Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/03/2001 - Minutes - Planning & Zoning CommissionMINUTES Planning and Zoning Commission CITY OF COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS May 3, 2001 7:00 P.M. COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Commissioners Floyd, Mooney, Happ, Harris, Horlen, and Williams. COMMISSIONERS ABSENT COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: STAFF PRESENT: AGENDA ITEM NO. 1: Hear visitors Commissioner Warren. Councilman Marriott. Staff Planners Jimmerson and Reeves, Assistant City Engineer Mayo, Graduate Engineer Thompson, Assistant City Attorney Nemcik, Senior Planner Kuenzel, Assistant Development Review Manager George, and Staff Assistant Hazlett. Benito Flores- Meath, 901 Val Verde Drive encouraged the Commission to attend a Historic Preservation Committee Meeting. AGENDA ITEM NO. 2: Public Comment for the Record None. AGENDA ITEM NO. 3: Consent Agenda The following items were approved by common consent. 3.1 Approved the minutes from the Workshop Meeting held on March 15, 2001. 3.2 Approved the minutes from the Regular Meeting held on March 15, 2001. 3.3 Approved the minutes from the Regular Meeting held on April 5, 2001. 3.4 Approved a Preliminary Plat for Schaffer Addition located at 1201 Graham Road consisting of sixteen R -2 lots on 4.76 acres. (01 -86) P &ZMinutes May 3, 2001 Page I of 3.5 Approved a Final Plat for Parkway Plaza, Phase 6 located at 2322 Texas Avenue, consisting of two lots on 4.398 acres. (01 -87) 3.6 Approved a Final Plat for Heritage Townhomes located at 3500 Harvey Road, consisting of fifty -five PD -H lots on 6.629 acres. (01 -89) 3.7 Approval of Final Plat for Stone Forest, Phase 3, located at 200 Greens Prairie Road, consisting of forty -one Rl -B lots on 12.28 acres. (01 -90) 3.8 Approved a Master Preliminary Plat for forty -eight lots in the River Place Subdivision partially located in the Extraterritorial Jurisdiction located off of Koppe Bridge. (01 -93) 3.9 Approved a Final Plat for one 12.75 acre lot in Horse Haven Estates located at 2401 Earl Rudder Freeway. (01 -110) REGULAR AGENDA AGENDA ITEM NO. 4: Consider request(s) for absence from meetings. Commissioner Harris motioned to approve the absence request from Commissioner Warren. Commissioner Floyd seconded the motion. The motion carried 6 -0. AGENDA ITEM NO. 5: Public hearing, discussion, and possible action on a Conditional Use Permit for Christ United Methodist Church located at 4203 Earl Rudder Freeway. (01 -61) Item: Staff Planner Reeves presented the staff report by stating that Staff recommends approval. The subject property is located just cast of the existing Christ United Methodist Church. They have purchased the abutting property with an existing building that was formally known as Desert Hills. The applicant will be using the building to provide space for administration, adult Sunday- School classes, Fellowship Hall and youth activities. On the new site, they will be enlarging a small portion of the building for the Fellowship Hall and providing additional parking beyond what is required by ordinance. The subject site is shown as Institutional on the Land Use Plan. The Subject property has been annexed since 19 83, and is currently zoned C -1, General Commercial. The applicant's request for a CUP for additional space for the church is in compliance with the City's Comprehensive Plan and all applicable zoning regulations. Commissioner Floyd pointed out that the staff comments indicated that the CUP that was granted in October of 1999 for the temporary parking lot has expired. Gary Draper, the applicant, 4911 Firestone Drive, stated that he felt this would be very beneficial to the community and the church. Chairman Mooney opened the public hearing. Chairman Mooney closed the public hearing. Commissioner Floyd motioned to defer the Commission's decision until the existing parking lot situation is addressed. Commissioner Happ seconded the motion. The motion carried 6 -0. P &Z Minutes May 3, 2001 Page 2 of 4 AGENDA ITEM NO. 6 : Public hearing, discussion, and possible action on a Conditional Use Permit for Covenant Presbyterian Church located at 220 Rock Prairie Road. (00 -63) Staff Planner Jimmerson presented the Staff Report and began by stating that Staff recommends approval with Staff Review Comments. In May 2000, the Commission approved the original site plan for the Conditional Use Permit. Generally, minor modifications of the site plan are approved at the Staff level. However, because a standard berm is generally 3 feet in height and the proposed berm is 6 feet in height, in a visible location, and covers a significant amount of square footage, Staff determined this would not be considered a minor modification to the site. The proposed berm does not displace any required landscaping, interfere with any easements, or block the visibility triangle of the driveway. The berm does a complete job at screening the parking area. Commissioner Floyd asked if the berm was already built 6 feet high. Ms. Jimmerson stated that it is. Commissioner Happ asked clarification of the landscaping comment. Ms. Jimmerson explained that the landscaping that was approved for the site last year is not in this location. Some screening shrubbery that was proposed previously still has ample room to be placed. Chairman Mooney asked if the berm was considered after realizing it would be too costly to remove the dirt. Ms. Jimmerson deferred to the applicant. Commissioner Floyd asked if the City has looked at the potential impact of the runoff from this 6 -foot high berm onto the surrounding roadways and if the adjoining property owners were notified. Ms. Jimmerson stated that an engineering review has been made and no problem is expected according to the engineering standards. She indicated that the adjoining property owners were notified. Gayle Schmidt, 2005 Nueces, the applicant, stated that the 6 -foot berm was not planned originally but does provide a visual barrier for the entrance and exit of the main building and as a noise barrier against the railroad tracks. She explained that there is landscaping planned for the area including hydro mulching, seeding, and irrigation. The berm also helps to prevent children from running out into the roadway while they are in the parking lot. Chairman Mooney opened the public hearing. Chairman Mooney closed the public hearing. Commissioner Horlen motioned to approve and was seconded by Commissioner Williams. The motion carried 6 -0. AGENDA ITEM NO. 7 : Presentation and Discussion of the Greenways Program. Judy Downs, Greenways Program Manager, made the presentation. The City's Greenways Master Plan was adopted in 1988. A bond issue to purchase greenways was passed in that same year. She explained that tonight's presentation addresses Strategic Plan Vision Statement #4, which is Connectivity between Greenways and Parks. She indicated that the City is currently in the process of trying to purchase greenway property located off of Graham Road in the Sun Meadows Subdivision. P &ZMinutes May 3, 2001 Page 3 of Additionally, Ms. Downs stated that we are currently proposing about 165 acres in conservation easements, currently owned by the City. She has estimated that there are 86 acres in development dedications, either on the Master Development Plan or the Preliminary Plan. Actual dedication will not be received until the final platting process. There are 224 acres that are upcoming and hope to place the recreational trail in. Other upcoming projects are A &M Church pond property off of the bypass at Highway 6 and property being negotiated at the entrance to the Raintree Subdivision. There is also a piece of property that the Parks Department is working on adjacent to property already owned by the City. We hope that the new Unified Development Code will address some of the greenway issues, particularly the drainage ordinance, subdivision ordinance, and the zoning ordinance. We would like to develop a standard Greenways Conservation Easement. She reported that Bryan/College Station is number three in the nation having the highest proportion of people riding a bike to work or school. Grant applications for T -21 funds are due on June 18, 2001. It's an 80/20% funding. A resolution is due to City Council this month. The Bike Loop Greenway Demonstration Project is scheduled for June 23, 2001 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. We hope to have a bike ride from City Hall to Bee Creek Park where there will be planned festivities. The Mayor and City Council have been invited to participate as well. Commissioner Happ asked if there are stipulations on the bond money use. Ms. Downs explained that it is to be used for acquisition of floodplain and greenways. The grant money can be used for the bikeway. Commissioner Floyd asked Ms. Downs to define when it is considered a greenway as opposed to an attractive nuisance. Ms. Downs explained that the concept is conservation and the idea is to preserve the 100 -year floodplain in its natural state. This has to do with flooding, wildlife migration, connection, and the repairing buffer acting as a sponge that cleans storm water pollutants. Studies show that property values rise when there is a greenway associated with them. There are many economic benefits in many different ways. AGENDA ITEM NO. 8: Discussion of future agenda items. None. AGENDA ITEM NO. 9: Adjourn. Commissioner Harris motioned to adjourn. Commissioner Happ seconded the motion. The motion carried 6 -0. The meeting adjourned at 7:34 p.m. APPROVED: ATTEST: Chairman, Karl Mooney Staff Assistant, Susan Hazlett P &Z Minutes May 3, 2001 Page 4 of