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Project Review Committee
CITY OF COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS
Administrative Conference Room
In the City Secretary's Office
1101 Texas Avenue
Thursday, July 3, 2003
6:00 PM
Variance to Driveway Regulations: Discussion, consideration and possible
action on a proposed driveway variance at 4300 Berwick Place located in
Section 2 of the Castlegate Subdivision (03 -146).
PRC Notes
Self- Introduction
This item is the consideration of a variance to Ordinance
Chapter 3, Section 3.H.(2)(d). Paraphrased, this section
states that corner residential lots shall take access from the
lesser of the adjacent streets, and that the determination of
which street is 'lesser' shall be based on AASHTO criteria.
It is important to note that other sections of the access
management ordinance preclude connection of residential
driveways in almost all circumstances to any streets other
than those of local classification. Therefore when making a
determination of the lesser street under the section above,
the two streets under consideration will always both be local
streets, so the issue of potential residential connections to
collectors or arterials is not applicable to this section.
On May 29 an application was submitted for a new home at
4300 Berwick in the Castlegate Development. The lot fronts
on a cul -de -sac, and is adjacent to an interior loop street.
Based on AASHTO local street design consideration criteria,
I determined that the cul -de -sac was the lesser of the two
streets compared with the internal loop street and denied the
application based on non - compliance with the above
ordinance section.
On June 12 an application for consideration of variances
was received for a total of 19 properties within the
Castlegate Development, including this lot. Because
applications for permit had not been received on the other 18
lots, and therefore approved or denied, variances
considerations could not be processed.
Because the request was made prior to the effective date of
the UDO, the PRC is still the body authorized to grant a
variance under the following guidelines:
(c) The Project Review Committee may authorize on appeal a variance to the
Driveway Access Location and Design Ordinance when such variance will not be
contrary to the public interest where, owing to unique and special conditions not
normally found in like areas, a strict enforcement of the provisions of the
ordinance by the City Engineer would result in an unnecessary hardship, and so
that the spirit of this ordinance shall be observed and substantial justice done.
Information presented with, and subsequent to the request
for variance does not appear to address unique and special
conditions not normally found in like areas, although a
significant amount of information is presented with regards to
public interest, hardships and the spirit of the ordinance.
You have in your possession a memo myself that addresses
the background and application of this ordinance section for
your consideration.
This ordinance section will also be discussed in more
general terms at the workshop meeting immediately
following this variance consideration to determine if
clarification, revision or modification of this section is
deemed to be warranted by the Commission.
PROJECT REVIEW COMMITTEE
STAFF REPORT
Project Manager: Brett McCully, P.E. Date: June 18, 2003
Email: bmccully @cstx.gov
For
Variance to Driveway Regulations
4300 Berwick
(03- 00500146)
Location: The site is located at the intersection of Berwick Place and Rockcliffe Loop
within Section 2 of the Castlegate Development.
Applicant: Charles Ellison
Item Summary: Applicant is requesting relief from Code of Ordinance Chapter 3,
Section 3.H.(2).(d) which requires corner residential properties to take driveway access
from the lesser adjacent street.
Item Background: On May 29, 2003 application was made for a building permit at this
property. The site plan provided showed a side driveway connection to Rockcliffe Loop.
Because this is a residential corner lot, the ordinance section referenced above requires
that a determination be made as to the lesser street for driveway connection. Because
Rockcliffe is a loop street serving roughly 60 homes, and Berwick is a cul -de -sac
serving only 14 homes, Berwick was determined to be the lesser street, therefore the
application for permit was denied on this basis.
Items for Review: While this item is for a single variance for one property, On June 12,
2003 the applicant provided documentation to support identical requests for 18 other
properties within the Castlegate Development. This submittal, along with a response
memo from Staff is attached for your review and consideration.
Supporting Materials:
1. Location map
2. Variance request letter from Applicant
3. Staff summary memo to P &Z
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