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planning. and Zoning Commission
CITY OF COLLEGE STATION, TE~~AS
,:
September 18, 1997
7:00 P.M.
CONIlVIISSIONERS PRESENT: .Chairman Massey, Commissioners Rife, Lightfoot, Garner, Parker
and Silvia.
COMIVIISSIONERS ABSENT: Commissioner Gn~ou:
STAFF PRESENT: Transportation Planner Hard, Staff .Planner Battle, Staff Assistant
Charanza, Senior Planner McG~lly, Transportation Analyst Hester,
Director of Development Services Callaway, Assistant City Attorney
Reynolds, .Assistant City Engineer Morgan.
AGENDA ITEM NO.1: Approval of minutes from the meeting of September 4,1997.
Commissioner Parker stated that he wanted the record to reflect the change made to the motion on
Agenda Item #4. of the. minutes from September 4,1997. The .motion ~ was changed to approve the
.request with the conditions listed on the Presubmission Conference repoit.
Commissioner Rife moved to approve the minutes from the meeting of September 4, 1997, as
distn'buted with the change in record. Commissioner Silvia seconded the motion which passed
unopposed. (6 - 0). _
AGENDA I'T'EM NO. 2: Consideration of an ordinance amending Chapter 3, Sectioa 3 and
Chapter 9, Sections 3, 8, and 12 of the Code of Ordinances incorporating additional street
classifications for the City's Thoroughfare Plan and their associated revised street design criteria
which were approved as part of the City's. August 1997 adoption of the new Comprehensive
Plan.
Transportation Planner Hard. reported to the Commission on the changes and stated that the
amendments to Chapter 3 are primarily changes in definitions to reflect the new street classes: The
amendments to the. Subdivision Regulations are changes to Chapter 9, Sections 3, 8,~ and 12 of the
City's Code.. The amendment to the street design criteria in Section 8 are the most important. This
_ amendment. replaces the table for the design criteria of the cxurent street types with a revised table of
. new design criteria for the new street types.. The revised table, Table 1, incorporates rural street desif'
"~= standards from Section 12 in order to forma consolidated. table containing both rural and urban.stre~.,--
P&Z~nutes September 18, 1997 Page 1 oj4
design standards. The amendment also incorporates illustrations of standard, street cross-sections for all
street types into the Subdivision Regulations.
The new street design criteria is a combination of the recommendations of the City's Thoroughfare Plan
consultants and the recommendations of a community-wide focus group which was assembled to
develop common street design standards to be used by both the cities of Bryan and College Station.
This focus .group included staff members from both cities as well as local enguieers, developers and
contractors. The City of Bryan will adopt the same street design criteria in the near future.
Transportation Planner Hard showed slides of the new street cross-sections and explained all of these to
the Commission.
Commissioner Parker asked Mr. Hard if the addition of a wide outside lane for bicyclist would remove
the City's ability to prohibit bicyclists on certain streets (like Texas Avenue). Mr. Hard said it would
not.
Commissioner Massey welcomed anyone who wished to speak in favor of or against this amendment
even though it was not a public hearing.
Shannon Schunicht stated his concern, that there' is no sidewalle on Wellborn Road from Bryan City
Limits sign . He would like to see the sidewalk be extended from where it ends at the City Limit sign on
through. He feels this extension is appropriate due to the amount ~ pedestrian traffic on Wellborn
Road.
Commissioner .Silvia moved to recommend approval of the .ordinance amendment. .Commissioner
Garner seconded the motion which passed unopposed (6 - 0).
AGENDA ITEM NO. 3: Discussion concerning the regulation of telecommunication towers
within the City of College Station.
Staff Planner Battle.. presented the information related to the. regulation telecommunication towers
within the City and stated that the City currently has an ordinance that was adopted in May 1994
allowing the towers to be located in A P, Gl, G3, and A-0, as determined to be appropriate by the
Commission through a Conditional Use Permit. At the tune of its adoption. the FCC was working on
legislation that could affect, or even preempt, local zoning authority.. The cxureat ordinance is
purposely flexile .and nonrestrictive in order to deal with tower requests while also allowing for the
uncertainty of the developing legislation In February 1996, the Telecommunications Act of 1996 was
formally signed int® law. This legislation was designed to ensure growth and competition in the
telecommunications industry. Recent analysis and interpretation of the 1996 act has helped to clarify
when and how local planning agencies can regulate telecommunication providers. Recent requests to
erect towers in College Station have brought to light some of the concern and controversy related to
their design and placemento .Staff believes that this is a good tune to review-our current ordinance and
consider any possr°ble changes.
There are five conditions set forth in the act that affect local zoning authority:
--Y' 1) Local zoning requirements may not unreasonably. discriminate among wireless telecommunications
providers that compete against one another. ~ _
P&Z~nrcte~ September 18, 1997 Page 2 of 4
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0 .Regular Item
Consent Item
® Statutory Item
Item Submitted By: c ~ ward Transportation Planner
Director'ApprovaL•
City Manager Approval:
Item: Public hearing .and consideration of an ordinance amending Chapter 3, Section 3
and an ordinance amending'. Chapter 9, Sections 3, 8, and 12 of the Code of
Ordinances for the adoption of the revised street classification system and design
standards which were included as part', of the. recent approval of the Comprehensive
Plan.
Item Summary: These ordinances amend the city code to reflect. the new street
classes that are included on the City' recently adopted Thoroughfare Plan. ,'More
importantly, they replace the. design standards for the old street types :with new criteria
for the new street types. They also consolidate the rural with the urban. street standards
and add illustrations of street cross-sections for-all street types into. the Subdivision
Regs.
The new standards for the residential and minor collector, streets call for them both to
be reduced in width by 4 foot. What we are now calling. a minor collector street is very
similar to the old "collector«. It's design'.. has 2 lanes and allows either parking or bike
lanes on the sides: The new major collector'is the same as the old minor arterial but
with an increase in width in order for it to be safer. f®r bikes. it hay 2 layout options
which will all®w for either a 4-lane street or a 2 lane street .with a center tum lane and
bike lanes.
The design for the new minor arterial is similar to old major arterial, but has increases in
right of-way and street width in order to allow for medians and wider outside lanes to
make it safer for bikes. It has three layout options. Two of these include 4 lanes with a
raised center median while a third has 4 lanes with a center tum lane. Medians are an
option on, minor arterials to the center 2 way left tum lane. The design for a major
arterial includes 6 lanes with a raised ~', center median. It applies primarily to TXDOT
roadways and is the design currently being constructed on Texas Avenue.
Policy Issue Statement: #1 -Transportation Mobility and #3 ®Flealth and Public
Safety.
....For Council Meeting ®f; October 9 1997
Item Background: The new street design criteria .proposed .for adoption is a
combination of those established by the thoroughfare plan consultants .and the.
recommendations of a community-wide focus group which was assembled to develop,
among other things, common street 'design standards to be used by both the cities of
Bryan and College Station. This focus group included staff members from both cities as
well as local engineers, developers and contractors. The City of Bryan will adopt the
same standards in the near future.
Budgetary and Financial Summary: _ The reduction in width in the residential and
minor collector streets will result in a slight reduction in cost of developing these streets.
The cost to build the new major collector and minor arterial streets will be an increase
which will primarily be borne by the City, since most private development in College
Station is eligible for, oversize participation on streets of this size.
Depending on the option, the width of the major collector street is 1 or 7 feet wider than
what is currently required. This added cost is a result of widening the street to make it
safer for bikes.
Depending on the option, the width of the minor arterial is 13 or 17 feet wider than what
is can-ently required. This increase is a result of adding medians and widening the
street to make it safer for bikes. The right-of-way width. for a minor arterial, at 90 feet is
10 .feet more than what is currently required. This added cosy could impact the City or
private development.
The cost of installing. raised medians without landscaping is about the same cost as
installing a center turn' lane. The cost of installing landscaping in them could be borne
by the developer or the City. In some cases, the developer could use the median to
meet landscape and/or streetscape requirements. The cost of maintaining. medians will
fall primarily on the City. Although in some cases, such as with Edelweiss, Emerald
Forest and Pebble Creek, they could be maintained by the Homeowners. Association or
the developer. In cases where medians are to be maintained by the city, it will probably
require a service level adjustment for the Public Works or Parks Department.
Staff Recommendation: Staff recommends approval.: The Planning & Zoning
Commission recommended approval on a 6-0 vote.
City Attorney Recommendations/Comments.: The City attorneys office has reviewed
and assisted in preparation of the attached ordinance.
Council Action Options: Approval -with or without changes,. disapproval, or tabling of
the attached ordinance.
Supporting Materials:
1. Ordinance- Amendment for Chapter 3
2. Ordinance Amendment for Chapter 9
3. P&Z Minutes
O:1group\deve_se~\cvsht\subreg97. doc