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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/21/2002 - Minutes - Planning & Zoning CommissionMINUTES Planning and Zoning Commission CITY OF COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS February 21, 2002 7:00 P.M. COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Commissioners Floyd, Happ, Hawthorne, Kaiser, McMath, Trapani, and Williams. COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: None. COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Council Member Garner. STAFF PRESENT: Assistant City Manager Brown, Economic Development Director Foutz, Staff Planner Hitchcock, Graduate Engineer Thompson, Transportation Planner Fogle, Assistant City Attorney Nemcik, City Planner Kee, Senior Planner Kuenzel, Neighborhood Services Senior Planner Battle, Development Review Manager Ruiz, Action Center Representative Steptoe, and Staff Assistant Hazlett. Chairman Floyd called the meeting to order at 7:16 p.m. AGENDA ITEM NO. 1: None. AGENDA ITEM NO. 2: None. AGENDA ITEM NO. 3: Hear visitors Public Comment for the Record Consent Agenda The following items were approved by common consent. 3.1 3.2 Approved the Final Plat - Replat for the L.O. Ball Subdivision located at 3525 Longmire, consisting of 1 lot on 12.55 acres. (02 -15). Approved the Final Plat for Holleman Village Addition Section 2, consisting of 18 lots on 4.53 acres on Holleman Drive West. (01 -253). P &Z Minutes February 21, 2002 Page I of 4 3.3 Approved the Preliminary Plat for Graham Road Office Park located at 625 Graham Road and consisting of 1 lot on 2.58 acres. (02 -13) 3.4 Approved the six -month time extension for the Master Development Plan of the Crowley Track consisting of approximately 351 acres located on the northwest corner of the intersection of State Highway 6 and Greens Prairie Road. (01 -52) REGULAR AGENDA AGENDA ITEM NO. 4: None. Consider request(s) for absence from meetings. AGENDA ITEM NO. 5: Public hearing, discussion, and possible action on items removed from the Consent Agenda by Commission action. None. AGENDA ITEM NO. 6 : Update and discussion on the Source Net development in the College Station Business Center on Quality Circle. Economic Development Director Kim Foutz made the presentation. She stated that an informational meeting was held earlier in the month for adjacent property owners to address concerns expressed by the property owners. Ms. Foutz explained that the site plan is still under review and will have to be amended to meet parking and buffering ordinances. Also, the Staff requested revisions to the site plan, including relocation of a protected area and preservation of trees for additional buffering, lighting, and parking lot location. In addition, Ms. Foutz explained that the business park was master planned to be adjacent to the neighborhood, the park, and the elementary school as a "live, work, and play" environment and that the City originally exchanged property with Pebble Creek Development for the purpose of developing the Business Center. She reported that Staff is currently working with the architect to minimize the impact of the development on the adjacent properties. Chairman Floyd asked if there was a plan to report to the property owners the final results of the negotiations. Ms. Foutz said that they will do a follow -up with the property owners. Commissioner Floyd asked what responses have been received from the property owners regarding the recommendations she just reported. Ms. Foutz stated that some outstanding concerns haven't been addressed yet, i.e., the location of the service drive, the parking lot along the elementary school grounds, and the buffering requirements. AGENDA ITEM NO. 7: Presentation, discussion, and possible action re: The Land Use Plan in the Highway 30/60 area and appropriate zoning districts. Senior Planner Kuenzel presented the Commission with an amendment to the PD policy consisting of options for Staff to use in analyzing rezoning cases for the strip of land along the south side of Harvey Road abutting the Harvey Hillsides neighborhood in the 30/60 area. She explained that the 30/60 Plan recommendations for this area is not in line with the PD policy that was approved by the Commission P &Z Minutes February 21, 2002 Page 2 of 4 and the City Council because the PD policy would not support site specific issues to be worked out. Ms. Kuenzel identified three options for consideration, citing number 2 as the better choice: 1. Recommend standard zoning classifications in line with the 30/60 Plan to be restricted to R -3, R -4, R -5, A -P, C -N and C -3. 2. Change the PD policy to make an exception for the sites located in areas 7A, 713, and 7C of the 30/60 study area. 3. Create a special zoning district to deal with the unique issues affecting these areas. Commissioner Kaiser expressed concern regarding access points for each one of the lots. Additionally, he asked if there was another way that consolidation of these lots could occur. Ms. Kuenzel stated that many of these lots are individually owned and legally platted. The Commission would have some leverage regarding access only through the rezoning process. Commissioner Happ asked if the Commission's support of the amendment to the PD policy would prevent access and development of the property. Ms. Kuenzel stated that it would allow a better use of the property, keeping within the 30/60 plan, which also includes consolidation of properties. Access cannot be denied in a PD, but it would allow negotiations. Assistant City Attorney Nemcik stated that access cannot be denied other than through a rezoning or by the property owner's dedication of access casement. Commissioner Hawthorne motioned to approve the amendment to the PD policy as proposed. Commissioner Happ seconded the motion. The motion carried 6 -1 with Commissioner Kaiser voting in opposition. AGENDA ITEM NO. 8: Presentation, discussion, and possible action on the TxDot Frontage Road Policy. Transportation Planner, Ken Fogle presented the Staff Report. Mr. Fogle stated the Transportation Commission has proposed a new frontage road policy whereby the premise is not to construct a frontage road until TxDot has evaluated the corridor to determine whether frontage roads can be supported and the impact they would have on mobility and safety. The purpose of the revised frontage road policy is: 1. To improve mobility on state highway corridors 2. To increase safety of freeway travel 3. To extend the operational life of the existing road 4. To reduce highway construction and maintenance costs For new locations freeways and relief routes, TxDot no longer intends to construct frontage roads unless necessary and justified. However, TxDot may approve frontage roads under the following circumstances: 1. To improve safety and operations 2. To resolve the landlock condition 3. To restore the local traffic circulation 4. If the cost of the access rights is more than the cost to construct frontage roads 5. If it is in the best interest of the state Mr. Fogle explained that TxDot's primary purpose is to move traffic regionally. He added that projects currently being developed may be affected by the new rules and will be evaluated on a case -by -case basis. Mr. Fogle said that the City recommends that the Texas Transportation Commission allow the local TxDot District to make the decision of whether access can be granted in cases where TxDot does not own access rights. Secondly, Staff recommends no restriction of frontage road access on the corner properties, allowing a consistency in the development trends in the area and to avoid fairness issues. A third recommendation is that the cost of access rights be removed from the local match P &Z Minutes February 21, 2002 Page 3 of 4 calculation. In the fourth recommendation, the City asks that the proposed policy include measures to provide a secondary roadway system for continued emergency access, and lastly, they asks that an economic impact study be conducted to determine the true impact this policy will have on development in Texas. AGENDA ITEM NO. 9 Presentation, discussion, and possible action on the Ramp Reconfiguration for State Highway 6. Transportation Planner Fogle presented the Staff Report. Mr. Fogle explained that TxDot is currently working on a project to reconfigure the State Highway 6 entrance and exit ramps between FM2818/Emerald Parkway and Greens Prairie Road. The project will also include modifications to the west frontage road between Texas Avenue and Rock Prairie. The project should improve traffic operations on the freeway mainlines and on the frontage road. The project should be under construction in about 3 years. AGENDA ITEM NO. 10: None. Discussion of future agenda items. AGENDA ITEM NO. 11: Adjourn. Commissioner Williams motioned to adjourn the meeting that was seconded by Commissioner Warren. The motion carried 6 -0. The meeting adjourned. APPROVED: Chairman, Rick Floyd ATTEST: Staff Assistant, Susan Hazlett P &Z Minutes February 21, 2002 Page 4 of 4