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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/19/1979 - Minutes - Planning & Zoning CommissionMINUTES City of College Station Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting April 19, 1979 7:00 P.M. MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Watson; Commissioners Etter, Stover, Behling, Sears, Hazen, Sweeney; Council Liaison Jones; City Planner Mayo, City Engineer Ash, Zoning Official Callaway, Planning Assistant Longley. MEMBERS ABSENT: None. City Councilman Jones adminstered the oath of office to all members of the Planning and Zoning Commission. AGENDA ITEM N0. 1 -- Approval of minutes - meeting of April 5, 1979• Commissioner Sweeney suggested that the second paragraph of Item No. 9 should read, "... where more than four unrelated persons .lived in a single family residence." Commissioner Etter moved that the minutes be approved as corrected. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Behling and unanimously approved. AGENDA ITEM N0. 2 -- Hear visitors. No one spoke. AGENDA ITEM N0. 3 -- Election of Vice Chairman and Secretary. Commissioner Stover suggested that the Planning Director be designated as Secretary. Mr. Mayo stated that he had discussed this with the City Attorney who advised him that the Planning Director could sign plats for the Secretary of the PAZ, but that it would be advisable for the Commission to elect a Secretary. He suggested that the Commission delay election of a Secretary so that he could check with the City Attorney again. Commissioner Sweeney nominated Commissioner Etter for the position of Vice Chairman. The nomination was seconded by Commissioner Stover. Commissioner Hazen moved that nominations cease. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Behling and unanimously approved. Comissioner Etter was unanimously approved as Vice Chairman. AGENDA ITEM N0. 4 -- Consideration of requested revisions to parking lot at Culpepper Plaza. City Planner Mayo showed the Commission the approved parking plan and the proposed .revisions providing wheel stops at the ends of parking rows over the entire lot and omitting some of the islands provided in the approved plan. Chairman Watson stated that he would be in favor of the revision if an island could be provided in the old section of the lot to break up the long row of parking in front MINUTES Page 2 Planning and Zoning Commission April 19,'1979 7:00 P.M. of the center. Commissioner Stover stated that the proposed wheel stops did not provide enough visibility and could be worse than no control at all. Commissioner Etter suggested that the deference in appearance between the new part of the lot and the old would promt the developer to bring the old section of the lot into compliance with the ordinance. Commissioner Sears asked why the change was being proposed. Mr. Andy Cronk, project architect, stated that 11 r. Culpepper felt that the revision would improve the continuity of the parking lot over the entire site. Commissioner Stover noted that this could also be done by bringing the old part of the lot up to the standard of the new section. Commissioner Sweeney stated that the visual effect of the new section of the lot would cause the public to demand compliance with the parking and landscaping ordinance. Commissioner Stover moved that the proposed revisions not be approved. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Sweeney. Commissioner Behling suggested that the revisions could help to establish good driving patterns in the lot now rather than in the future. Commissioner Stover stated that he did not think the revisions would have that effect. Chairman Watson stated that the request was very similar to the request of A.R.C. Commissioner Hazen advised that the A.R.C. parking lot was used by persons who were familiar with it and only used it twice a day while the Culpepper Plaza lot was used by the general public who come and go all day long. Councilman Jones asked Mr. Cronk if something could be done to make the fire lane marking in front of Safeway more visible. He noted that since the curb in that area was rather low, the markings were hard to see. Mr. Cronk stated that the point was well taken and that he would discuss the question with the owner. The motion to deny. the requested revision was unanimously approved. Commissioner Stover asked Mr. Cronk to remind Mr. Culpepper that the southernmost curb opening on Texas Avenue was to be closed. Mr. Cronk advised that due to the lease agreement with Safeway, the curb opening would have to be condemned to be closed. City Engineer Ash stated that the City would proceed on that basis. AGENDA ITEM N0. 5 -- Presentation of current results of development controls survey. Mr. Mayo presented the preliminary results of the development controls survey being conducted by Dr. Stover and Mr. Mike Hughes. MINUTES Planning and Zoning Commission April 19, 1979 7:00 P.M. He presented data in the following areas: Time for processing of plats and rezonings. Commercial zones Required right-of-way widths E.T.J. development standards Portable and trailer sign control. Page 3 Mr. Mayo asked the Commissioners to look over the data presented and contact him if they had any questions. AGENDA ITEM N0. 6 -- Other business. Mr. Mayo showed the Commission a revised plan from Del Taco. He noted that the plans had arrived too late to be placed on the agenda but that the Del Taco people would like to get a reading from the Commission on the new plan. He pointed out that since the passage of the landscape - parking ordinance, no small corner tracts on Texas Avenue had been granted an .access on Texas Avenue. He stated that in the last meeting with Del Taco's representative, Dr. Stover, himself and Mr. Ash had designed an access showing no openings on Texas Avenue and two or three openings on Park Place but that Del Taco had no agreed to this plan. Mr. Frank Novak, owner of the property, was told he would be given a curb cut o felt it was harder for cars to make the would be to make a turn into Del Taco's agreed to make certain revisions to the cut on Texas Avenue. stated that when the property was rezoned, he Texas Avenue. He also pointed out that he turn off of Texas onto Park Place than it parking lot. He advised that Del Taco had parking lot if they could keep their curb Commissioner Stover stated that the proposed revisions would not solve the problem of cars trying to get onto the site from Texas Avenue. City Engineer Ash stated that no promise had been made of access to Texas Avenue to the property in question. He pointed out that when the property was platted, the state- ment was made that the tract might get access to Texas Avenue, but at the time, the developer was talking about an office building. Commissioner Sweeney suggested that the recent redevelopment of the Texas Avenue - Highway 30 intersection would make it even more dangerous to enter the site from Texas Avenue. Mr. Ash pointed out that if access was from Park Place, it would be easier for north- bound traffic on Texas to get onto the site. He also reminded the Commission that Tinsley's would soon be built on the other side of Texas Avenue creating yet another conflict point but that Tinsley's access would match an existing left turn lane.. Chairman Watson suggested that,if the building were moved northward on the site, it would allow for a greater radius on the access from Texas Avenue. Mr. Ash stated that this would require that the floor plan be changed and that Del Taco would not agree to do this. The Commission determined to take a "straw vote" on whether or not to allow an access MINUTES Planning and Zoning Commission April 19, 1979 7:00 P.M. from Texas Avenue. The vote was as follows: Page 4 For access to Texas Avenue: Commissioners Behling, Sears; Chairman Watson Against access to Texas Avenue: Commissioners Stover, Hazen, Sweeney, Etter Commissioner Hazen stated that the new intersection at Highway 30 and Texas Avenue was an unsafe situation. She noted that it was very difficult for traffic turning southbound onto Texas from Highway 30 to cross three lanes of high-speed traffic to make a turn onto Holleman. She stated that she had seen many near accidents at the intersection because southbound traffic on Texas did not expect cars from Highway 30 to be turning in front of them. Mr. Ash stated that the problem at the intersection was one of moving a large volume of traffic through the intersection at peak hours. He also pointed out that lowering the speed of traffic at the intersection would not make it any safer. He suggested that drivers would soon get used to the intersection. Mr. Mayo advised the Commission that the City would soon begin to pay for legal notices published for rezoning and use permit cases and would often have to send two letters to adjoining property owners. He stated that,due to these increased services, the fee for rezoning and use permit applications would have to be raised to $50.00 plus $4.00 per property owner within 200 feet of the request. ~' The commission approved the change in fees. Commissioner Hazen suggested that legal notices always be published on the same day. Mr. Mayo advised that legal notices were now published on Wednesday, 15 days prior to the public hearing. Chairman Watson reported on the meeting held with Commissioner Etter and several citizens concerning the proposed change to the number of unrelated persons allowed to live in a single family residence. He stated that the opinion was that the noise and trash problems could be taken care of under the existing ordinances, and that the problems that could not be handled with the existing ordinance was that of parking and excess cars. He also noted that it was generally agreed that lowering the allowed number of unrelated persons was not an effective means of controling these problems. He stated that the subcommittee would make further recommendations at a later time. AGENDA ITEM N0. 7 -- Adjourn. Commissioner Stover moved that the meeting be adjourned. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Etter and unanimously approved. The meeting was adjourned at 8:45 P.M. APPROVED Chairman ATTEST Secretary