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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-21-13 PC Minutes * M I N U T E S * JOINT PUBLIC HEARINGS PLANNING COMMISSION CITY COUNCIL City Council Chambers October 21, 2013 The Joint Public Hearings of the Planning Commission and City Council were held on October 21, 2013 and called to order at 3:15 p.m. with the following members present: Chairman Sina Nejad Vice-Chairman Marty Craig Commissioner Walter Kyles Commissioner Lauren Williams Mason Commissioner Clint Walters Commissioner Shani Daigle Commission Members absent: Commissioner Lynda Kay Makin Commissioner Ransom “Duce” Jones Commissioner Eddie Senigaur Commissioner Frank Messina Commissioner Bill Little Councilmembers present: Mayor Becky Ames Mayor Pro-Tem Gethrel Williams Wright Councilman-at-Large W. L. Pate Councilman Mike Getz Councilman Audwin Samuel Councilmembers absent: Councilman Alan Coleman Councilman Jamie Smith Also present: Chris Boone, Director of Planning and Community Development, Adina Ward, Planner II; Jill Cole, Recording Secretary; Quentin Price, First Assistant City Attorney; Tyrone Cooper, City Attorney APPROVAL OF MINUTES Commissioner Kyles made a motion to approve the minutes of the Regular Meeting and Joint Public Hearings held September 16, 2013. Commissioner Mason seconded the motion. Motion to approve carried 6:0. JOINT PUBLIC HEARINGS Mayor Ames called the Joint Public Hearings of October 21, 2013 to order and explained the purpose of the joint hearing process and then turned the meeting over to Chairman Nejad. Chairman Nejad explained the policies and procedures for the hearing process. 1) File 2188-P: Request for a specific use permit for a pipe processing, storage and shipping facility in an LI (Light Industrial) District. Location: 5780 Hagner Road Applicant: Robert Hooper Mr. Boone presented the staff report. The applicant, Robert Hooper, on behalf of National Oilwell Varco – XL Systems, is requesting this specific use permit. The zoning allows for this kind of use with a specific use permit. The facility has been located on the site since 1985. Currently, the site is primarily used for storage of pipe in various stages of processing. The proposed expansion would involve the removal of two existing buildings and the construction of three new buildings, including two warehouse/production facilities and an office building. Parking will be constructed as required by ordinance, and utilities exist on the site to handle expected demand to meet the requirements of the City. Please note that final occupancy approval is subject to review and acceptance of submitted plans and field inspections to verify compliance with applicable codes. Forty-two notices were mailed to property owners within 200 feet of the subject property. One response in favor and one in opposition were returned. Slides of the subject property were shown. Staff recommended approval of the request. Chairman Nejad opened the public hearing and asked for the applicant’s comments. Robert Hooper, Urban Construction Southwest, Inc., addressed the Commission on behalf of National Oilwell Varco – XL Systems. Chairman Nejad asked for comments in favor or in opposition. No comments were made. The public hearing was closed. Vice-Chairman Craig made a motion to approve a specific use permit for a pipe processing, storage and shipping facility in an LI District at 5780 Hagner Road as requested in File 2188- P. Commissioner Mason seconded the motion. Motion to approve carried 6:0. 2) File 2189-P: Request for a revised specific use permit to allow an expansion of a financial planner’s office in an RM-H (Residential Multiple Family Dwelling-Highest Density) District. Location: 4184 Treadway Road Applicant: Tim Satre, on behalf of Satre Investments, LLC Mr. Boone presented the staff report. The current zoning of the subject property allows for this kind of use with a specific use permit. The revision is for the specific use permit at 4184 Treadway Road. The initial specific use permit was approved in 1998. At that time, the existing residential building was modified into office space and parking was added. The proposed expansion includes the construction of two new buildings for the expansion of his business. The proposed buildings would be one story buildings and would not visually impact the surrounding neighborhood. Parking will be constructed as required by ordinance, and utilities exist on the site to handle expected demand to meet the requirements of the City. Mr. Satre is requesting a waiver to the 8’ privacy fence on the south side of the property. In addition he is requesting a waiver to landscape and screening requirements along the North and South property lines. Please note that final occupancy approval is subject to review and acceptance of submitted plans and field inspections to verify compliance with applicable codes. Ten notices were mailed to property owners within 200 feet of the subject property. No responses in favor or in opposition were returned. Slides of the subject property were shown. Mr. Boone recommended approval with the following condition:  Based on aerial views of the site, it appears the building to the south is currently buffered by trees; therefore, if trees are removed as part of this expansion project, the required fencing should be waived only for the front 200’ of the south property line. Chairman Nejad opened the public hearing and asked for the applicant’s comments. Tim Satre addressed the Commission. Chairman Nejad asked for comments in favor or in opposition. No comments were made. The public hearing was closed. Commissioner Mason made a motion to approve a revised specific use permit to allow an expansion of a financial planner’s office in an RM-H District at 4184 Treadway Road as requested in File 2189-P with the following condition:  Based on aerial views of the site, it appears the building to the south is currently buffered by trees; therefore, if trees are removed as part of this expansion project, the required fencing should be waived only for the front 200’ of the south property line. Commissioner Daigle seconded the motion. Motion to approve carried 6:0. 3) File 839-OB: Request for the abandonment of a 5’ x 112.63’ utility easement (sanitary sewer). Location: Bisecting Lot 5 and part of Lot 6, Block 11, Fourth Street Acres Addition Applicant: Sally Broussard, on behalf of Spindletop Center Mr. Boone presented the staff report. Sally Broussard, on behalf of Spindletop Center, is requesting abandonment of a utility easement. This easement is a 5’ strip of land that roughly bisects Lot 5 and part of Lot 6, in Block 11 of the Fourth Street Acres Addition. It is approximately 113’ long. Property owners in the area have signed an application indicating their approval and interest in the abandonment. This item was sent to all interested parties. There is a 6” sanitary sewer line in the easement. The owner has indicated that the sanitary sewer line will be relocated to the easement located th on the west side of the property and out to 8 Street. Planning staff recommended approval of the request. Chairman Nejad opened the public hearing and asked for the applicant’s comments. Ben Tristan with Fittz & Shipman addressed the Commission on behalf of Sally Broussard and the Spindletop Center Chairman Nejad asked for comments in favor or in opposition. No comments were made. The public hearing was closed. Vice-Chairman Craig made a motion to approve the abandonment of a 5’ x 112.63’ utility easement (sanitary sewer) bisecting Lot 5 and part of Lot 6, Block 11, Fourth Street Acres Addition as requested in File 839-OB. Commissioner Kyles seconded the motion. Motion to approve carried 6:0. 4) File 840-OB: Request for a waiver to the sidewalk requirements for new construction. Location: 7185 IH-10 S. Applicant: Tom Neild, on behalf of Agriland Farm Credit Mr. Boone presented the staff report. Tom Neild, on behalf of Agriland Farm Credit, is requesting a waiver to the requirements for a sidewalk. The new construction is to be built at 7185 IH 10 S. The ordinance states that: (3) The planning and zoning commission may grant a waiver to the sidewalk requirement if the applicant can prove that there is an engineering reason for not installing a sidewalk. (Chapter 26, Section 26.03.004 (3)) There are several reasons why it is logical and acceptable for a sidewalk waiver to be granted in this instance. The developer outlines these reasons in the attached letter. It should be noted, however, that the fact that there are no sidewalks in the area is not an appropriate measure of the applicability of the ordinance. Planning staff recommended approval. Chairman Nejad opened the public hearing and asked for the applicant’s comments. Tom Neild addressed the Commission. Mike Stankovich with Agriland Farm Credit addressed the Commission. Chairman Nejad asked for comments in favor or in opposition. No comments were made. The public hearing was closed. Commissioner Mason made a motion to approve a waiver to the sidewalk requirements for new construction at 7185 IH-10 S. as requested in File 840-OB. Vice-Chairman Craig seconded the motion. Motion to approve carried 6:0. 5) File 841-OB: A request for abandonment of a utility easement (no existing utilities). Location: 5690 Kingswood Drive Applicant: Helbig CDC Mr. Boone presented the staff report. Helbig CDC is requesting abandonment of a 10’ wide and 138’ long utility easement at 5690 Kingswood Drive. Time Warner Cable has agreed to abandon the most easterly half (5’x138’ portion) of the easement. This parcel has an unusual series of setbacks and easements. There is a 10’ road easement along Garner Road, which is followed by an adjacent 10’ utility easement. These easements are followed by the standard building setback. The combination of these easements and setbacks creates a condition in which it is difficult to construct a residence. Abandoning the easement will allow the builder to construct the desired home, and all utilities can be located in what is called the road easement. This item was sent to all interested parties. There currently are no utilities in this portion of the easement. The City will retain the road easement and locate any potential utilities in that location. Planning staff recommends abandonment of the east half of the 10’x138’ easement. Chairman Nejad opened the public hearing and asked for the applicant’s comments. The applicant was not present. Chairman Nejad asked for comments in favor or in opposition. None were made. The public hearing was closed. Commissioner Daigle made a motion to approve the abandonment of the east half of the 10’ x 138’ utility easement at 5690 Kingswood Drive as requested in File 841-OB. Commissioner Kyles seconded the motion. Motion to approve carried 6:0. OTHER BUSINESS THERE BEING NO OTHER BUSINESS, THE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED AT 3:46 P.M.