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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSeptember PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT SERVICES NEWSLETTER Building a Better Community with You P OPULATION : T HE S EPTEMBER POPULATION ESTIMATE IS 104,459 PLANNER ON CALL 1 ANNUAL REVIEW OF UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE 2 JOBSITE CLEANLINESS 3 BUILDING INSPECTIONS 3 RESIDENTIAL PERMIT TOTAL 3 BUILDING PERMIT TOTALS 4 TRACKING THE NUMBERS 4 BUILDING PERMIT CHARTS 5 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ANNUAL REVIEW 6 - 7 YOU CAN BE PROPERLY INSURED - EVEN IN A FLOOD 7 Inside this issue: PO Box 9960 1101 Texas Avenue College Station, TX 77842 979-764-3570 Fax: 979-764-3496 www.cstx.gov SEPTMEBER 2015 PLANNER-ON-CALL FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS The Planner on Call system helps over 2,000 people a year that call, email, or come into the P&DS office with questions related to planning and development. This section highlights some of the more common questions. If you have questions for the Planner on Call, please contact us at 979-764-3858 or POC@cstx.gov. Q: I want to put a banner on stakes near the road, in front of my business, but I’m told banners aren’t allowed. A: Commercial Banners are permitted in the City by submitting a Banner Permit appli- cation. However, banners must be no larger than 36 square feet, set back 10 feet from the right-of-way, and attached to a permanent structure. The full require- ments for a Commercial Banner may be found online at www.cstx.gov/UDO in Section 12-7.5.J. For additional information regarding banners and banner permits, please contact the Planner-on-Call. Annual Review of the Unified Development Ordinance The Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) is one of the tools used to implement the City’s Comprehensive Plan. The UDO regulates land use and the division and development of land in order to achieve the adopted goals and objectives of the Com- prehensive Plan. Each year an annual review of the UDO is performed to provide an opportunity to look back at the achieve- ments of the preceding year. The review is coupled with the annual review of the Comprehensive Plan and presented as pub- lic hearings at October meetings of the Planning & Zoning Commission and City Council. The ordinances and additional de- tails of the amendments completed since last October are listed below and can be found on the ‘Recent Ordinance Amend- ments’ link on our webpage at http://cstx.gov/index.aspx?page=3841. New Multi-Family & Mixed-Use Zoning Districts Ordinance #2014-3624, adopted December 18, 2014 -Created the MF Multi-Family & MU Mixed-Use Zoning districts -Retired R-4 Multi-Family & R-6 High Density Multi-Family Zoning districts, still exist but no longer can be requested Municipal Utility Districts & ETJ Lot Size Ordinance #2015-3640, adopted February 26, 2015 -Added consideration of petitions to form Municipal Utility Districts (MUDs) to Development Review Bodies -Allows waivers to be considered for minimum lot size in the ETJ when within a MUD Wellborn Commercial Signs Ordinance #2015-3643, adopted March 12, 2015 -Allows attached signs for non-conforming commercial uses in the Wellborn area Northgate High-Density Dwelling Units Ordinance #2015-3655, adopted April 23, 2015. -Created a new use category that allows five and six residents to reside in a single unit in Northgate Non-Residential Architectural Standards Ordinance #2015-3663, adopted May 28, 2015 -Overhauled standards to simplify and allow more flexibility in building design -Created Alternative Compliance option to allow the Design Review Board to consider architectural submittals Single-Family Parking Amendment Ordinance #2015-3699, adopted September 21, 2015 -Additional design options provided to address on-street parking in new single-family subdivisions Page 2/September 2015/www.cstx.gov Page 3/September 2015/www.cstx.gov Jobsite Cleanliness With the construction of new homes at an all-time high, the need for properly main- taining these construction sites is becoming more and more important. Providing an onsite container for construction debris and wind-blown trash is a must. Whether it is a dumpster or a container fabricated onsite, every construction site needs a designated area for the placement of trash and construction debris. It is also necessary to keep all sidewalks clean and clear of materials during construction in order to facilitate safe movement for pedestrians. Keeping the streets clean and free from construction mate- rials such as sawblades, nails, or other fasteners is another area of concern. The tasks mentioned above will make for a clean, safe worksite and minimize hazardous condi- tions for the public at large. Thanks in advance for your assistance. If you need additional information regarding this important topic, I may be contacted at (979) 764-3803 or by email at bbinford@cstx.gov. Brian Binford, Building Official BUILDING INSPECTIONS: MONTH BUILDING PLUMBING ELECTRIC MECHANICAL LAWN SIGN POOL TOTAL JANUARY 371 261 163 126 35 2 8 966 February 477 293 240 191 5 4 8 1,223 MARCH 593 403 231 170 7 0 8 1,412 APRIL 495 302 272 238 33 20 14 1,374 MAY 525 350 285 253 44 1 10 1,468 JUNE 651 377 422 307 81 16 21 1,875 JULY 652 486 456 324 0 22 21 1,961 AUGUST 550 320 303 232 0 23 18 1,446 SEPTEMBER 441 344 249 207 41 26 9 1,317 TOTAL 4,755 3,136 2,627 2,048 284 441 98 12,869 With the new TRAKiT software our residential permit types have been combined, the table below provides additional details to show the Residential Subtypes. Residential Permit No. of Permits Issued Valuation Single-Family (Detached) 38 $10,456,005 Townhomes 3 $358,950 Duplex 0 $0 BUILDING PERMIT TOTALS: Month of September 2015 Month of September 2014 Type of Permit Permit Unit Total Sq. Ft.Heat Sq. Ft.Amount Permit Unit Amount ACCESSORY 3 0 604 0 $14,720.00 0 ADDITION 5 1 4,062 1089 $126,000.00 12 $480,500.00 COMMERCIAL NEW 6 1 23,053 20841 $2,633,000.00 5 $190,700.00 DEMOLITION 19 55 0 0 $0.00 3 4 $7,000.00 POOL 1 0 0 0 $40,000.00 2 $90,000.00 REMODEL / RENOVATION 34 20 124,740 100181 $1,393,055.00 6 $1,208,010.00 REROOF 39 0 0 0 $123,318.00 4 $28,527.00 RESIDENTIAL 106 106 222,774 192857 $15,237,429.00 49 50 $10,900,438.00 SIGN 21 0 0 0 $0.00 19 $0.00 SLAB ONLY 113 0 324,105 0 $2,806,649.27 0 TOTALS 347 183 699,338 314,968 $22,374,171.27 100 54 $12,905,175.00 January 01, 2015 - September 30, 2015 January 01, 2014 - September 30, 2014 Type of Permit Permit Unit Total Sq. Ft.Heat Sq. Ft.Amount Permit Unit Amount ACCESSORY 22 0 4,744 0 $221,590.00 19 $566,950.00 ADDITION 54 12 264,976 203,360 $6,444,020.00 58 6 $3,820,432.00 COMMERCIAL NEW 49 89 340,652 206,979 $40,800,025.00 60 88 $46,085,137.00 DEMOLITION 78 79 37,628 0 $277,700.00 35 23 $789,400.00 MULTI-FAMILY 12 161 272,131 147,540 $18,311,026.00 58 812 $70,842,346.00 OTHER STRUCTURES 8 0 0 0 $343,389.00 0 POOL 53 0 17,381 0 $3,771,402.00 46 $2,091,972.00 REMODEL / RENOVATION 243 51 844,608 457,964 $14,647,406.62 148 15 $12,896,729.00 REROOF 83 0 0 0 $499,446.99 36 $851,129.00 RESIDENTIAL 701 712 1,940,147 1,503,531 $128,000,474.24 565 575 $99,688,560.00 SIGN 130 0 4,766 0 $80.00 171 $0.00 SLAB ONLY 175 0 503,350 0 $3,943,017.27 14 $2,896,064.00 TOTALS 1608 1104 4,230,383 2,519,374 $217,259,577.12 1210 1,519 $240,528,719.00 Tracking the Numbers New Single-Family Homes:New Commerical:Total Permits: YTD - 1 yr YTD - 2 yr 18% 38% YTD - 1 yr YTD - 2 yr - 18% 2% YTD - 1 yr YTD - 2 yr 25% 31% Year-to-date, single-family home permits experienced an increase in quantity when compared to last year at this time, September 2014, and increased when compared with two years ago, September 2013. Year-to-date, new commercial permits experienced a decrease in quantity when compared to last year at this time, September 2014, and increased when compared with two years ago, September 2013. Year-to-date, total permits experienced an increase in quantity when compared to last year at this time, September 2014, and increased when compared with two years ago, September 2013. Page 4/September 2015/www.cstx.gov PERMITS BY TYPE YEAR TO DATE Type of Permit Permit Unit Amount COMMERCIAL NEW 49 89 $40,800,025.00 MULTI-FAMILY 12 161 $18,311,026.00 REMODEL / RENOVATION 45 4 $11,334,652.26 RESIDENTIAL 483 498 $100,651,820.24 Page 5/September 2015/www.cstx.gov Page 6/September 2015/www.cstx.gov Comprehensive Plan Annual Review The Comprehensive Plan was adopted in 2009 and acts as a guide to ensure the goals and objectives of the City are imple- mented by acting as a long-range planning and policy structure for future growth of the City. The Comprehensive Plan ap- proaches the growth of College Station in a manner different from the City’s previous plans; it focuses on the creation and enhancement of places of distinction in College Station. The Plan recognizes the importance of character and capitalizes on that to offer the greatest flexibilities for development, while protecting special places. ANNUAL REVIEW OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN Both the Unified Development Ordinance and the Comprehensive Plan call for an Annual Review of the Plan. The Annual Review is completed each year as a progress report to our citizens on the major initiatives over the past 12 months toward implementation of the Comprehensive Plan. The report is an interactive format that links to more detailed information on the City’s web pages, including the original plans, maps, and more detailed implementation status. The interactive report is available to the public on the Planning & Development Services home page. The Annual Review of the Comprehensive Plan highlights some of the City’s major initiatives this year. The following is a summary of the Annual Review document: NEIGHBORHOOD, DISTRICT, & CORRIDOR PLANS Our Neighborhood, District & Corridor Planning program produces plans that are intended to serve as action plans for specific areas that focus on the particular needs identified by those that live and own property in those areas. The City has adopted five neighborhood plans and under this program, all of which are currently in implementation.  Central College Station Neighborhood Plan - located in the Southwood Valley / Edelweiss area. Adopted in 2010. This year, the City installed a new sidewalk on Normand Drive from Rock Prairie Road to Ponderosa Drive.  Eastgate Neighborhood Plan – located just east of Texas A&M University. Adopted in 2011. This year, the City has installed all-way stops at Lincoln Avenue and Tarrow Street and at Walton Drive and Francis Drive, based on warrant stud- ies. The City also completed a sidewalk on Tarrow Street and began work on the Eisenhower Street extension.  Southside Area Neighborhood Plan – located just south of Texas A&M University. Adopted in 2012. This year, the McCulloch Neighborhood Conservation Overlay was approved, and design was completed for pedestrian improvements at key intersections. A sidewalk design was completed for Wellborn Road from Southwest Parkway to Luther Street.  Wellborn Community Plan – located in south College Station along Wellborn Road. Adopted in 2013. This year, the street overlays and sewer line were completed, an annexation in the area was approved, and work was initiated on the Well- born zoning districts.  South Knoll Area Neighborhood Plan – located in the South Knoll / Southwest Parkway area. Adopted in 2013. This year, park improvements are underway, including the addition of picnic units, benches, and bike racks. The Holleman Drive bike lane was re-striped, and the design of the Guadalupe Drive and Langford Street sidewalks is well underway. The City’s first district plan developed under the Neighborhood, District, & Corridor planning program was adopted last fall.  Medical District Master Plan- located in south College Station, in the Rock Prairie Road / State Highway 6 south area. Adopted in 2012. Implementation includes the completion of the Rock Prairie Road bridge widening and Rock Prairie Road reconstruction is underway. The Barron Road and Lakeway Drive extensions are funded and in design, and design of the Lick Creek Greenway Trail is complete. An Economic Development Agreement was finalized for Rock Prairie MMD #2 and the Municipal Management District appointments were made by the City Council. MASTER PLANS The City has adopted a number of specific master plans as amendments to the City’s Comprehensive Plan that are currently in the imple- mentation phase. Bicycle, Pedestrian and Greenways Master – Adopted in 2010. This year, the City has created more bike lanes and sidewalks, and several other sidewalks project are under design. In addition, eight new Adopt-A-Greenway areas have been added. Page 7/September 2015/www.cstx.gov Water Master Plan - Adopted in 2010. Wastewater Master Plan – Adopted in 2011. This year, several projects are under- way, including the design of several wastewater projects that help to create development opportunities. Several rehabilita- tion projects are also underway, including rehabs in the Eastgate area. Phased expansion of water supply resources and production capacity are underway and several improvements to existing wastewater treatment plants are in design. Parks and Recreation Master Plan - Adopted in 2011. In the past year, the City has completed additional artificial turf fields at Veterans Park, hosted the TAAF Games of Texas, added two new parks to the inventory, and completed renova- tions at several parks. Economic Development Master Plan –Adopted 2013. In the past year, the City has re-established its Economic Develop- ment department, finalized infrastructure and economic development agreements in the Medical District, and made im- provements in sports tourism. WHAT’S NEXT? In the upcoming year, the City will continue to move forward with implementation of adopted small area plans and master plans, and continue with the projects that are currently underway. The primary focus for this next year, is continued implementation of the Comprehensive Plan Five-Year Evaluation and Ap- praisal Report completed in 2014, including land-use amendments, completing work with the Joint Annexation Task Force, completion of the Wellborn Zoning Districts, and on-going monitoring of the City’s land use and housing inventory. Y OU C A N BE P R O P E R L Y I N S U R E D ─ E V E N IN A F L O O D P L A I N A flood can happen anywhere it rains, and only a few inches of water can cause major damage to your home. Since standard homeowner’s insurance doesn’t cover flooding, it’s important to know your options. Despite common misconceptions, all homeowners, business owners and renters can get flood insurance regardless of whether they live in a floodplain or if their property has flooded before. The City of College Station participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and is rated as a Class-7 Community, which means our residents pay lower flood insurance premiums. Rates are reduced 15 percent for structures in Special Flood Hazard Areas and 5 percent in Non-Special Flood Hazard Areas. Flood insurance is required for property owners living in a high-risk area ─ or special flood hazard area ─ with a federally-backed mort- gage. If you’ve received a federal grant or loan for previous flood losses, you must have a flood policy to qualify for future aid. Several creeks in College Station have an increased risk of flooding during heavy rains. Burton Creek, Carters Creek, Wolf Pen Creek, Bee Creek, White Creek, Alum Creek, Lick Creek, Spring Creek and Fox Fire Creek each have floodplains where water collects and flows. Floodplains are classified as Special Flood Hazard Areas and are located in a 100-year flood zone. Contrary to popular belief, the term 100-year flood doesn’t mean a flood will occur every 100 years. It means the flood elevation has a one percent chance of being equaled or exceeded each year. Click here to see a map of floodplains in College Station. For more details about flood insurance, visit FloodSmart.gov. To learn more about local floodplain management, visit cstx.gov/floodplains.