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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/16/1996 - Minutes - Planning & Zoning Commission• MINUTES Planning & Zoning Commission CITY OF COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS May 16, 1996 7:00 P.M. COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chairman Hawthorne and Commissioners Lightfoot, Smith and Garner. COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: Commissioners Lane, Hall and Gribou. STAFF PRESENT: City Planner Kee, City Engineer Morgan, Planning Technician Thomas, Graduate Civil Engineer Homeyer, Senior- Planner Kuenzel, Acting Director of Economic and Development Services Callaway, Development Coordinator Volk, Staff Planner Dunn, Planning Intern Evans, Transportation Planner Hard and Assistant City Attorney Reynolds. (Council Liaison Mariott was in the • audience.) AGENDA ITEM NO. 1: Approval of minutes from the Commission meeting of May 2, 1996. Commissioner Garner moved to approve the minutes from the meeting of May 2, 1996 as written. Commissioner Smith seconded the motion which passed unopposed (4 - 0). AGENDA ITEM NO. 2: Public hearing to consider a rezoning request of 32.72 acres located on the northeast corner of the Schaffer and Graham Road intersection from A-O Agricultural Open to R-2 Duplexes. (96-105) Senior Planner Kuenzel presented the staff report and stated that this request has been through the Commission and Council in conjunction with a request for the 17 acres of R-1 zoning across the creek to the north. The Council approved the R-1 zoning but denied the R-2 portion, due primarily to the opposition voiced by some of the residents of the area to the west. The applicant has requested the duplex portion be reheard and Council agreed. Schaffer Road is in a substandard condition, and the added impact of a duplex development would negatively impact the right-of--way unless it is improved. The applicant intends to improve Schaffer adjacent to the industrial area and, as a part of the R-1 development, will abandon the northern portion of Schaffer adjacent to Edelweiss Estates. The rezoning request is in compliance with the land use plan and is considered compatible with the surrounding uses by the City's development policies. Staff recommended approval with the condition that Schaffer Road be improved as offered by the applicant. • Chairman Hawthorne opened the public hearing. Stephen Chambers of 708 Hasselt informed the Commission that nothing has changed since the request was considered by both the Commission and City Council. The traffic and property value issues are still the same. Through the comprehensive planning process, the City is planning on putting highc;r density uses in the Wolf Pen Creek area where they should be and not this far south close to a sm~;le family neighborhood. Andy Bland of 703 Hasselt explained that he is opposed to the rezoning request primarily due to traffic concerns. The trafEc will not be stopped by an emergency access point and the traffic from the proposed high density residential use will increase the traffic through the Edelweiss Subdivision.. Nancy Lawson of 702 Hasselt explained that many of the neighbors who originally attended the meetings and wrote letters against the rezoning are still opposed to the request. She also expressed concern that in the beginning, two bedroom duplexes were proposed and now they have been expanded to three bedrooms. Chairman Hawthorne closed the public hearing. Commissioner Smith moved to recommended approval of a rezoning request of 32.72 acres located on the northeast corner of the Schaffer and Graham Road intersection from A-O Agricultural Open to R-2 Duplexes. Commissioner Lightfoot seconded the motion. Commissioner Garner expressed concern with the emergency access drive and questioned if' the City could post signs stating that the access is for emergency vehicles only and others caught using the access will be charged a fine. City Planner Kee stated that the access could be signed so that it is illegal for regular traffic to use the emergency access. The motion to recommend approval of the rezoning request passed unopposed (4 - 0). AGENDA ITEM NO. 3: Consideration of a final replat of lots A, B, C, D, E, 118, 119 and 120 of block 9 in the Southwood Valley Section 5-A Subdivision. (9G-200) Graduate Civil Engineer Homeyer presented the staff report and explained that the final plat will continue on to City Council since there is a transfer of ownership proposed by the applicant along the drainage right-of--way. The purpose of this final plat is to resubdivide 2.05 acres into six lots zoned C-N Neighborhood Commercial. As a part of this replat, 0.14 acres of a City owned drainage a.nd utility right-of--way will become part of lot 118R. This transfer of property is a result of staff negotiations with the property owner to place the access drive to the Longmire Education Center in a position opposite of the drive to the Pepper Tree Apartments. The property owner's initial request was to posrtion this driveway within the drainage right-of--way; however, staff felt this would create a potential problem due to a private drive being located within a public right-of--way. This drainage right-of--way is rather large at this location and this transfer of ownership will not affect the City's access for maintenance or the ability to monitor the channel. This transfer will add the property to the tax base and will reduce the amount of area maintained by the City. Staff recommended approval of the final plat with the comments identified at the Presubmission Conference. Representative of the applicant, Mike Hester of Hester Engineering, approached the Commission and offered to answer any questions pertaining to the final plat. Commissioner Lightfoot moved to recommend approval of the final plat of lots A, B, C, D, E, 118, 119 and 120, block 9 in the Southwood Valley Section 5-A Subdivision with staff recommc;ndations. Commissioner Smith seconded the motion which passed unopposed (4 - 0). P & Z Mitnrtes Mcry 16, 1996 Pcrge 2 of S • AGENDA ITEM NO. 4: Addition totaling 6.88 intersection. (96-303) • Consideration of a preliminary plat of the Iolleman anal Welsh acres located on the northeast corner of the Holleman and Welsh Senior Planner Kuenzel presented the staff report and stated that the corner lot is to be sold for a renovation of the convenience store located on the northwest corner of the plat. In addition, the remaining C-1 zoned area will be subdivided into two commercial lots. The R-1 area contained within the plat is proposed as two lots, one for an existing house at the corner of Dexter and Holleman and one for future subdivision. This preliminary plat will not continue on to City Council for their review since no planning issues are involved. Staff recommended approval of the preliminary plat with the comments outlined in the Presubmission Conference report. Commissioner Lightfoot moved to approve the preliminary plat of the Holleman and Welsh Addition located on the northeast corner of the Holleman and Welsh intersection with staff recommendations. Commissioner Garner seconded the motion which passed unopposed (4 - 0). AGENDA ITEM NO. 5: Consideration of a preliminary plat for the Willow Run Phase II Subdivision totaling 42.3 acres and located in the City's E.T.J. just north of Capstone Drive. (96-304) Senior Planner Kuenzel presented the staff report and stated that the applicant wishes to add a phase to Willow Run by creating four lots and a new private cul-de-sac. The private drive exceeds the length of a cul-de-sac and the applicant is requesting a variance to that standard. In instances where large rural tracts are proposed within the E.T.J., the City has granted such variances. In addition, the applicant is requesting a variance to the standards for surfacing. He intends to meet the gravel base and right-of- way width requirements but does not wish to provide a two course asphalt surface because the road is to remain private. If the road is to come under County maintenance m the future, the asphalt surface must first be provided. The County approved the preliminary plat; however, the surfacing variance was not discussed. Staff recommended approval of the preliminary plat with the cul-de-sac length variance and the postponement of the private road surfacing requirements until the final plat. Representative of the applicant, Mike McClure of McClure Engineering stated that he and the owner met with Commissioner Gary Norton and he agreed to support their proposal as long as the~~ built the private road to the same geometry as County standards. Commissioner Garner moved to approve the preliminary plat of Willow Run Phase Two with staff recommendations. Commissioner Smith seconded the motion which passed unopposed (4 - 0). AGENDA ITEM NO. 6: Consideration of a preliminary plat of the McDonald's Addition totaling 0.87 acres located in the southeast quadra~it of the George Bush Drive and Marion Pugh intersection. (96-305) Senior Planner Kuenzel presented the staff report and stated that the comments identified in the Presubmission Conference report have been addressed. The corner lot is to be developed into a McDonald's restaurant. Staff recommended approval of the preliminary plat as revised after the Presubmission Conference. Commissioner Lightfoot moved to approve the preliminary plat of the McDonald's Addition with staff recommendations. Commissioner Smith seconded the motion which passed unopposed (4 - 0). P & Z Mrm~tes May 16, 1996 Page 3 of ~ AGENDA ITEM NO. 7: Public hearing to consider a Zoning Ordinance Amendment to Section 7 creating a new Northgate zoning district with three sub-districts that include NG-1 • Historic Northgate, NG-2 Commercial Northgate and NG-3 Residential Not•thgate. (96-807) Staff Planner Dunn informed the Commission that the Northgate Redevelopment Plan is complete and was adopted by the City Council on January 11, 1996. The Plan outlines the current existing conditions in Northgate, as well as the potential for future redevelopment and revitalization opportunities. One of the recommendations was to rezone the Northgate area as a planned development district which would incorporate design guidelines relative to specific "subareas" within Northgate. Therefore, staff has taken the general recommendation from the Plan and generated a proposed ordinance amendment which would apply general standards to the entire Northgate area, defined in the Plan as the area north of University Drive to the City Limits, and from Wellborn Road east to South College Avenue. Specific standards would also be applied to three smaller subdistricts: -- NG-1 Historic Northgate: which would generally apply to the "core area" of Northgate, in the vicinity of the existing C-NG Commercial Northgate district; -- NG-2 Commercial Northgate: which would replace the existing C-1 district in the general area of the Albertson's shopping center; and, -- NG-3 Residential Northgate: which would consist of the existing residential areas to the north to be zoned for higher density residential redevelopment. Staff Planner Dunn stated that the proposed ordinance amendment is a result of input from the previous Northgate Ad Hoc Steering Committee, the current Northgate Revitalization Board, members of city staff, and Northgate merchants, residents and property owners through a community meeting held on April 30, 1996. The intent of this ordinance is to "clean up" the various zoning districts within the Northgate area and to provide a framework for future redevelopment and revitalization efforts. The • legal department has asked for additional time to look at the nonconforming uses and structures. If there are substantive changes, staff will bring those changes back to the Commission before the next Council meeting. After the ordinance amendment is adopted by Council, staff will then proceed with City-initiated rezonings through separate Commission and Council public hearings to determine the exact boundaries of each subdistrict. Chairman Hawthorne stated that the NG-1 zoning district does not look like the type of area where the city would want to invite funeral homes due to the University base and the historic significance of the area. He stated that he would prefer to see that funeral homes be a conditional use to allow further review. Chairman Hawthorne stated that he agrees with the restaurants without adrive-in; however, it seems to be in conflict with the NG-2 district in that you can have a car wash and not a drive thru. He also expressed concern with allowing a hospital, convalescent home or sanitarium in the Northgate area and if allowed, should possibly be considered as a conditional use permit. Chairman Hawthorne opened the public hearing. Attorney Larry Haskins approached the Commission and stated that he is speaking on behalf of Jack Culpepper, the owner of the University Square shopping center at University and College. He stated that he is generally in favor of the ordinance amendment; however, he has a few comments especially with respect to the NG-2 zoning district. The district does not include shopping centers which is an existing use currently allowed by the C-1 General Commercial zoning. There ~s a problem if the existing shopping center is considered a nonconforming use once the ordinance amendment is approved. Mr. Haskins stated that it may make sense to not allow drive-in services in the NG-1 district; however, these services should be allowed in NG-2 especially considering the existing drive thru's in the area including banks and restaurants. There are also two conditional uses allowed in C-1 that have been omitted in the • NG-2 district; one is group housing and the other is apartment/hotel. P & Z Minutes May 1 G, 1996 Page ;l of S Mr. Haskins stated that Section E parking requirements should be expanded to explain that these requirements are in lieu of and not in addition to the parking requirements in Section 9 of the Zoning • Ordinance. The bicycle parking requirement is a great idea for the Northgate area; however, it should be clarified that the limitation of twenty spaces is per business building and not per business. He expressed concern that in Section G, it is explained that the landscape requirements are in lieu of the requirements in Section ll; however, Section 11 states that the landscape requirements apply to all development within College Station. Mr. Haskins concluded that a number of businesses in the Northgate area have freestanding signs. If these businesses are required to comply with the setback and landscape requirements, they should be allowed a freestanding sign and the existing freestanding signs should not be considered nonconforming. Chairman Hawthorne closed the public hearing. Commissioner Lightfoot moved to recommend approval of the Zoning Ordinance amendment to Section 7 creating a new Northgate zoning district with three subdistricts that include NG-1, NG-2 and NG-3. Commissioner Smith seconded the motion. Chairman Hawthorne stated that the city should be careful that there is some consistency with the definitions that are currently in the Zoning Ordinance. With respect to the sign regulations, there is a variance process in place that the owner can pursue on a case by case basis. It may not be appropriate to allow only an attached sign for Mr. Gatti's or Albertson's. The motion to recommend approval of the amendment passed unopposed (4 - 0) AGENDA ITEM NO. 8: Other business. There was no other business. • AGENDA ITEM NO. 9: Adjourn. Commissioner Lightfoot moved to adjourn the meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission. Commissioner Smith seconded the motion which passed unopposed (4 - 0). rman, Kyle Hawthorne ATTES . ann g Technician, Natalie Thomas C~ P & Z Min~~ites May 16, 1996 Page ~ of S • • Canning ~' Zoning Commission Guest register Date ~~ ~ cfcfress `.~ .~ 'w ,-, 7..-' 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21, 22. 23. 24. 2S. ( ~( { }~~ S ~~ L 1 ~~~ .~ ~ ~' v _. i 1 ~ ~_..