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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/07/1973 - Minutes - Planning & Zoning Commission MINUTES PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION • May 7, 1973 7:00 P.M. MEMBERS PRESENT: Commissioners James Wallace, Bill Cooley, George Boyett, Tom Chaney, John Longley and Ed Miller; City Planner George Eby MEMBERS ABSENT: Chairman M. R. Calliham; and Council Liaison Don Dale VISITORS PRESENT:, See Guest Register Agenda Item No. 1 - Approval of the minutes of the April 2 and April 30, 1973 meetings. The meeting was called to order at 7:00 P.M. by Vice-Chairman Cooley and on motion by Commissioner Chaney, seconded by Commissioner Boyett, the minutes of the April 2 and April 30, 1973 meetings were unanimously approved. Agenda Item No. 2 - P&Z Case No. 13-73 - A request for rezoning from Apartment Building District, District R-3, to General Commercial District, District C-1, on a part of Block 4, University Oaks Section II. Said land is located along State Highway 30 between Munson Avenue and the University Oaks park and consists of 8. 04 acres. Upon request of Commissioner Cooley, the City Planner presented the request to the Commission and discussed briefly the request and severalof its ramifications. • Commissioner Cooley then requested the owners, Mr. S. E. McCrory and Mr. Vernon Hallbeck, to explain why the request was made and to explain the present error in zoning. Mr. McCrory responded stating that he had a buyer for the site and that he wanted to develop the site due to its location in proximity to the apartments. A public hearing was then called by Commissioner Cooley. Brother David Rowland, of the College Station Baptist Church, stated that their church was in a quandry. The church wanted to construct a church on their property at Munson Avenue. However, they were not certain of the future of the area due to its constantly changing scene or threat of change. It was now necessary for them to consider other locations in light of today's changing conditions in the neighborhood. He also stated that the future is in the hands of the Planning and Zoning Commission. After considerable discussion of the request and the problems associated with the "strip commercialization" of Highway 30, the public hearing was closed. Commissioner Chaney moved that the Commission deny the request and recommend dis- approval to the City Council. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Longley. The following is a brief summary of the Commissioners' commentary regarding this request: r- Minute s Planning and Zoning Commission 1111 May 7, 1973 7:00 P.M. Page 2 Chaney - Request is not within overall city plan; strip commercial projects such as this request have historically been subject to stagnation; too many curb cuts could disrupt traffic; area needs to be retained for high density housing according to present plans and zoning; need does not exist due to existing large commercial reserve at inter- section of Highway 30 and Highway 6 and in several other undeveloped commercial reserves. Longley - This is just another commercial strip zone; it should be remembered that the "701 Goals and Objectives" survey of over 450 residents of College Station have clearly reported that they want a larger, concentrated shopping center and do not want continued unsightly strip commercial development. Boyett - Realizing that the requestors are business men and have a right to use land for highest and best use; but the College Station Planning and Zoning Commission looks after the best interest of the citizens overall. The requestors had originally gotten single family zoning changed to apartment zoning and now were requesting a change from apartment to commercial zoning. The overall requirements and plan for the City coupled with citizen input from the "701" study dictate no more commercial strip zoning. Wallace - City needs developers to develop city but this request does not approach the hopes and expectations of the city's residents. The city wants a concentrated shopping center. The motion was unanimously in favor of denying recommendation of the rezoning request. Agenda Item No. 3 - P&Z Case No. 14-73 - A request for rezoning from Single Family Residential District, District R-1C, to Apartment Building District, District R-3, on a 1.257 acre tract of land located between The Treehouse Subdivision and the abandoned I&GN Railroad right-of-way. The City Planner presented the request and explained that it was made to develop this small site with apartments instead of another portion of The Treehouse Subdivision due to the developer's desire to preserve a,dense stand of oak trees along their frontage on Jersey Street. The property being requested for rezoning is the abandoned Burke residence adjacent to the abandoned I&GN Railroad right-of-way. It was indicated that the entrance to the apartment project would be down the abandoned railroad right-of- way and not through the dense stand of oaks along Jersey Street. Mr. A. W. Davis, the requestors' representative, stated that he felt that the request could not be detrimental to anyone concerned. A public hearing was then called, no one spoke and the hearing was then closed. Commissioner Chaney stated that his company was to build the complex and he felt that there might be a conflict of interest if he voted. Minutes Planning and Zoning Commission May 7, 1973 Page 3 .; On motion by Commissioner Longley, seconded by Commissioner Boyett, the rezoning request was approved with Commissioner Chaney abstaining from voting. The bandoned I&GN Railroad right-of-way then became the topic of discussion. It was indicated by the Commission that it would be highly desirable for the city to have the old railroad right-of-way as a street right-of-way to serve the adjoining property owners, several of whom do not have public street access to their property. It was also indicated that quit claim deeds were prepared several years ago but were not completed. Commissioner Longley made a motion to recommend to the City Council to instruct the City Attorney to pursue acquisition of the abandoned I&GN Railroad right-of-way from Jersey Street to Luther Street. The motion, seconded by Commissioner Boyett, was unanimously approved. Agenda Item No. 4 - P&Z Case No. 3A-73 - A review of a final plat of Woodson Village, Fifth Installment, Section No. 1 by Woodson Lumber Company. The City Planner pre- sented the final plat and stated that the staff had reviewed the plat and it was in order. On motion by Commissioner Wallace, seconded by Commissioner Longley, the final plat was unanimously approved. Agenda Item No. 5 - P&Z Case No. 15-73 - A preliminary plat of University Park, a mobile home park by Edsel Jones and Associates. Mr. Edsel Jones presented his re- quest for approval of a mobile home park preliminary plat and site plan combinaticn. The property is located southeast of the FM 2818 - Wellborn Road intersection in the extra-territorial jurisdiction. Mr. Jones stated that he will seek annexation, appropriate rezoning from the city and connections to the city's utility services at his expense. He also stated that the entrance road will be a thirty-nine (39) foot street based upon a future 60-foot right-of-way completed with 25-foot setbacks in contemplation of future dedication of the street to the city at the time that the mobile home park is converted to other resi- dential usage. He stated that he wanted to build all facilities to city standards and to hold the standards of the park very high. The Commission agreed with Mr. Jones and further stated that there is a continuing need for high standards in mobile home park development, and that this park was spacially re- lated to the existing mobile home park at the intersection of Wellborn Road and FM 2818. Commissioner Boyett moved to approve the combination preliminary plat and site plan with the understanding that the final plat would show the necessary city easements and that the final plat would consist of two basic blocks or lots. On a second by Commissioner Chaney, the vote was unanimous in favor of approving the plat and site plan. The question of annexation of the proposed mobile home park and other lands contiguous to the present city limits was then discussed. I fl .41 Minutes Planning and Zoning Commission May 7, 1973 Page 4 SCommissioner Boyett then moved that the Planning and Zoning Commission recommend to the City Council that the city annex the land within the proposed park boundaries and land between the park and the city limits to form a new contiguous city limits. The motion, seconded by Commissioner Longley, was unanimously approved. Agenda Item No. 6 - A discussion concerning the possibility of the relocation of the rail- road from its present location to the West By-pass. Commissioner Boyett commented that he had attended the Bryan Planning Commission meeting on the previous Thursday where their commentary amplified the previous College Station Planning and Zoning discussion. He noted the recent Lufkin train derailment where toxic gases were released which posed a serious problem to that city. It was also noted that by 1990 13-grade sperations would be required along the present right-of-way. The cost for such elevations would be compe- titive with the relocation of the rail. The Commission emphasized that planning be conducted now if progress in the railroad relocation is ever to be realized. 1 Agenda Item No. 7 - Status report on Phase #2 of the Wolf Pen Village P-U-D. Mr. J. W. Wood reported that Phase #1 was nearly completed and that activity in Phase #2 would be initiated in the near future. The reasons stated for lack of progress were: (1) changing market for apartments (second phase to be 43 dwelling units less than previous plans if the city would allow the developers to change their preliminary plans); and (2) detrimental 0 effect of substandard Anderson Street on general buying public and upon lending institutions (with petition paving project underway, Phase #2 will be reinstigated). Mr. Wood summarized his discussion to the effect that it was not previously possible to proceed with Phase #2, but the situation is changing. It was noted that the only recourse visible for the city to insure the proposed amenities re- quired by the Zoning Ordinance under the P-U-D zone was apparently to file a zoning ordi- nance violation suit. It was felt that a more palatable remedy should be pursued and that the amenity situation should be handled more directly. Agenda . Item No. 8 - Other Business. None. Agenda Item No. 9 - Hear Visitors. None. Agenda Item No. 10 - Adjourn. On motion by Commissioner Boyett, seconded by Commissioner Wallace, the meeting was adjourned subject to call. PPROVE : Chairman ATTEST; Secretary jAale,,i's A PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION May 7, 1973 • Please Sign Below: i. a_t_,,,,ze_,4 2. 3. 719 4. C l 5� ' la 6. �Z-iY �22Z�zip// 7.Okt/C3 8. N24 9. C4 0J42 10. • 11• C ��- 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. ilk 25.