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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/05/1993 - Regular Minutes - Zoning Board of AdjustmentsMINUTES Zoning Board of Adjustment CITY OF COLLEGE STATION„ TEXAS October 5, 1993 5:30 P.M. • MEMBERS PRESENT: Members Gaston, Sawtelle, and Rife and Alternate Members Hollas and McKean. MEMBERS ABSENT: Chairman Birdwell and Member DeOtte and Alternate Member Poston. STAFF PRESENT: Staff Planner Kuenzel and Planning Technician Thomas. AGENDA ITEM NO. 1: Call meeting to order -explanation of functions of the Board. Mr. Gaston called the meeting to order and explained the functions and limitations of the Board. AGENDA ITEM NO. 2: Approval of minutes from the meeting of August 17, 1993. Mr. Rife moved to approve the minutes from the meeting of August 17, 1993 as written. Mr. Sawtelle seconded the motion which passed unopposed (5 - 0). AGENDA ITEM NO. 3: Consideration of a special exception request by Michael Layne and Scott Baker to the parking requirements to allow a restaurant at 106 Walton Drive. Staff Planner Kuenzel presented the staff report and explained that the subject site has legal nonconforming status for a retail use. This status lets the use of the property continue as long as it remains in the same use classification. Conversion to another use would constitute an abandonment of the retail use and protection under nonconforming status would be lost. The site must then come up to code under all current provisions of the Zoning Ordinance. The proposed use is a restaurant which would require nineteen parking spaces. The applicant is proposing ten parking spaces; five more spaces than are currently being provided by the plumbing business. The Board must determine if the proposed restaurant use will be less intense and detrimental than the previous plumbing business use. The applicant in this case must prove to the Board that the use he describes will not have more of a negative impact to the area than the present retail use. If the special exception is not granted, the site must come up to code and meet parking and landscaping requirements. There is vacant property available to the north and south for additional parking. Twelve surrounding property owners were notified; one property owner has called to express concern regarding the existing parking problems in this commercial area. A letter from this property owner was also submitted expressing her concerns. Mr. Gaston opened the public hearing. Applicant Scott Baker of 701 Cherry Drive in College Station, approached the Board and was sworn in by Mr. Gaston. Mr. Baker stated that the inside dining area will be a maximum of 600 square feet. A delivery service will be available to limited areas such as surrounding businesses and the Texas A&M campus. Mr. Baker stated that he and his partner plan to bring as much of the site as possible to code • including meeting local building codes and enhancing the exterior and interior of the building. The business will be a small local operation and alcohol will not be served. Mr. Baker informed the Board that the Wilson Plumbing business is a fairly intense business and the proposed restaurant will be less intense and provide more parking spaces. The restaurant will be a three man operation; the two owners and one delivery person. The restaurant will serve one plate consisting of fried chicken fingers, french fries, cole slaw, Texas toast and tea or soda to drink. Hours of operation will be from 10:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Mr. Baker stated that he and his partner would like to provide adrive-thru window and the additional required parking; however, they have not been able to locate the owner of the adjacent lot 9. Mr. Baker stated that the exterior will be greatly improved including cleaning out the existing storage area, landscaping around the building, painting the building, paving additional parking and in general enhancing the overall appearance of the building. Applicant Michael Layne addressed the Board and was sworn in by Mr. Gaston. He stated that at peak hours of operation, they do not expect more than 10 parking spaces to be filled with a total of 15 to 20 customers. Since the business is able to operate on minimal overhead, a large volume business is not required to make a profit. The restaurant must sell fifty plates per day to break even. Because of the limited dining area and quick preparation time, the business will target pick-up and to-go orders. Jim Elmquist of 404 Francis approached the Board and was sworn in by Mr. Gaston. Mr. Elmquist explained that he is the leasing agent working with the two applicants. In looking for a location in College Station, the main emphasis was on a smaller building to target apick-up business. Mr. Gaston suggested that adrive-thru could be added to the subject site by removing one • parking space in the front of the building and relocating the proposed rear parking lot directly behind the building. The drive-thru traffic could utilize the rear public alley to enter and exit the site. Mr. Gaston stated that adrive-thru would reduce the number of parking spaced required and allow the parking in front of the building to be used for customers in the dining area. Mr. Sawtelle stated that he would prefer to look at a complete site plan to determine exactly what is proposed. The site plan should include a proposed drive-thru, landscaping, signage, parking and any other improvements. Mitchell Morehead of 4725 Huntington in Bryan and owner of Acme Glass, approached the Board and was sworn in by Mr. Gaston. Mr. Morehead expressed concern of the proposed restaurant and the intensity of the use. He stated that he would like to know the maximum number of people who can be in the building at one time. Mr. Morehead stated that he is concerned about the appearance of the building and the plans for improvement. He expressed concern with the overall increased traffic flow in the area as well as the loss of parking spaces in the front of the building due to the Texas Avenue widening project. The existing rear alley is not wide enough for two cars to pass and is currently being used for delivery vehicles to the various businesses. The rear alley currently handles a large amount of traffic and by adding drive-thru traffic to the alley, there will be congestion problems. Leonard Morehead of F.M. 1179 in Steep Hollow Subdivision and owner of Acme Glass, approached the Board and was- sworn in by Mr. Gaston. He informed the Board that the rear alley is not adequate for heavy traffic. When the alley was originally built, it was primarily for the use of sanitation and emergency vehicles. Mr. Morehead expressed concern of the • restaurant becoming a hang out for college students and causing traffic problems in the area. ZBA Minutes October S, 1993 Page 2 • Mr. Sawtelle moved to table the special exception request until the applicant can provide a site plan addressing the following items: -- show the drive-thru, revised parking configuration and proposed traffic flow including the rear alley; -- show the physical appearance of the building such as signage, landscaping and possible traffic control signage; and, -- provide information proving that the proposed use is less detrimental to the environment. • Mr. Rife seconded the motion which passed unopposed (5 - 0). AGENDA ITEM NO. 4: Other business. There was no other business. AGENDA I'T'EM NO. 5: Adjourn. Mr. Rife moved to adjourn the meeting of the Zoning Board of Adjustment. Mr. McKean seconded the motion which passed unopposed (5 - 0). APP D: hairman, ick irdw 1 A ~ ,~ i',~ , ~`~ ~T ~f/ 1 ~~L 1'i~. Planning Te~'lrrri'ci'~'rf, Natalie Thomas ZBA Minutes October S, 1993 Page 3 Zoning Board of Adjustment i• U Guest Register Date Name Address 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25.