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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/05/2025 - Regular Minutes - Housing Plan Advisory Committee December 5, 2025 Design Review Board Page 1 of 4 Minutes Design Review Board December 5, 2025 City Hall 1938 Executive Conference Room Board Members Present: Chairperson Jason Cornelius, Dr. Keith Sylvester, Nicole Gallucci, Ivan Rusyn and Andrew Arizpe Board Members Absent: Ray Holiday and Barry Ely Staff Present: Director of Planning and Development Services Anthony Armstrong, Assistant Director of Planning and Development Services Molly Hitchcock, Land Development Review Administrator Robin Macias, Senior Planner Jeff Howell, and Staff Assistant II Tiffany Romero 1. Call to order Chairperson Jason Cornelius called the meeting to order at 11:00 a.m. 2. Hear Visitors There were no visitors. 3. Agenda Items 3.1 Consideration, discussion, and possible action to approve meeting minutes. • July 11, 2025 Board Member Rusyn motioned to approve the minutes. Board Member Arizpe seconded the motion, which passed (5-0). 3.2 Presentation, discussion, and possible action to consider an appeal to the landscape buffer standards in the Unified Development Ordinance Section 6.4.AB. “Specific Use Standards” and Section 7.7.F. “Buffer Requirements” for 11720 Old Wellborn Road, which is zoned R Rural. Case #AWV2025-000034 Senior Planner Howell presented the request explaining the UDO buffer requirements for this item. He stated that Section 6.4.AB Utilities states that activities not within a building that abuts single-family residential uses shall construct a twenty (20) foot buffer yard with a six (6) foot privacy fence, in accordance with the Buffer Requirements Section of Article 7, General Development Standards of the UDO. He also cited Sections 7.7.F.2.b that requires a combination of canopy and non-canopy trees along the buffer and Section 7.7.F.4.h. that states that buffer plantings may be reduced by 50% percent if a wall is December 5, 2025 Design Review Board Page 2 of 4 provided where a fence is required. The request is to reduce the 20-foot required landscape buffer down to 10 feet along the northern and western side of the property, and down to 15 feet on the southern side of the property. The applicant is also requesting to provide only non-canopy trees as well as an eight-foot masonry wall. Senior Planner Howell continued stating that the UDO requires 28 canopy trees and 46 non-canopy trees. The applicant is proposing zero canopy trees, 55 non-canopy trees, and 259 shrubs along the property line. Staff is recommending denial of the appeal request that in granting this would negatively affect the development. Board Members discussed the buffer requirements and canopy trees. Director Armstrong mentioned that they have known about the requirements from the package that the department sent to them since November 2021. Board Member Sylvester asked what milliwatts they are putting in this location. Applicant Jarod Cain mentioned that the station will be the level of service 138 Kilovolt. He stated that location is ideal since it is located adjacent to BTU’s existing transmission line. He explained that Old Wellborn Road has no future plans for the road to be extended. They redesigned the plans to try to fit equipment and canopy trees but since an easement is in that location and canopy trees are not permissible to be within the easement, the spacing of the station and specific distances and clearances didn’t allow much room with the buffer. He also stated that there are certain clearances and spacing requirements from a safety standpoint to the exterior to prevent the public from being able to reach into or have access to. He informed the Board that BTU will add an eight-foot wall all around the location. Board Member Rusyn asked the applicant if it was true that the design considerations were in their possession for years and could have designed this space accordingly. The applicant stated that there was limited flexibility regarding what could be placed on the lot. Due to the property’s adjacency to the existing 138 kilovolt transmission line configuration, locating the 138 kilovolt station across from that alignment was necessary. The applicant stated building this station will help future development in the area. Chairperson Cornelius asked why there is a discrepancy with the size of the land that was purchased and the plans that were shared with everyone. The property was purchased with prior knowledge of City standards, and the configuration should have been considered at time of purchase. This has been in everyone’s hands since 2021. Mike McMillan with BTU spoke that with the detention pond there they had to rearrange the facility to have enough clearance and because of the terrain, there is another restriction on where they could put the above-grade facilities. December 5, 2025 Design Review Board Page 3 of 4 The Board discussed whether, at the time of purchase, additional portions of the property could have been acquired from the owner, given the applicable guidelines to adhere to from the City of College Station. Chairperson Cornelius asked if this body was to deny the applicants request what does that do with the substation. Applicant McMillan said they would have to eliminate some of the services they were trying to offer out of this site and find another site. He gave examples of how other substations look in College Station. Director Armstrong explained all the requirements were laid out upfront and that our job is to protect the integrity of the code and of the area. He stated that BTU does service the Barracks, Mission Ranch and some other areas around that location. He also said that BTU has a much broader service area and that most of this service would not be for College Station. Board Member Gallucci asked the projected height of the shrubbery that BTU was proposing. Applicant Cain listed off the proposed landscape. Director Armstrong said that the projection would be two to three feet. Chairperson Cornelius asked if there were some visualizations of what the walls were going to look like. Applicant McMillan explained how the fence would look, stating that FM 2818 has a substation that has a wall around it and it will look like that. Board Member Rusyn explained that this type of substation will produce electromagnetic radiation. Electromagnetic radiation requires space to decrease rather than barriers. It can go through walls, it can go through people, and it decays with distance rather than with destruction. An extra 10 feet will go a long way if there are residential areas that could surround it. The Board discussed how they were against the buffer and reduction of plantings. Board Member Rusyn motioned to deny the waiver, Board Member Arizpe seconded the motion, which was denied (5-0). 4. Possible action and discussion on future agenda items. Board Member Sylvester requested that the planning committee view and intensify requirements regarding industrial development such as power stations within the city limits. December 5, 2025 Design Review Board Page 4 of 4 5.Adjourn Chairperson Cornelius asked for motion to adjourn. Board Member Arizpe motioned to adjourn the meeting, Board Member Rusyn seconded the motion, which passed (5-0). The meeting was adjourned at 12:57 p.m. APPROVED: _________________________________ Chairperson, Jason Cornelius ATTEST: _________________________________ Tiffany Romero, Board Secretary