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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/21/1994 - Minutes - Planning & Zoning Commission• MINUTES Planning & Zoning Commission CITY Or COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS April 21, 1994 7:00 P.M. COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chairman Hawthorne, Commissioners Smith, Lane and Hall. COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: Commissioners Herring, Marion and Gribou. STAFF PRESENT: City Planner Kee, Planning Technician Thomas, Staff Planner Kuenzel and Staff Planner Dunn. AGENDA ITEM NO. 1: Approval of minutes from the meeting of Apri17, 1994. Commissioner Hall moved to approve the minutes from the meeting of April 7, 1994 as written. • Commissioner Smith seconded the motion which passed unopposed (4 - 0). AGENDA ITEM NO. 2: Public hearing to consider a conditional use permit to allow a sorority house to be located on the corner of Rhett Butler and University Oaks, lot 4 of the Timber Ridge Addition. (94-702) Staff Planner Kuenzel presented the staff report and informed the Commission that the applicants are applying for the use only and will follow with a site plan at a later date. This plan will also come before the Commission. The subject property is zoned R-6 which allows apartment buildings at up to twenty four dwelling units per acre with the option of higher densities if approved by Cily Council. The applicant does not intend to exceed the maximum density. The area has developed as a mix of mostly student housing with a concentration of apartment buildings and sorority/fraternity houses. The request is keeping in with the zoning and land use patterns in the area. Several property owners of the R-1 zoned area have voiced concern regarding this request. Apparently, the existing sorority houses generate a large amount of street parking especially during rush time. In some areas, the roads become blocked by cars, preventing the passage of private and emergency vehicles. Most of the other sororities in the area were built before a change in the Zoning Ordinance that made parking more restrictive. There are twelve sorority houses in this area, only two of which were built under the current requirement of one space per resident plus one space for every thirty square feet of meeting room. The requirement before the 1986 change was only one space per dwelling unit. According to one resident, the parking problem is aggravated during rush week by not only the additional parking generated but also by the fact that the parking lots are blocked off and that parking is forced into the streets. The applicant has explained that the lront areas of the houses are used for outdoor activities, but that parking in the rear is allowed. Staff will take this information to the next meeting of the Traffic Management Team for discussion. This particular site will have the parking in the rear and will meet the current parking requirement by providing 100 spaces. The Commission does have the discretion to place conditions on approval of the use and site plan. Chairman Hawthorne opened the public hearing. Paul Clarke of Clarke and Wyndham Investments and representative of the owner of the property approached the Commission and stated that the property is currently zoned R-6 for apartments. In terms of density and traffic, the proposed sorority use is less intense and would be less detrimental to the surrounding single family homeowners. Julie Garth of 6923 Kelsey Rae Court in Houston, informed the Commission that she is purchasing the property to construct the Alpha Phi sorority house. The current facilities along Athens are too small and the chapter is continuously growing. The current facilities cannot be expanded so the chapter would like to relocate and build a bigger facility in the neighborhood. There will be forty eight women living in the house and a house couple to manage and maintain the property. The project is planned for 10,000 square feet in the first phase with plans to finish out the third floor of 3000 square feet for a meeting room. Peggry Brannon of 1102 Hardwood Lane approached the Commission and expressed her frustration and the frustration of the surrounding property owners in dealing with the sororities in the neighborhood during "Rush Week". During this week, the sororities close off their parking lots and lorce parking along the street. Vehicles are parked along all streets including Hardwood and deny access to private driveways. If there was an emergency during this time, a fire truck or an ambulance could not drive down Hardwood Lane. Ms. Brannon stated that the neighbors have worked with the individual sororities and the Greek Council in trying to eliminate the problem but nothing has been done. The local police and fire departments have also been made aware of the situation and still nothing has been done. Chairman Hawthorne closed the public hearing. Commissioner Hall moved to grant the conditional use permit for the use only to allow a sorority house to be located on the corner of Rhett Butler and University Oaks, lot 4 of the Timber Ridge Addition. Commissioner Lane seconded the motion Commissioner Hall informed Ms. Brannon that the neighborhood has legitimate concerns; however, the Commission does not have the authority to address the problem. The proposed sorority house would be less intense as far as traffic is concerned than high density apartments which arc currently allowed. Commissioner Hall requested that staff place the item on the next City Council meeting to allow the problem to be discussed in an open lorum. Jennifer Chavez, the President of the Rush Committee at Texas A&M, presented a revised parking policy for "Rush Week" and stated that the Committee is looking into providing a bus system for 1994. Shc agreed to meet with Ms. Brannon after the meeting to see if an agreement could be reached. The motion to grant the conditional use permit passed unopposed (4 - 0). AGENDA ITEM NO. 3: Public hearing to consider a conditional use permit to allow a cellular telephone facility to be located along Highway 6 South, tract 22 totalling 1.76 acres in the S.W. Robertson Survey. (94-703) Staff Planner Kuenzel presented the stall report requesting a permit to allow a cellular telephone communications facility and tower to locate on a triangular lot along the frontage of Highway 6 South on Tract 22 of the S. W. Robertson Survey. The lot is a triangular fragment of an older tract that, due to its shape, is unlikely to develop as a larger commercial use. It abuts a public utility substation and the request is in line with the existing and future land uses. Six surrounding property owners were notified with no response. Chairman Hawthorne opened the public hearing. P & Z Minutes Apri121, 1994 Page 2 Shep Poland, a representative of G.T.E. approached the Commission and stated that the company is trying to upgrade the current system. A facility is needed between the Texas A&M campus and • Navasota to provide service. Jeff Bronson, one of the current property owners, informed the Commission that the property is historically a commercial property and contained Gazebo Antiques prior to the highway expansion. Chairman Hawthorne closed the public hearing. Commissioner Smith moved to grant a conditional use permit to allow the use only of a cellular communications facility and tower to be located on tract 22 of the A. Babille and S.W. Robertson Survey. Commissioner Hall seconded the motion which passed unopposed (4 - 0). AGENDA ITEM NO. 4: Consideration of a preliminary plat for the Edelweiss Estates Phase 3A Subdivision. (94-307) Stall Planner Kuenzel presented the staff report and recommended approval with the condition that all easements be worked out between staff and the applicant. These easements include the parking and access easements that will be shared between lots. Because public access, water service, and drainage facilities are intended to be provided by other projects (Victoria Avenue Extension and Edelweiss Phase 3) staff recommended that the acceptance of the improvements within this project be conditioned upon the prior acceptance of the improvements required of the other two projects. Commissioner Hall moved to recommend approval of the preliminary plat of Edelweiss Estates Phase 3A Subdivision with staff recommendations. Commissioner Lane seconded the motion which passed unopposed (4 - 0). AGENDA ITEM NO. 6: Other business. • There was no other business. AGENDA ITEM NO. 7: Adjourn. Commissioner Mariott moved to adjourn the meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission. Commissioner Herring seconded the motion which passed unopposed (6 - 0). VED. ~ t ' Chairperson, Kyle Hawthorne A ,_ Planning Technician, Natalie Thomas P & Z Minutes Apri121, 1994 Page 3 Registration Form • (For persons who wish to address the Commission) Date of Meeting Agenda Item No. ,~- .., I i. iti~~ -r Name s~~? ~~~~~ Address ~ o, ;3ak ~vz ~,,~~~ Tk ?-~ut~t~ If speaking for an organization, Name of organization: Speaker's official capacity: q~~~ Subject on which person wishes to s eak: Please remember to step to the podium as soon as you are • recognized by the chair, hand your completed registration form to the presiding officer and state your name and residence before beginning your presentation. 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