HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/05/2000 - Minutes - Planning & Zoning CommissionMINUTES
Planning and Zoning Commission
CITY OF COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS
October 5, 2000
7:30 P.Me
COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Commissioners Mooney, Floyd, Harris, Happ, Williams,
and Warren.
COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: Commissioner Hrin.
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Council Member Mal n y
STAFF PRESENT: Assistant City Manager Glenn Brown, Staff Planners
Jimmerson, Laauwe., and Hitchcock., Assistant City
Engineer May, Graduate Engineer Thompson, Engineer
Vnnhi, Transportation Planner Hard, Assistant City
Attorney N m it , Director of Development Services
Callawa Neighborhood Senior Planner Battle, City
Planner I, Development Services Coordinator Ruiz and
Assistant Coordinator George, and Staff Assistant Hazlett.
AGENDA ITEM N. 1: Hear visitors
There were no visitors present w ishing to address the Commission.
AGENDA ITEM N. : Consent Agenda
Thejohowing items were approved hy common consent,
Aaenda Item No. .1: Approved the minutes from the Regular Meeting held on September 7, 2000.
AlZenda Item No. 2.2: Approved the minutes from the Workshop M ting held on September 21,
2000.
AlZenda Item No. .3: Approved the minutes from the Regular Meeting held on September 21, 2000.
Aaenda Item No. .4: Approved the final plat for Deer Park Subdivision consisting of 3 lots on 21.7
acres located in the Extraterritorial Jurisdiction across State Highway from Texas World Speedway.
( 00-140 )
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REGULAR AGENDA
AGENDA ITEM No.
Consider request(s) for absence from meetings.
Commissioner Floyd motioned to approve the absence requests received from Commissioners warren
and Horin. Commissioner Happ seconded the motion. The motion carried 6-0.
AGENDA ITEM No. : Public hearing and consideration of a Conditional Use Permit and
Site Plan for Fire Station N. 2 located at 2200 Rio Grande Boulevard. -155)
Staff Planner Hitchcock presented the staff' report. She explained that the applicant is proposing to
demolish the existing fire station in phases and construct an expanded one in its place so fire protection
can continue from the site. The current facility is one story with 3 truck bays. with the conditional use
permit allowing the functions of the firehouse on the Rio Grande site, the hope is to erect a new station
with expanded offices and living quarters and to add one more truck bay. The result will be a 10,088
square foot facility, which is 6,150 square feet larger than currently exists. The updated building will
utilize the current building footprints so the orientation of the building will remain and the driveways
will remain in their present locations. In addition to saving the mature trees already on site, the applicant
plans new plantings to buffer the site and to increase the aesthetic value.
Ms. Hitchcock stated that the subject property is shown on the land use plan as institutional. Fire
Station No. 2 is located in an R -6 Apartment/High Density zoning district and is surrounded by
residential. The station is abutted by R -1 Single Family Residential to the west which, except for an
electrical tower site and a park, is not developed. To the south is R -4 Apartment/Low Density. The
land is developed as single- and low - density multi - family.
The station was originally constructed in 1980, when fire station uses did not need conditional use
permits. Since Fire Station Igo. 2 was built, there have been four conditional use requests for fir
stations in other parts of town. Central Fire Station and No.'s 1 and 3 have all been approved. In 1986,
the citizens along Sbsta Toad opposed a fire station being located on their street because of the
anticipated noise it would create.
Ms. Hitchcock reported that at the time of the staff report, staff had several concerns with the site plan,
in respect to landscaping and strtsaping but since that time, a revised site plan was submitted that
addresses all of these concerns. The plan meets all ordinance requirements including strtsaping and
landscaping. She pointed out that Section 14 of the Zoning Ordinance authorizes the existence of
conditional uses. The proposed use meets all the minimum standards established in the ordinance for
the type of use proposed and that it is in compliance with the Comprehensive Plan. She said that staff
conducted a technical review and found general compliance with development regulations with the
exception of the items listed in the Staff Review Comments Igo. 2. Staff recommends approval.
Commissioner Happ asked clarification regarding demolition plans. Ms. Hitchcock explained that the
demolition would be done in sections or phases so as not to interrupt the fire service to the area.
Chairman Moony asked if the three added parking spaces were indicative of the number of personnel
added for the new bay. Ms. Hitchcock indicated that this was true.
Chairman Moony opened the public hearing.
Benito Flores-Meath., 901 Val Verde said that seeing the fire station increase in size is a welcomed site.
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Chairman Moony closed the public hearing.
Commissioner Happ motioned for approval. Commissioner Floyd seconded the motion. Commissioner
Happ asked if the demolition and reconstruction could occur all at once by relocating the personnel and
equipment to another fire station. Dave Giordano, College Station Fire Chief, stated that those options
have been considered but that it has been determined that the impact on the response time to their district
would be better served with a phase through. The motion carried, unopposed, -.
Commissioner Williams asked what the project duration was estimated to be. Mr. Giordano answered
240 days. Chairman Moony asked when construction was to begin. Mr. Donald Harmon, Project
Manager, stated that there is a pre - construction meeting on October 10 with a Notice to Proceed
expected by the end of the month.
Chairman Moony called the question. The motion carried -.
AGENDA ITEM NO. : Consideration of a Master Preliminary Plat for the Estates of
R yd r Ridge consisting of 37 lots on 45.55 acres located in the Extraterritorial Jurisdiction
north of Wellborn Road and North of Greens Prairie Trail. (00-157)
Staff Planner Hitchcock presented the staff report. The subject property is located in the College Station
ETJ, 0.2 miles east of Wellborn Road at the northwest corner of the intersection of Greens Prairie Trail
and Royder Road. Ms. Hitchcock said that the development will occur in two phases and that the plat is
subject to P &Z review because of the number of lots involved.
In regards to the Comprehensive Plan, Ms. Hitchcock stated that the property is included on the
thoroughfare and land use plans. She explained that the land use is classified as rural density and that
Greens Prairie Trail is classified as a major collector.
Because some staff comments were not addressed at the time of posting and mailing the parts, Ms.
Hitchcock explained that the staff' report reflects conditions that the commission should consider when
r this item. Since that time, the drainage report has been completed to staff s satisfaction. She
stated that the new information shoves that in addition to what is shown on the plat received in their
packets lots 9-13 of blob 2 are currently within the 100 -year flood plain and that minimum finished
floor elevations will be established for all lots within this floodpla.in. She said the only remaining staff
comment concerns the width of lot 10 block 1 which is 58.3 feet. According to the Subdivision
Regulations, the minimum lot width on an urban rural street is 100 feet. Since the frontage of Lot 10 is
on a cul-de-sac and the developer is attempting to maintain 1.00 -acre lot minimums, Ms. Hitchcock
reported that the project engineer has submitted a request for a variance to the width requirement and
was granted by the County. Staff recommends approval of the plat after the commission considers the
width issue of lot 10 block 1.
Commissioner Floyd clarified that Greens Prairie Trail intersects with Greens Prairie Road which is
classified as a major collector. Transportation Planner Hard explained that the portion of Greens Prairie
Road east of SH 6 is a minor arterial, but that the section of Greens Prairie adjacent to the subject
subdivision was a major collector.
Commissioner Floyd asked if it was typical to have multiple housing units with driveways onto major
collectors. Mr. Hard said direct residential lot access to collectors is avoided where possible but for lots
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that had no other alternative, we would require that the driveway be designed on -site such that vehicles
would not have to male a backing maneuver out onto the roadway.
Chairman Mooney asked what was expected to happen with the traffic on Greens Prairie Trail once the
new high school is built and other development further east on Greens Prairie Road. Mr. Hard said that
he estimated that traffic on this section of Greens Prairie would be high from a county road standpoint,
but not as high when considered from a city street standpoint. He said he thought the volumes would be
in the 3 - 5,000 range. He added that the Land Use Plan called for this area to be rural residential
and that if the City adhered to the plan the traffic volumes should remain at an acceptable level.
Chairman Mooney expressed concern regarding the new State Highway 40 and its impact in the area.
Commissioner warren stated that both the traffic and floodplain area was a concern.
Although this item is not scheduled as a public hearing, Chairman Mooney opened the meeting for
anyone that would like to address the commission.
Mr. David Mayo, 2167 Post Oak Circle, Project Engineer, explained that he discussed the driveway
situation with the County. He pointed out that there is a note stating it is proposed to construct shared
driveways. He also said that the driveways could be designed so those vehicles will not have to back
out of the driveway onto Greens Prairie Toad. He also stated Greens Prairie Trail is approximately 1
1 miles or more west of where State Highway 40 connects with Greens Prairie Toad and that there
would be very low density in these particular areas because the health department requires a minimum
of 1 acre tracts. He addressed the floodplain question stating that they propose to establish minimum
floor elevations on each lot that is affected. He explained that the analysis of the creep records shallow
flooding but believes some development can occur and a fill can be placed in the areas that are not in the
floodwa . In closing, Mr. Mayo stated that the county has installed a 21 " culvert under Greens Prairie
Trail which will cause some back water, flowing east and over into another creep channel before it
would flow over Greens Prairie Trail. He said that a drainage easement would be maintained.
Commissioner warren asked if he would be willing to support a o' Rise Policy on the entire area. She
explained that a 1' rise is allowed when you displace area. She asked if he would be displacing area by
channeling. Mr. Mayo stated that since there was no defined floodway or defined channel for those
particular lots and that there should not be any problems to build above that without causing any
problems to flow through that creep.
Dandy French, 62 Cromwell Court, Developer, addressed the variance issue. He explained that once
the home was built on this lot with the setback it would be equivalent to 100', as if it were a squared -up
lot. The distance between houses will layout very comfortably and consistently. If an additional
setback is required on the plat, he will do that as well. Also, Mr. French explained that there would be
side -load garages allowing cars to enter onto Greens Prairie Load in a forward position. He believes
that the majority of the traffic flow will be using the State Highway 40, bypassing Castlegate, accessing
Wellborn Load, and 1s designed to carry a lot of traffic.
Benito Flores -Meath asked what the speed limit was and if sidewalk were being considered. He
encouraged the commission to consider beeping children off of a major collector.
Commissioner Floyd motioned to deny. Commissioner Harris seconded the motion.
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Commissioner Floyd expressed concern regarding serious safety issues with multiple homes and
driveways having direct access onto a major highway in an area that is being developed more and more.
Chairman Mooney explained that there might be a need for sidewalks s n Greens Prairie Trail in the
future for children and families to all or ride bicycles. He expressed concern about the design of the
subdivision, stating that a buffer would be desirable as well as an interior road that would serve all the
properties w ith driveways. It is going to be a well used road and that should be taken into
consideration.
Commissioner Warren agreed with the traffic and safety issue and the need to configuring property to
allow a major entrance for the future. She is concerned about predictions of low traffic in an area where
a lot of growth is anticipated.
Chairman Mooney called the question. The motion to deny carried 6-0.
AGENDA ITEM N.
Discussion of future agenda items.
Commissioner Warren requested that the Historic Preservation Committee provide a stags report on the
development of the ordinances.
Commissioner Floyd requested a standing workshop agenda item for the Code Review that is currently
undergoing re-write so that sections can be examined and discussed in part at each meeting. He also
reminded the Chairman that placing the Moratorium v rl ay back onto the workshop agenda was also
discussed.
Chairman Mooney asl d for clarification on a joint wo rkshop that is being planned. Jim Callaway,
Directory o f Development Services, stated that there is a joint workshop planned for October 26 and
that others are also being planned.
Chairman Mooney announced that he is meeting with the City Council on October 12 to discuss
protocol.
AGENDA ITEM NO. 7:
Adjourn.
Commissioner Warren motioned to adjourn the meeting. Commissioner Happ seconded the motion.
The motion carried 6-0.
U U: Q LTA D 101;
Chairman, Karl Mooney
Staff' Assistant, Susan Hazlett
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