural Open designation, which is placed on property upon annexation and has a minimum. five
acre lot requirement, and the R~l Single Family designation which has much smaller minimum lot size
requirements.. A-OX has a minimum two acre lot size. This will not make all lots conforming. upon
annexation, but will greatly increase''the number of those that will conform in lot size. Setbacks for this
new A-OX district are similar to those in A-O as are the permitted uses.
Commissioners. Hall and Gribou expressed concern with listing a use as specific as a "catfish farm" in
the permitted use section. They suggested that the use be broadened and not just limited. to °'catfish"
farming.
Chairman Hawthorne expressed concern that just about any use would be compatible with .the broad
purpose statement of the two. zoning districts. The statements are general and there are no specific
standards established.
Commissioner. Smith stated that the Comprehensive .Plan consultants should have,the opportunity to
look at the proposed zoning districts to determine if they fit in with their ultimate plan. He stated that it
is difficult to expand the A-O category when there is so much A-0 zoned property in the community
now; especially since the purpose statement allows such a wide range of activities.
Chairman Hawthorne opened the public hearing.
Stacy Gunnels of 1007 Howe and President of the Foxfire Homeowner's. Association informed the
Commission that the entire subdivision plans topetition for the A-OR zoning once it is adopted to help
them maintain the=existing rural characteristics of the subdivision.
Chairman Hawthorne closed the public hearing.
Commissioner Gribou moved to recommend approval of the Zoning Ordinance amendment adding.
subsections 7.1A and 7.1B and revising Table A in Section 7 to include A-OR Rural. Residential and A-
OX Existing Rural Residential zoning districts. Commissioner Hall seconded the motion which passed
(5-1-1); Commissioner Smith voted in opposition to the motion and Commissioner Lane abstained from
voting.
AGENDA ITEM NO. 4: Consideration of a sidewalk variance request along Dexter and
Medina Streets for the Wet Knoll Phase II final plat. (95-213)
This item was withdrawn from the agenda at the request of the applicant prior to the meeting.
AGENDA ITEM NO. 5: Other business.
Commissioner Hall requested that an item be placed on a-future agenda to discuss duplexesa He stated
that the Eastmark duplexes are a good example that more attention should be paid to parking lot
screening. He stated. that he felt that the Commission has not totally addressed the future and current
concerns of duplex development.
P & Z Minutes January 4, 1996 Page 5 of 6
~X Regular Item
Consent Item
Statutory Item
Item. Submitted By: .bane R. Kee. City Planner
Ends Statements /Strategic Issues:
Annexation Strategic Issue. Ends .Statement: Education/Lnformation, Quality
Service; Civic Pride
Item: Public. Hearing- and .Consideration of amendment to the Zoning
Ordinance creating two new rural residential districts; A-OR for new
subdivisions and A-OX for existing. residential areas recently annexed.: Also
consideration of amendments to .the City Code .that would exempf all
agricultural and rural residential districts from enforcement of requirements for
.licenses for livestock, of regulations against parking in the' yard and of
regulations requiring mowing of weeds and grass..
Item Summary:
These proposed changes are. the result of the meetings with newly annexed
residents that occurred over the .past several months. Upon annexation last
June, Council directed staff to meet with the new residents and try to address
as many. concerns as ..possible including modifying. ortlinances where
necessary. The changes to the City Code that .exempt these areas from
enforcement of certain requirements are being proposed at the residents'
request..
The new A-OR zoning district is the one that will allow the development of
newresidential .rural subdivisions. There will be amendments to the
subdivision regulations forthcoming to complement this zoning district. The
district .basically requires. a minimum 100 acres for development, has a
minimum lot size requirement of one acre,. requires a process identical to the
PUD process and, with the subdivision amendments, will allow different
infrastructure standards.
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The new A-OX district is one that the residents asked for. It is designed to
accommodate newly annexed areas Ghat -have scattered .residences on
properties that do not meet. many of the City's codes and ordinances. It is an
alternative to the A-0 Agricultural Open designation, which. is placed on
property upon annexation and has a minimum lot .size of 5 acres, and the R-1
Single Family designation which. has much smaller .minimum lot size
requirements.. It is identical to the existing. A-O zone, except. that the minimum
lof size is smaller (2 acres compared to 5), the setbacks are slightly less and
the permitted uses are slightly different. Mobile .homes are listed as permitted,
for example. They are :permi#ted by policy in the A-0 zone, but residents felt
more comfortable having items that are dealt with as a matter of policy put in
writing. This new zone, when placed on the properties, will greatly increase
the number of those that will conform.
This. item tonight merely creates the zoning districts, it does not rezone any of
the properties. Residents in Foxfire .are organizing to seek rezoning to A-OR
and residents in the annexed areas will be asking the City to initiate rezoning
to A-OX on their properties.
Financial Summary:
Staff Recommendation: The P&Z .held public hearing on the zoning.
amendments and recommends approval by a (5-1-1) vote. Staff
recommends approval,
City Attorney Recommendation: Ordinances were prepared by Legal, so are
correct as to form.
Council Action Desired: Approve amendments .and ..give direction as to
whether to initiate rezonings.
Supporting Materials:
1. P&Z Minutes
2. Proposed Zoning Ordinance
3, Proposed .City Code Amendment
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