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Building a Better Community with You PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT SERVICES NEWSLETTER SPECIAL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN EDITION 1101 Texas Avenue P.O. Box 9969 College Station, TX 77842 Phone: 979.764.3570
Fax: 979.764.3496 www.cstx.gov MAY 2009 Volume 10 Issue 5 COMMUNITY CHARACTER 2 PARKS, GREENWAYS AND THE ARTS 3 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 4 TRANSPORTATION 5 GROWTH MANAGEMENT 6 IMPLEMENTATION
7 DIVISION UPDATES 9 BUILDING PERMIT TOTALS 10 POPULATION 11 REZONING SCOOP 11 CODE VIOLATIONS 11 BUILDING PERMIT TOTALS 12 Inside this issue: The Plan Is Done! The Planning Has Just
Begun! After nearly three years worth of dedication and effort by residents, devel-opers, elected and appointed officials, staff, our consulting team and others, the �
� �
�guide for how the City will manage growth and development over the next 20 years. This
most recent endeavor builds on the successful efforts put forth in the 1997 Comprehensive Plan. The 1997 Plan helped the City manage the develop-ment and change that accompanied 30,000
new residents between 1997 and 2009. The new Plan faces no less a daunting task. Population is expected to grow by another 34,000 in the next 20 years. With that growth comes the need
to ac-commodate thousands more homes and apartment units, more vehicles, more de-mand for drinking water, and increased demands on police and fire resources. The updated Plan is decidedly
pro-growth, identifying land capable of ac-commodating the projected demands, identifying and planning for the infrastruc-ture needed to serve new development, and establishing new growth
areas. Per-lays out strategies
that use the projected growth and development to help shape multiple places of distinction; that is strong and sustainable neighborhoods and unique districts and corridors, served and
connected by a transportation system consisting of all modes of travel automobiles, transit, bicyclists, and pedestrians. The upcoming months and years will be an exciting time for
the City as work on implementing the Plan begins. Revisions to ordinances and planning and building new roads, sewer and water facilities, community facilities, and bicycle and pedestrian
facilities are just a few of the items that will help turn the vision, goals, and strategies into reality. This edition of the Planning & Development Services Newsletter is dedicated
to providing an overview of the new Comprehensive Plan. Future editions will focus on implementation of the Plan. The staff at the Planning & Development Services Department look forward
to continued efforts in working with residents, developers, �
� Bob Cowell, AICP Director of Planning & Development Services For more information concerning the recently adopted Comprehensive Plan, please visit our website at www.cstx.gov.
Community Character & Land Use The Comprehensive Plan and associated implementation tools must address housing a growing and diversifying population; protecting natural features and
resources; accommodating redevelopment and infill; and expand-ing the transportation system, including expansion of the bicycle and pedestrian system all of which must con-
Com
munity Character and Land Use is to be a community with strong, unique neighborhoods, protected rural areas, special districts, distinct corridors, and a protected and enhanced natural
environment. The Comprehensive Plan proposes six strategies and dozens of action recommendations to achieve the stated goal. The Plan includes a conventional Future Land Use and Character
Map that identifies the preferred future
�
�eas, rural areas, and growth areas. Many of these areas are recommended for further
study and detailed planning. It is expected that the stated strategies, action recommendations, and policy maps will aid the City in accommodating the development needed to house the
projected 34,000 additional residents and new busi-nesses that will, in the next 20 years, call College Station home -all in a manner that contributes positively to
Page 2 /May 2009 /www.cstx.gov
www.cstx.gov /May 2009 /Page 3 Parks, Greenways and the Arts The Parks, Greenways and the Arts element of the Comprehensive Plan recognizes and ensures the continued protection and enhancement
of leisure and recreation opportunities that are available to residents. The system currently includes over 1,300 acres of parkland and 500 acres of greenway, including two regional
parks, eight community parks and 34 neighborhood parks. As the City plans for the future, achieving and maintaining a diversity of parks, greenways and the arts for lei-sure and recreation,
as well as for entertainment, education and culture, are important components for College A number of actions are recommended in
the Plan to expand the parks and recreation system, preserve and
Open Space Master Plan and the Bicycle, Pedestrian and Greenways Master Plan are currently underway.
Neighborhood Integrity The Comprehensive Plan brings renewed focus to neighborhoods as distinct and unique assets of the community. Neighborhood Integrity is about protecting the long-term
sustainability and livability of the neighborhoods that �
�challenges during the life of this Plan -such as the relationship with rental tenants, neighborhood traffic
man-agement, neighborhood open space maintenance and development, and appropriate infill and adjacent land uses. In order to respond to these issues, the Comprehensive Plan promotes
strategies and actions to establish a long-term neighborhood planning program, develop regulations and policies for new development in and around existing neighborhoods, develop standards
for new residential development that compliments established
and efficiently to issues and promote active citizen engagement and communication.
Page 4 /May 2009 /www.cstx.gov Economic Development The Comprehensive Plan identifies and begins to define and analyze the major components impacting and driv-ing economic development,
redevelopment and reinvestment in College Station. The main planning considera-tions for economic development include building on the foundation provided by Texas A&M University as the
major economic driver; diversifying the economy with attention to emerging healthcare and tourism sectors; redeveloping assets in select areas with direct City intervention; focusing
on an enhanced service program rather than financial incentives; and better defining the roles of major economic stakeholders.
-time jobs; bolstering the sales and property tax base;
and contributing to a high quality of life." The main strategies to accomplish this goal goal are to promote and support new investment, locally-owned businesses and special events,
�
�gies will form the basis for developing the Economic Development Master Plan which is anticipated to be com-plete in 2010. Municipal Services and Community Facilities
�
�vices by providing the foundation for the various master plans that are intended to support the planned growth and development pattern of the City. The Plan provides
guidance for future decisions that will assure that both the service and facilities needs of the community are met, including those for Police, Fire, Utilities, Sanitation, Streets and
Drainage, Planning and Development, Community Development, Library Services, Fiber Optic, and General Municipal Administration. The Plan emphasizes that infrastructure is the backbone
of the service deliv-ery system and that College Station must make prudent investments to grow and maintain its infrastructure in order to support the delivery of services.
www.cstx.gov /May 2009 /Page 5 Transportation The transportation element of the Comprehensive Plan includes a Thoroughfare Plan that complements the Fu-ture Land Use & Character Plan
through the use of Context Sensitive Solutions and a multi-modal system, as di-
way, with the exception of freeway facilities, be multi-modal accommodating pedestrians,
bicyclists, automo-biles, and transit. The Plan also includes the application of Context Sensitive Solutions, whereby the design of the roadway reflects the context and character it
travels through. Minor Collector 2 Lane Cross-section Major Collector 2 Lane Cross-section
Growth Management and Capacity Over the past six decades, College Station has experienced rapid and sustained growth, averaging 90% per decade. Past growth has ranged from compact to
sprawling, as indicated in the figure below: growth pattern, the Com-prehensive Plan focuses on �
�future development in a responsible, controlled manner. The Plan includes a discussion of the implica-tions of sprawl and pro-vides an evaluation of the planning considerations
related to future growth capacity. One of the unique features of Growth Management is Map.
This map, along with the context for future an-nexations and associated strategies to
ensure that newly annexed areas meet the overall vision, goals and objectives of the Plan. One of the stated goals in the Comprehensive Plan is s
ible and carefully man-aged development aligned with growth ex-pectations and in concert with the ability to deliver infrastructure and services
stated goal -identify
land use needs; align public investments with growth and development; balance new de-velopment with redevelopment and infill; establish growth management in the ETJ; and redevelopment
of non-functioning structures. Page 6 /May 2009 /www.cstx.gov
www.cstx.gov /May 2009 /Page 7 Implementation and Administration The Comprehensive Plan is a guide for community decision-making. Its assumptions, goals, strategies, and action recommendations
provide direction on a range of matters, including land development issues and public invest-ments in infrastructure and services. The action recommendations in this Plan will be consulted
frequently and used by decision-makers as a basis for judgments regarding: The timing and availability of infrastructure improvements; Proposed development and redevelopment applications;
City-initiated and landowner-requested annexations; Zone-change requests and other zoning-related actions; Expansion of public facilities, services and programs; Annual capital budgeting;
Potential re-writes and amendments to codes and ordinances; Intergovernmental coordination; and Operations, capital improvements and programming. �
�quenced
implementation program. The objective is to integrate the different elements of the Plan in such a way as to provide a clear path for sound decisions. The Plan is also intended to establish
accountability for its imple-mentation and to provide guidance on essential processes to maintain its relevance to the City and its citizens. It includes an Action Plan that highlights
a variety of recommended initiatives that were identified through the planning process and identifies a lead department or agency and potential funding sources.
Implementation (cont.) Five general methods for implementation are included in the Plan: Policy-based decisions; Land-development regulations and engineering standards; Capital improvements
programming; Specific plans and studies; and Special projects, programs, and initiatives. The Comprehensive Plan is meant to be a flexible document allowing for adjustment to changing
conditions over time. As the City grows and evolves, new issues will emerge while others no longer remain relevant. To ensure that the Plan continues to reflect the overall goals of
the community and remains relevant and useful over time, the City will regularly revisit the Plan and maintain ongoing interaction with residents and other
and
action recommendations remain appropriate and that public ownership of the Plan Plan remains strong. Also included is the process to amend the Plan, including two types of revisions
minor amendments (annual re-view) and major updates (every five years). For more information concerning the recently adopted Comprehensive Plan, please visit our website at www.cstx.gov.
Page 8 /May 2009 /www.cstx.gov
www.cstx.gov /May 2009 /Page 9 Mosquito Time! In the summer months, the Code Enforcement Division is always busy with Health and Sanitation challenges that are directly related to the
increased mosquito population in College Station. According to the Brazos County Health Department, our City has been positive for the West Nile virus for the last three years. Issues
that con-tribute to the mosquito problem include the growth of weeds and grass, as well as stagnant water. City Ordi-
water which can become stagnant must be emptied.
Code Enforcement has encountered many types of items which can hold water such as tires, kiddie pools, bird baths, watering cans and planting containers. Code En-forcement makes personal
contact with citizens to educate them about West Nile and how they can protect themselves and their families by eliminating stagnant water. Rental Registration The College Station Code
Enforcement Division is diligently working to get all qualifying rental units within the City limits registered. Each Officer is checking properties within their defined areas that are
not owner occu-pied, and assisting in the registration process. The Officers are tasked with identifying, notifying, and enforcing the ordinance as needed. Since March 1st, the Division
has initiated over 2,000 rental registration cases. To date, there have been over 4,500 addresses registered. Officers indicate that they are approximately 40% complete in checking their
areas. For additional information on our rental registration program, please visit our web site at http://www.cstx.gov/rentalregistration or contact us by phone at 764-6361. Here to
HELP with Neighborhoods The Neighborhood Services Office was created to help build positive relationships between neighborhoods and the City of College Station. One of the main goals
of Neighborhood Services is to help form and develop
vices Coordinator is available to help groups form neighborhood associations, as well as to provide training and materials
to help the associations operate smoothly after they are formed. Many association leaders have
effectively. The Neighborhood Services Coordinator is available to provide training
to association officers and representatives. For more information or to schedule training, contact Barbara Moore, Neighborhood Services Coordinator, at 764-6262, or by email at bmoore@cstx.gov.
DIVISION UPDATES
Month of May 2009 Type of Permit Permit Unit Total Sq. Ft. Heat Sq. Ft. Amount Permit Unit Amount Single Family Home 44 44 111,401 88,329 $6,278,888 53 53 $8,195,655 Duplex 0 0 0 0 $0
4 8 $689,885 Tri-plex/Four-plex 0 0 0 0 $0 0 0 $0 Apartment 0 0 0 0 $0 1 N/A $592,280 Residential Addition 7 N/A 8,143 3,909 $310,472 3 N/A $175,500 Residential Remodel 6 N/A 2,800 1,800
$121,228 3 N/A $108,396 Residential Garage/Carport Addition 0 N/A N/A N/A $0 0 N/A $0 Residential Demolition 6 N/A N/A N/A $18,750 0 N/A $0 Residential Slab Only-SF 2 N/A N/A N/A $9,250
0 N/A $0 Residential Slab Only-DP 0 N/A N/A N/A $0 0 N/A $0 Residential Slab Only-3&4 0 N/A N/A N/A $0 0 N/A $0 Residential Slab Only-Apt. 0 N/A N/A N/A $0 0 N/A $0 Hotel /Motel /Inn
1 N/A N/A N/A $3,400,000 0 N/A $0 New Commercial 9 N/A 39,414 39,414 $3,905,000 13 N/A $26,065,000 Commercial Remodel 2 N/A N/A N/A $48,190 8 N/A $1,593,543 Commercial Addition/Retaining
Wall 0 N/A N/A N/A $0 1 N/A $120,000 Commercial Demolition 0 N/A N/A N/A $0 0 N/A $0 Commercial Commercial Slab Only 0 N/A N/A N/A $0 0 N/A $0 Swimming Pool 5 N/A N/A N/A $137,345 10
N/A $375,250 Sign 7 N/A N/A N/A N/A 9 N/A $32,650 Moving & Location 0 N/A N/A N/A $0 0 N/A $0 Storage /Accessory 3 N/A N/A N/A $7,500 1 N/A $1,000 Roofing 2 N/A N/A N/A $2,600 2 N/A
$11,800 TOTALS 94 44 161,758 133,452 $14,239,223 108 61 $37,960,959 Month of May 2008 January 1, 2009 -May 31, 2009 Type of Permit Permit Unit Total Sq. Ft. Heat Sq. Ft. Amount Permit
Unit Amount Single Family Home 221 221 517,193 427,626 $29,802,498 300 300 $45,312,513 Duplex 0 0 0 0 $0 29 58 $4,553,525 Tri-plex/Four-plex 0 0 0 0 $0 2 8 $515,350 Apartment 1 21 17,226
17,226 $1,800,000 18 14 $10,097,453 Residential Addition 32 N/A 26,580 22,581 $1,302,162 26 N/A $1,029,015 Residential Remodel 41 N/A 22,373 18,437 $618,143 87 N/A $1,108,615 Residential
Garage/Carport Addition 2 N/A N/A N/A $23,900 0 N/A $0 Residential Demolition 11 N/A N/A N/A $28,850 2 N/A $1,000 Residential Slab Only-SF 3 N/A N/A N/A $18,700 0 N/A $0 Residential
Slab Only-DP 0 N/A N/A N/A $0 0 N/A $0 Residential Slab Only-3&4 0 N/A N/A N/A $0 0 N/A $0 Residential Slab Only-Apt. 0 N/A N/A N/A $0 9 N/A $361,664 Hotel /Motel /Inn 1 N/A N/A N/A
$3,400,000 0 N/A $0 New Commercial 21 N/A 132,731 101,290 $11,646,687 44 N/A $112,984,960 Commercial Remodel 25 N/A N/A N/A $2,507,265 34 N/A $4,428,608 Commercial Addition/Retaining
Wall 5 N/A N/A N/A $3,403,000 12 N/A $9,433,653 Commercial Demolition 5 N/A N/A N/A $112,136 11 N/A $301,025 Commercial Slab Only 0 N/A N/A N/A $0 6 N/A $385,110 Swimming Pool 26 N/A
N/A N/A $1,163,795 39 N/A $1,390,858 Sign 53 N/A N/A N/A $275,033 48 N/A $219,377 Moving & Location 0 N/A N/A N/A $0 0 N/A $0 Storage /Accessory 18 N/A N/A N/A $173,370 7 N/A $110,230
Roofing 10 N/A N/A N/A $23,100 27 N/A $339,825 TOTALS 475 242 716,103 587,160 $56,298,639 701 380 $192,572,781 January 1, 2008-May 31, 2008 BUILDING PERMIT TOTALS: Page 10 /May 2009
/www.cstx.gov
www.cstx.gov /May 2009 /Page 11 * Citizen contacts ** Rental Registration MONTH HEALTH & SANITATION PROPERTY MAINTENANCE PUBLIC NUISANCE FIRE PROTECTION TRAFFIC CODE SANITATION UDO/ZONING
PARKING CITATIONS PERSONAL CONTACTS* TOTAL - 425 117 298 38 167 2585 419 58 338 4445 - 332 98 275 35 111 1417 486 0 664
3418 80 10 14 14 7 86 1351** 15 67 1644 TOTAL 837 225 587 87 285 4088 2256 73 1069 9507 REZONING SCOOP: Project Number Location of Land Acres Request P&Z Date Status
Council Date Status 09-500047 Pebble Creek Ph 9I 3.14 AO to R1 16-April Approved 18-May 09-500055 Weingarten 8.76 AO to C1 21-May Denied 25-June 09-500056 Weingarten 35.7 AO, C2, R4
to C1 21-May Denied 25-June BUILDING INSPECTIONS: MONTH BUILDING PLUMBING ELECTRIC MECHANICAL LAWN SIGN POOL DEMO MOVING TOTAL JAN. 322 278 190 111 7 45 7 1 0 961 FEB. 324 238 174 131
8 12 13 0 0 900 MAR. 364 244 203 147 32 21 9 0 0 1020 APR. 361 298 227 213 27 11 13 0 0 1150 MAY 375 380 250 217 36 5 51 0 0 1314 YEARLY TOTAL 1746 1438 1044 819 110 94 93 1 0 5345 CODE
ENFORCEMENT VIOLATION SUMMARY: POPULATION: The May population estimate is 91,271. TRACKING THE NUMBERS Total Permits: YTD -1 yr YTD -2 yr 32% 34% Year-to-date, total permits experienced
a decrease in quantity when compared to last year at this time, May 2008, and experienced a decrease when compared with two years ago, May 2007. Single-Family Homes: (Does not include
slab onlys) YTD 1 yr YTD 2 yr 26% 31% Year-to-date, single-family home permits decreased in quantity when compared to last year at this time, May 2008, and decreased when compared
with two years ago, May 2007. Commercial: (Does not include slab onlys) YTD 1 yr YTD 2 yr 52% 60% Year-to-date, commercial permits experienced a decrease in quantity when compared
to last year at this time, May 2008, and a decrease com-pared with two years ago, May 2007.
SINGLE FAMILY PERMITS 3 YEARCOMPARISON BY MONTH (INCLUDES ONLY NEW SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES) COMMERCIAL PERMITS 3 YEARCOMPARISON BY MONTH (INCLUDES NEW COMMERCIAL & COMMERCIAL REMODELS)
TOTAL PERMITS 3 YEARCOMPARISON BY MONTH Type of Permit Permit Unit Amount Single-Family Home 177 177 $23,523,610 Duplex 0 0 $0 Tri-Plex/Four-plex 0 0 $0 Apartment 1 21 $1,800,000 New
Commercial 12 N/A $7,741,687 Commercial Remodel 23 N/A $2,459,066 P E R M I T S B Y T Y P E Y E A R T O D A T E 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 Jan. Feb.MarchApril May
June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. 2007 2008 2009 05 10 15 20 25 30 35 Jan. Feb.MarchApril May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. 2007 2008 2009 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200
220 240 260 280 300 Jan. Feb. March April May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. 2007 2008 2009